Vijayanagara Invasion of Goa (1558)
| Vijayanagara Invasion of Goa | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Vijayanagar-Portuguese Conflicts | |||||||
 Map of Portuguese Goa (1620) | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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Vijayanagara Empire
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 Portuguese Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Vitthala Raja Dodda Sankanna Nayaka |
Francisco Barreto | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
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Vijayanagara Army : 100,000 Infantry 10,000 Cavalry 100 War Elephants Unknown Number of Artillery Keladi Army : 20,000 Infantry 1000 Cavalry 50 War Elephants | Unknown | ||||||
The Vijayanagara invasion of Goa (1558) was a campaign initiated by Rama Raya against the Portuguese after years of growing tensions between the two powers. Relations had worsened because of Portuguese raids on coastal towns, attacks on local rulers, and interference in trade. To carry out his plan, Rama Raya sent a large force under Rama Raja Vitthala and Dodda Sankanna Nayaka to threaten Goa, while he led the main army against Santhome of Mylapore. The pressure on Goa prevented the Portuguese from sending reinforcements allowing the Vijayanagara forces to capture Santhome.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Background
Portuguese Attacks on Vijaynagara Domains
In 1542, the Franciscans built two churches at Nagapattinam in place of existing Hindu temples. During the same period, nearly three thousand people in the surrounding area converted to Christianity. In other regions under Portuguese influence, Hindu temples and places of worship were often attacked, looted, or forced to pay tribute. Some missionary groups also used pressure to convert local people, while others took men, women, and children into slavery.[1][2]
Sack of Mangalore
In 1555, the Portuguese captain Álvaro da Silveira attacked Mangalore where temples were looted and destroyed during the raid. Such actions often frightened local people, causing many families to leave Portuguese controlled areas and abandon their homes and belongings. The Portuguese also demanded heavy payments from Indian rulers and tightly controlled trade forcing merchants to use Portuguese ports and follow their rules. Local Hindu chiefs frequently complained about these actions to Rama Raya but he avoided a direct conflict with the Portuguese because Vijayanagara depended on them for the supply of quality horses and military equipment.[1][2][10]
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Second Sack of Mangalore
After the defeat of the forces allied with Adil Shah at Salsette in 1557, Rama Raya began to see the Portuguese as a growing threat to his influence. The situation became worsen in early 1558 when the Portuguese captain Luiz Mello da Silva attacked Mangalore claiming that Muslim merchants had taken refuge there. The assault resulted in many people being killed or taken into slavery. Since Mangalore lay within Vijayanagara's domain Rama Raya viewed the attack as a direct challenge to his authority.[1][2][10]
Invasion
Invasion of Goa
In the early summer of 1558, Rama Raya planned a campaign against Portuguese. He divided his forces into two armies placing one under his own command and the other under his cousin Rama Raja Vitthala a proven commander who had distinguished himself in earlier cmpaigns against Travancore and the Pandyas. Vitthala marched towards Goa with about hundred thousand infantry, ten thousand cavalry, hundred elephants, and a small artillery train. He was joined by the Keladi ruler Dodda Sankanna Nayaka who brought an additional force of around twenty thousand infantry, thousand cavalry, and fifty elephants. Their combined army was tasked with advancing on Goa from the south where Portuguese defenses were considered most vulnerable. The campaign was launched at a favorable moment as many Portuguese fleets were away on overseas voyages and Viceroy Francisco Barreto had little reason to expect an attack from Vijayanagara a state long regarded as a valuable ally.[1][2][3][4][5]
The advance on Goa was only one part of Rama Raya's larger strategy. While Vitthala Raja kept the Portuguese occupied in the west, Rama Raya personally led the main army reportedly numbering around five hundred thousand troops against Santhome of Mylapore on the eastern coast. The choice of target appears to have been deliberate. Santhome held great religious and symbolic importance for the Portuguese. At the same time with Portuguese forces tied down by the siege of Goa, Mylapore was left exposed and could expect little support.[1][2][3][4][5]
Capture of Panjim
Santhome of Mylapore eventually surrendered to the Vijayanagara army after it became clear that no Portuguese reinforcements would arrive from Goa. The Portuguese authorities were unable to send help because their forces were occupied by the campaign of Vitthala Raja and Dodda Sankanna Nayaka in the west. Some later Indian works such as the Shivatattvaratnakara and Keladi Nripa Vijayam claim that Vijayanagara forces even captured Panjim and took the Portuguese Viceroy prisoner. While this account is not mentioned in Portuguese records and may be exaggerated, its appearance in more than one Indian source suggests that the campaign around Goa achieved some notable success. Most historians believe that the attack on Goa was primarily intended to distract the Portuguese allowing Rama Raya to focus his main effort on the capture of Santhome.[1][2][3][4][5]
Events within the Portuguese administration also suggest that the Vijaynagara invasion of 1558 had a significant impact. Viceroy Francisco Barreto had successfully defended Portuguese territories against an invasion by Adil Shah only a year earlier yet he was replaced in September 1558 by Constantino of Braganza. After returning to portugal Barreto was appointed Admiral of the Galleys, a position that carried less prestige than the office of Viceroy. Some historians believe that his failure to prevent the Vijayanagara attacks on Santhome and the siege of Goa may have contributed to his recall. The loss of Santhome and the pressure placed on Goa appear to have been an embarrassment for the Portuguese authorities which may explain why these events received limited attention in Portuguese accounts.[1][2]
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Aftermath
Rama Raya's campaign was successful after this campaign the Portuguese avoided any major hostile actions against Vijayanagara Empire and its vassals for the remainder of his reign. Trade between the two powers continued and Portuguese settlements along the coast grew in wealth and population. Missionary activities also became less aggressive during this period while the Portuguese focused on strengthening the defenses of their coastal settlements. This situation changed dramatically after the Battle of Talikota in 1565, when the combined Deccan Sultanates defeated Vijayanagara Empire. Rama Raya was killed, and the capital was sacked. Although the empire survived under the Aravidu dynasty with new capitals at Penukonda and Chandragiri it never recovered its former power. The decline of Vijayanagara Empire deprived the Portuguese of a major trading partner and protector but it also gave them greater freedom to expand their influence along the Indian coast without facing a powerful rival.[1][2]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Unknown (2015). Journal of Indian history and culture. pp. 154–160. Search this book on
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Panjaje, Krishna Kumar. "The Portuguese Vijayanagar War of 1558": 28–44.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Mughal Empire - R. C. Majumdar. 1974-01-01. p. 491. Search this book on
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 R. C. Majumdar, General Editor (1974). History and Culture of the Indian People, Volume 07, The Mughul Empire. Public Resource. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. p. 491.CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link) Search this book on
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 K A Nilakanta Sastri (1946). Further Source Of Vijayanagara History Vol I 1946 By K A Nilakanta Sastri. pp. 251–252. Search this book on
- ↑ Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta (1958). History of South India. pp. 280–281. Search this book on
- ↑ Shastry, Bhagamandala Seetharama (2000). Goa-Kanara Portuguese Relations, 1498-1763. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 111–112. ISBN 978-81-7022-848-6. Search this book on
- ↑ K. Abhishankar (1975). Karnataka state Gazetteer Shimoga District. Bangalore, Director of Printing Stationery and Publications. p. 53. Search this book on
- ↑ K.A.Nilakanta Sastry (1946). Further Sources Of Vijayanagara History. pp. 193–194. Search this book on
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Mangalore : George M. Moraes : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive". Internet Archive. p. 7. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
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