History - Page 3

Assassination in the Palace

The late King Periya Pillai Ethirmanasingham had a son who had not yet reached the age of three years. His son Prince Dom Constantino remained as heir to the throne, and his uncle Prince Arasakesari Pandaram was nominated as the Regent Prince of Jaffna for the three year old son. REGENT PRINCE ARASAKESARI PANDARAM reigned from 1615 to 1616. But this arrengement was short lived. Prince Sangili (II) who was a nephew of the late King Ethirmanasingham did not favour the arrangement. In 1616 assassination took place in the Palace. Prince Sangili (II) ordered his accomplices to enter the Palace at the hour of the siesta and to kill the Governor, his uncle, and those who were with him. It was midday; they found him reclining, and the Arachchi Periya Meegampillai massaging his legs. They were both killed, and the doors being opened, Prince Sangili (II) entered to take possession of them. He forthwith ordered the house to be set on fire and the Princes to be killed. On perceiving the mutiny, they fled, but being overtaken, they were killed, and there escaped only a brother-in-law of the tyrant named Luku Kumaran, likewise a son of the crooked King killed by Andre Furtado. The people greatly deplored this tyranny, for such are the fruits of pagan ambition, and they determined to kill him, when they had a good opportunity, and to raise as King the Prince his brother-in-law who had escaped with his life. Stronger, however, was the determination of Meegampillai Arachchi, son of Periya Meegampillai killed in the King`s chamber, for with some friends he went to the gates of the Palace, firing muskets and calling for Prince Sangili (II) with insulting words he, however, like a feeble and sagacious man took no heed and the Arachchi seeing that the people did not follow him, retired with some Princesses whom he took. And not considering himself safe, he went over to Mannar, where he took shelter under the protection of Father Friar Luys de S. Diogo, and afterwards he received baptism under the name of Dom Luis making his Baptism a shield for fresh wickedness. Prince Sangili (II) thinking that all was quiet, after some days had elapsed, wished to go to the Pagode to give thanks for his good fortune. But Mudaliyar Andayana Amarakoon, his great confidant, asked him where he was going, leaving a tiger in the house. He put off the journey and at once gave orders to put out the eyes of his brother-in-law, and determined to kill the Mudaliyars and the young Prince, son of late King Ethirmanasingham Pararajasekaran, whom he had in his power, but afterwards he changed his mind and spared the life of the young Prince in order to use him as a shield. Prince Sangili (II), usurper the throne of Jaffna.

Meegampillai Arachchi, whose Christian name was Dom Luis and who had fled to Mannar with the two Princesses who were taken in the Palace, was able to raise a fresh war and to give occasion to another, for relying on that bait, he went with them to Thanjavur to ask that Nayakkar to send on of his Captains with men to take possession of the Kingdom, as the Portuguese were nearly all killed. He gave him the two Princesses who afterwards, as we shall see, being married to the two Princes of Kandy, gave occasion to that Tyrant to send an army to conquer Jaffna. And the conquest of this petty Kingdom became in the time of Philip de Oliveira an open war with the neighbouring Princes of the Coast of Cholamandalam and with the rebel of Kandy. The Nayakkar thought that with the same ease wherewith Mudaliyar Dom Luis had obtained possession of the Princesses and had escaped capture by the Portuguese, he also would be able to become master of the Kingdom without the Portuguese preventing him.

Usurper the Throne of Jaffna

King SINGAI ARYA CHAKRAVARTI SANGILI (II) SEGARAJASEKARAN reigned from 1616 to 1619. He was the last King of Jaffna. King Sangili (II) Segarajasekaran was the son of Crown Prince Periya Pillai Gago and the grand son of King Singai Arya Chakravarti Periya Pillai reigned from 1570 to 1582. King Sangili (II) Segarajasekaran had his wives and number of concubines. He had a twin brother and two sisters, one of his sister was married to Prince Luku Kumaran, who was the son of King Puvi Raja Pandaram. During his reigned there was disquiet in the regime. The Portuguese then decided to take over the Kingdom of Jaffna. They built a fortress in secret and started arming themselves. When this was discovered, a fierce battle took place between King Sangili (II) Segarajasekaran  forces and the Portuguese for a number of days. King Sangili (II) also received military aid from the Nayakkars against the Portugese.

The first contingent left from Colombo left in April 1619, in a fleet of eight, sailed under Captains-Joao Madeira, Joao da Silva and Vitorio de Abreu, with 100 Portuguese and large number of Lascrins. Philip de Oliveira was the overall command of the forces sent overland and after reaching Poonery he made a delayed and difficult crossing of the Jaffna lagoon, before arriving in the Peninsula. Philip de Oliveira initially sent three demands to King Sangili (II) Segarajasekaran.

1. Surrender the Vadakar troops of the Thanjavur Nayakkar.
2. Surrender Varuna Kulattan, the Karava Chief.
3. Pay all money, he owed to the Portuguese Sovereign.

When diplomatic wrangling failed, Philip de Oliveira proceeded to combat the stiff resistance put up by King Sangili (II) Segarajasekaran. At Vannarpannai King Sangili Segarajasekaran forces were decively defeated. In 1619 King Sangili (II) Segarajasekaran  along with his family set to sail to Thanjavur to seek assistance from Ragunatha Nayakkar.

capture of King Sangili (II) Segarajasekaran and His Family

The Captain Major learnt that King Sangili (II) Segarajasekaran  had fled on the day of the battle, and at night owing to contrary winds had been driven ashore at the Point Pedro (Ponta das Pedras), and that at dawn he had betaken himself into another dhoney. In all haste he sent a message to the Quay to put men into the besteyro (A word not used by other Portuguese writers) of the Church (a small and light boat) with two other Manchuas in which went Francisco Pereira Home and Luis Cabral; and they pulled so diligently that they came upon him in the Gulf, with the Queens, Princes and Princesses and some of their familiars, with whom they returned most content, for besides this good prize they despoiled him of 8,000 patacas; and seeing that they cut off the ears of his brother in law, whose eyes he had formerly put out, in order to take away his earrings the sooner, he gave up his own before they could cut off his. Put in prison in Jaffna. Philipe de Oliveira ordered him to give a list of the Portuguese with whom he had dealings. He accused many, even Philip de Oliveira himself for 2,000 Patacas, and the General D. Nuno Aluarez Pereira for 9,000, whereby he confirmed that it was a falsehood ad the daring of a desperate man. The Captain Major ordered the wives and Princes to be sheltered in the College and Church of the Fathers, King Sangili (II) Segarajasekaran  to be imprisoned in Nallur and the rest to be hanged. The whole Kingdom at once submitted and he shoed that he intended to return to Colombo. But the Religious and the people begged and demanded him in the name of God and of the King to remain, the more so as he had order to remain if necessary in that Kingdom. Knowing the reason for this request, he wrote to the General of all that had happened and through Antonio da Mota Galuao, his son in law, who also won a name in that conquest, he sent Sangili Prisoner. The General and the whole of Colombo rejoiced at the news and he approved, as was right, of Philip de Oliveira remaining in Jaffna. King Sangili (II) Segarajasekaran was sent to Goa.

After King Sangili (II) Segarajasekaran was captured, the Kingdom of Jaffna was brought under direct Portuguese rule. Philip de Oliveira appointed him self as the Viceroy of the Kingdom of Jaffna. On the same day most of the Hindu shrines, including Nallur Kandasamy Temple were razed down on the explicit orders of Philip de Oliveira. Nallur Kandasamy Temple was burnt down and removed even the stones from the foundations, to build a Christian Church at Nallur and a fort in Jaffna. Philip de Oliveira was acclaimed by the Portuguese as a greatest saviour of Christianity, for his feat of destroying more than 500 Hindu Temples. The Portuguese historian, Father Fernao de Queyroz (who was born at Amarante in Portugal in the province of enter Douro Minho in 1617, and on December 26, 1631, he entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus at Coimbra. Later he set out for the Indian Missions, after a continuous residence of fifty three years in India he died in Cochin on 01, March 1645) acclaimed him, God of the Sword. When Philip de Oliveira became the Governor of Jaffna, he ruled the Kingdom with a strong hand. He proclaimed that people continuing with the practice of Hindu religion and rites, are anti-Christian, an act punishable by law. Under his hierarchy the Society of Jesus the Roman Catholic missionary constructed nearly thirty Catholic Churches by vandalizing and demolishing, Hindu Temples. He introduced compulsory proselytising. Franciscan Friars converted more 6000 Tamils to Christianity. The destruction of famous Hindu Temples such as the Nallur Kandasamy Temple this prestigious Temple of Jaffna is assumed to have been built in 948 A.D, it is one of the most famous and historical Hindu Temple in Jaffna district. During the so called Nallur Season of July and August, this Temple puts on its most colourful face for 26 days, concluding with the August new moon, with crowds of devotees attending the elaborate "Pujas" and Temple Rathams (Chariots) pulled through the streets. The original Temple dedicated to Lord Murugan (Skanda, the hindu war god), stood in the Royal compound, but was brunt to the ground along with the rest of the city by the Portuguese conquerors. This Temple was rebuilt by King Bhuvanekabahu in 1734. Kailasanathar Temple Nallur, in 1575 Munneswaram Temple, Chilapam in Chillaw, in 1588 Vishnu Temple in Devinuwera, Tirukethieswaram Temple, Tiru Konesar Temple in Trincomalee, caused great frustration, dissension and restlessness in the hearts and minds of the Tamils. Today the only remains of the Royal Palace complex is the Sangili Thoppu (Manthiri Manai), a road side Archway which led to the King’s residence, and beyond the gateway is a small stone-built pond called the Yamuna Eri, which had been filled with water from the sacred Jamuna Ganga (river) in India.  Philip de Oliveira also burnt down Saraswathi Mahal the oldest museum and the library that housed precious and most valuable historical documents, depicting the origin, history literature, arts, science medicine, culture, civilization and other details of the Tamils and of their proud ancestry. Once this ancient library was burnt down, up to date, the Tamils are left with out any authentic records of their antiquity. There are other buildings built in Jaffna by the Portuguese they are Myliddy Church, Vaddukoddai Church, Atchuveli Church, Mannar Church, and Chankanai Church built in 1641, Kayts Fort, Delft Fort, Hammnhiel Fort is the Island strong-hold guards the Western entrance to the Jaffna Lagoon, built as Fortaleza Real (Fort Royal) by the Portuguese in mid 17th Century, it was rechristened Hammenhiel (Heel of the Ham), by the Dutch. The Fort was constructed of Quarried Coral on a sand bank. It was extensively altered and strengthened by the Dutch. The British employed it as a jail and hospital; and during the Second World War it became an air- sea rescue station. Jaffna Fort was built in 1560, by the Portuguese, later it was rebuilt by the Dutch in 1680. It was perfectly and is probably the best strongest Fort in Asia, a grass covered mound surrendered by the moat from which the Fort rises, it was a grander and more heavily armed Fort then Batavia (Jakarta), Indonesia. The Star-shaped Fort occupies a total of 22 hectares (55 Acres) and was built over the earlier Portuguese Fort. The out work were constructed over a century after the inner works list three years before it was quietly handed over to the British in 1795. During the Dutch time they also built some Churches and forts in Jaffna they are Chundukuli Church, Kruyskerk Protestant Church built in 1706 and could accommodate 600 people, Poonari Fort, Mannar Fort built in 1686, Elephant Pass a Fort, in Delft a Fort and a Dutch country House.

On 11th February 1621 the Crown Prince Dom Constantino, Princess Dona Izabel, and Princess Dona Maria were made to sign the Royal Instrument of Transfer of their right to rule the Tamil Kingdom to the King of Portugal. This act effectively ended the Sovereignty of the Arya Chakravarti Dynasty.

Conversion of the Royal Families and People of Jaffna Into Christianity

It was arranged to hold the baptism of these Queens and of a daughter of 12 or 13 years, of the Prince, brother of the Queens, and his wife and children, and of other nobles on the evening of the feast of the Portiuncula. The Captain Major and all the Portuguese attended it, and at two in the afternoon came the Queens and the daughter in palanquins with all the pomp of the country up to the gate of the Church where the Captain Major with much honour and courtesy went up to them with others and accompanied them to the Main Chapel. These three were baptised at the first table, the eldest under the name of Dona Clara da Silva, the other under that of Dona Antonia Rapoza, and the Princess under that of Dona Catherina de Sa de Rebelo, which were names of their God mothers. The Captain Major stood Godfather to all, being dressed that day in rich and splendid attire the better to show his great satisfaction. The eldest Queen asked for a small image of Our Lady which was on the altar, and after making a great courtesy to it, she took her daughter by her hand and asked her to place her hands together on Our Lady, which she did giving many kisses, and the Mother added: ‘Henceforth, O Lady, we are all three thy slaves, what we ask of thee is to show thyself our Mother and Our Lady, and to protect this orphan. And of you, Father Rector I ask the same as from Our Lady that you remain our Father’; and again she kissed the feet of the Sacred Image and put it back on the altar.

Then arrived the brother of those Queens, with his wife and children, and the younger Queen with the Princess came to assist and help in this ministry; and as they were very dexterous they not only helped in the catechism, even to anoint with the Holy oils, uncovering the places which had to be anointed. The Mother was named Dona Maria Botelha, after her Godmother, the sons Philips; and when this ceremony was over, they were accompanied up to the gate and after the courtesies the musical instruments and military salutes continued.

Afterwards came the wife of the Mudaliyar Branco, Dom Pedro de Betancor, with two sons and a daughter and the wife of the Arachchi, Mudaliyar D. Francisco de Betancor, who in paganism was called Tanapulli Arachchi. To the first was given the name of Dona Maria, her daughter Dona Philip, the sons Philips; the second Dona Clara, the Captain Major being the God father, There was also baptised the Talear of Nanale with his wife and children; she was called Maria, the sons Philips, besides many other persons of the household of the Queens; and those baptized on that day were more than 300. To the Talear, Father Rector gave a Flos Sanctorum and after reading it he became a preacher of the Faith, instructing some and rebuking others for not getting themselves baptized; and this happy day ended with a mystery play.

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