History or fantasy? Rui Collaco: Inquisition as a land-grab? Thousands of Portuguese migrants pouring into Goa and taking up those lands? Boat-loads of Jews coming to Goa as "refugees" from...Portugal? And then getting killed in Goa? Sometimes I
find it difficult to believe what I read on GoaNet... And that those who went there were either soldiers, bureaucrats or priests, on duty? And some adventurers, in addition? Do you know that being sent to India was more of a punishment than something you aspired to, in those days? Gilbert responds: Thanks for following this thread. I think some of what you are saying may be true and I wish you had provided some statistics to your statements. Since you live in Portugal, you and your Goan friends can be a valuable source of factual/scientific information to this discussion. However the period we are talking about (the early colonization), Goa was only Tiswadi, Ilhas (Panjim and Old Goa). So even soldiers, bureaucrats, business men and their families, priests, nuns, and Portuguese 'rejects' sent as punishment and as refugees could have added to quite a number. Don't forget seamen (merchant and navy). Then after 1540-50, Albuquerque soldiers whom he encouraged to marry native women added their own multiple progeny to Goa's population. You could count them as native or as Portuguese. Take your pick. :=)) They would need a place to stay and an occupation. Portuguese forts (both defense forces and storage for trade) and churches and other defensive installations in themselves needed land to build on. As far as the numbers of Jews and Crypto-Jews that immigrated to Goa, and then were victims of the inquisition, "killed and tortured and killed" you will have to ask the Goanet historians who made that claim. We Goans tend to sometimes convert anecdotal cases to statistics. :=)) Regards. ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
