Portuguese invasion of Jaffna Kingdom in 1591 AD was the second expedition against the
Jaffna Kingdom
The Jaffna Kingdom ( ta, யாழ்ப்பாண அரசு, si, යාපනය රාජධානිය; 1215–1624 CE), also known as Kingdom of Aryachakravarti, was a historical kingdom of what today is northern Sri Lanka. It came i ...
by the
Portuguese. The campaign, led by Captain
André Furtado de Mendonça, started from
Mannar Mannar may refer to the following places:
India
* Mannar, Alappuzha, a town in Chengannur Taluk, Kerala
Sri Lanka
* Mannar District, one of 25 districts in Sri Lanka
** Mannar Island, an island within the district
**Mannar Bridge, a bridge connect ...
and continued to
Nallur, the capital of the Jaffna Kingdom. The Portuguese captured the kingdom, killed the king, and installed
Ethirimana Cinkam
Ethirimanna Cinkam ( ta, எதிர்மன்னசிங்கம்) (died 1617) was the penultimate ruler of the Aryacakravarti line of Kings of the Jaffna Kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. He came to power due to the second Portuguese expedi ...
as the new ruler.
Background
![Jaffna Royal family 280x190](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Jaffna_Royal_family_280x190.jpg)
The
first expedition against the Jaffna kingdom was partially successful, but the Portuguese did not undertake any further military campaigns until the death of
Cankili I
Cankili I ( ta, சங்கிலியன்) (died 1565), also known as Segarasasekaram (Jaga Rajasekharam), is the most remembered Jaffna kingdom king in the Sri Lankan Tamil history. He was very active in resisting Portuguese colonial inroads ...
. His death created competition for the crown amongst his offspring and opened up the opportunity for the Portuguese to intervene.
Due to the murder of the first son, Cankili's second son
Puvirasa Pandaram
Puviraja Pandaram ( ta, புவிராஜ பண்டாரம்) (died 1591) ruled the Jaffna kingdom during a period of chaos during and after the death of his father Cankili I in 1565. He became king in 1561 following a local uprising aga ...
became king; however,
Kasi Nayinar Pararacacekaran
Kasi Nayinar Pararacacekaran ( ta, காசி நயினார் பரராஜசேகரன்) (died 1570) was of one of the Aryacakravarti
The Arya Chakravarti dynasty ( ta, ஆரியச் சக்கரவர்த்திக ...
forcibly took the kingdom from him. Puvirasa Pandaram then requested help from the Portuguese army, which was stationed in Mannar. The Portuguese captured Kasi Nayinar, imprisoned him, and installed a new ruler. Later, supporters of Kasi Nayinar rescued him, killed the new ruler, and Kasi Nayinar regained the kingdom. The Portuguese assassinated Kasi Nayinar and
Periyapillai
Periyapillai ( ta, பெரியபிள்ளை) (died 1582) was of one of the Aryacakravarti rulers of Jaffna kingdom who followed in the chaotic period after the death of Cankili I(1519–1561). Some sources claim that he deposed the Cank ...
became the king with their support.
In 1582, Puvirasa Pandaram captured the kingdom and became unfriendly to Portuguese, even though he had previously requested assistance from them. He also continued anti-Portuguese activities, including an unsuccessful attack on Portuguese forces in Mannar in 1591. As a result, the Portuguese prepared to invade Jaffna.
Battle
![André Furtado de Mendonça](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Andr%C3%A9_Furtado_de_Mendon%C3%A7a.jpg)
On 26 October 1591, the Portuguese, led by André Furtado, mounted a military campaign against the Jaffna kingdom from Mannar. The forces consisted of 1,400 Portuguese soldiers and 3,000
Lascarins, who sailed with 43 ships and more than 200 small vessels. Jaffna forces were expecting the arrival in
Kayts, but the fleet landed in
Colombuthurai. With the support of heavy firepower, the first wave of 150 Portuguese soldiers and 200 Lascarins reached land. The first-wave attack favoured the Portuguese, who managed to kill the enemy soldiers and captured two pieces of artillery, more than 300 muskets, various other weapons, and ammunition.
The second wave, comprising 400 Portuguese soldiers, reached land, followed by the rest of the soldiers, who captured a storehouse and stationed at night. The next day, the Portuguese forces marched toward the capital and faced a defensive attack led by Prince Gago, son-in-law of Puvirasa Pandaram. Gago was killed in action and his entire company was wiped out. Advancing forces faced another ferocious defensive attack between the
Nallur Kandaswamy temple and the Nallur Weerakaliyamman temple. Prince Ethirimana Cinkam was wounded and was about to be executed by the invading forces, but was saved by a captain, Simão Pinhão.
The Portuguese army captured the king when he tried to escape into a temple. André Furtado ordered the king's execution by beheading. His head was then placed on a pike and kept on display for several days. The palace was sacked and the king's entire family was taken captive. Eight hundred
Badagas
The Badagas are an ethno-linguistic community living in the Nilgiri district in Tamil Nadu, India. Throughout the district the Badugas live in nearly 400 villages, called Hattis. The Badagas speak a language called Badaga.
History
The name ...
and some Moors of
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second la ...
were beheaded, as they were considered enemies. All the vessels in the port were burnt except two vessels for the use of the king. Three ships, 100 Portuguese soldiers, and 200 Lascarins were stationed in Jaffna at the request of the new king.
Notes
References
{{Jaffna kingdom
Battles involving the Jaffna kingdom
Battles involving Portugal
1591 in Asia
16th century in Sri Lanka
Jaffna kingdom (1591)