Portuguese Ceylon

Colonial settlement Level 2
1597 – 1658

Coastal Sri Lanka under Portuguese rule.

🗺 See on map in 1628
Capital
Colombo
Region
Sri Lanka
Duration
61 years
Main period
European Maritime Powers
Part of
Portuguese Estado da Índia

Approximate extent.

📚 Recommended reading on the Portuguese Ceylon

Reference

A History of Sri Lanka

K. M. de Silva · Penguin

The standard history of Sri Lanka from Anuradhapura to independence.

General reading

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Contemporaries

Powers that coexisted with the Portuguese Ceylon for a significant part of its history.

Sultanate of the Maldives ★
Islands · c. 1153 – 1968
Malla Dynasty of Nepal ★
Himalaya · 1201 – 1769
Ahom Kingdom ★
Northeast · 1228 – 1826
Mewar (Sisodia) ★
West · 1326 – 1949
Vijayanagara Empire ★
South · 1336 – 1646
Kingdom of Mysore ★
South · 1399 – 1950
Kingdom of Kandy ★
Sri Lanka · c. 1469 – 1815
Portuguese Estado da Índia ★
Coastal · 1505 – 1961
Mughal Empire ★
North · 1526 – 1857
British East India Company ★
Pan-Indian · 1600 – 1858
Zamorins of Calicut
South · c. 1124 – 1766
Kachwahas of Amber (Jaipur)
West · c. 1128 – 1949
Jaffna Kingdom
Sri Lanka · c. 1215 – 1619
Marwar (Rathore)
West · c. 1226 – 1949
Ahmadnagar Sultanate (Nizam Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1636
Bijapur Sultanate (Adil Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1686
Bidar Sultanate (Barid Shahi)
Deccan · 1492 – 1619
Portuguese Cochin
Coastal · 1503 – 1663
Koch Kingdom (Kamata / Cooch Behar)
Northeast · 1515 – 1949
Golconda Sultanate (Qutb Shahi)
Deccan · 1518 – 1687
Madurai Nayaks
South · 1529 – 1736
Portuguese Bassein & Bombay
Coastal · 1534 – 1739
Portuguese Diu
Coastal · 1535 – 1961
Portuguese Daman
Coastal · 1559 – 1961
Gorkha Kingdom
Himalaya · 1559 – 1768
Portuguese Hooghly
Coastal · 1579 – 1632
Dutch East India Company (VOC) in India
Coastal · 1605 – 1825
Dutch Coromandel (Pulicat)
Coastal · 1610 – 1825
Bhutan under the Zhabdrung (Druk Desi)
Himalaya · 1616 – 1907
Danish India
Coastal · 1620 – 1869
Danish Tranquebar
Coastal · 1620 – 1845
Fort St George, Madras
Coastal · 1639 – 1858