In a recent article in a prominent Goan paper coinciding with SFX's exposition the commentary appeared starting with: "Francis Xavier was never particularly “saintly” in all the years of his life and career that dovetailed along – and became synonymous with – Portugal’s rapid and rapacious 16th century maritime expansion across the Indian ocean."
The author likely knows the above statement is historically false yet makes a broad claim of the contrary. SFX arrived in Goan in 1542; and was there for only four months; then worked in non-Portuguese territories of South India, Malaysia and Japan. Here are the dates when the various outposts were acquired by the Portuguese: Kuryat, Ormuz,Muscat, Socotra in 1507, Goa -1510, Malacca straits-1511, Canton-1513, linked with Moluccas. Lisbon got landing-N-tradingrights on India’s west coast in Chaul -1512, Calicut-1513, Daman-1531, Bombay,Salsette and Bassein-1534, and Diu -1535. Thanks for permitting to share this with your group Gilbert LawrenceCo-author: Insights into Colonial GoaPublished by Amazon and Kindle
