The Portuguese sailors who were the first people to develop modern
navigational skills reached India ( Kozikhode/ Calicut in Kerala )on
the 20th May, 1498 under the command of Vasco da Gama.
For the next 12years, the Portuguese traded with India ( spices,
precious stones etc) and were at the same time on the look out for a
permanent safe harbour for their sailing ships, especially during
the monsoon months June to September.
On the 1st of March, 1510 Afonso de Albuquerque captured a small town
called Ela (Old Goa ) which was a safe harbour and at least 10 kms
away from the sea coast. Ela was a port frequented by Arab and
Persian dhows which brought fine horses for the Deccan warlords.
Within months Adil Shah the ruler of the Bijapur Kingdom to whom Ela
belonged struck back and threw Afonso de Albuquerque and his men
back in to their sailing ships. Being the begining of the monsoon
season Afonso de Albuquerque had nowhere to go except anchor his
ships in the Bay of Aguada i.e. opposite modern Miramar, a ward of
Panjim. It was the villagers of Taleigao who came to the rescue of
Afonso de Albuquerque and his men, for they provided them with fresh
provisions and water during the lean months of the monsoon.
Come Oct/Nov 1510 Afonso de Albuquerque has to make a decision . He
either leaves the area in search of another harbour somewhere along
the west coast or he goes back to Ela, which he ultimately did.
This memorable decision of Albuquerque truly marks the beginning
of the history of Goa as it is known today. Let us face it. Had
Albuquerque gone away, todays Goa would have, most probably, been
not much different from say, Ratnagiri or Mangalore.
On the 25th November 1510 Albuquerque attacks Ela ( Old Goa ) once
again and this time it is for keeps for the next 450 years.
Surrounding areas are gradually conquered and the whole island of
Tiswadi along with islands of Divar, Chorao, Jua and Kumbharjua now
form part of the Portuguese empire in the east.
In 1543 i.e. 33 years after Albuquerque entered Old Goa , Bardez and
Salcete are annexed from Adil Shah empire. Salcete in those days
included areas of the present day Mormugao taluka. To the best of my
knowledge Mormugao became a separate taluka sometime in the 19 th
century. .
For the next 250 years, after 1510 the Portuguese are happy with
their posession - Ilhas, Bardez and Salcete. i.e. IBS region.
During this period, Portugal becomes an economic power as a result of
trade with the East, gradually decline sets in, Old Goa is abandoned
because of plague. The capital is transferred to Panjim where in 1510
Adil Shah had a residence called Idalcao Palace., which till
recently served as Legislative Assembly cum Secretariat.
>From 1510 to 1660 i.e. a period of 150 years, the Portuguese
missionaries converted the population of IBS region to Christianity
and later somehow seem to have lost the zeal for conversions . It
can be safely stated that religious intolerance was a thing of the
past by 1660s
In 1760 the Portuguese obtained from the Raja of Sonda ( North Canara
) the talukas of Ponda, Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona.
In 1780s the Portuguese annexed Pernem, Bicholim and Satari talukas
from the Bhonsles of Sawantwadi
Goa consists of Ilhas , Bardez and Salcete i.e. IBS
from 1510 to 1760
250 years
Goa IBS region plus seven additional talukas
from 1760 to 1960
200 years
---------------------
The Portuguese stayed in Goa for
-----------------------------------------------450 years.
===========
Antonio
