Landing first in Calicut, which was then ruled by a Hindu Prince called the Zamorin of Calicut, the Portuguese were soon able to assert themselves. Alfonso-de-Albuquerque-the Portuguese Governor in India-started a policy of colonization by means of mixed marriages. This had far-reaching results since the children thus born were considered as paraṅkis and were at a later date subjected to great difficulties and hazards by the other native populations. Albuquerque’s aim was to form a population which would be both loyal to portugal and be satisfied to remain in India for life. He agreed to the willing detention of gunners and artisans since he was unable to retain officers in India for long . He married the former by the hundreds to Hindu and Muhamadan women, especially the widows of the men he had killed. The women had to submit to baptism. The resulting population was neither ‘Indian nor Portuguese. Zeigenbalg-the Danish missionary at Tranquebar-in one of his letters describing the various sections of the local population describes one such division as “Partly half-white Portuguese”. Right from the start the Portuguese were interested in conversion of the natives and the “attempt of the Portuguese missionaries was, from the outset to Latinise the St. Thomas Christians,”2 K. M. Panikkar, writes “The Portuguese, we are told, came to India with a Cross in one hand and a sword in the other………. The conversion of the inhabitants of the lands…………. was to be one of the objects of Portuguese policy.”3 The missionary work of St. Francis Xavier is a redeeming feature of Portuguese rule in India. This tireless worker of Christ of Spanish descent-arrived in India in 1541 “and began a remarkable career of evangelisation”. His most important work was done among the fisherfolk and other low-caste inhabitants of Travancore. A letter of Francis Xavier dated January, 1544 addressed to the “Brethren of the Society of Jesus” says, “We
2. Pascal, V. A. The Latin And Syrian Hierarchies of Malabar; Golden Jubilee Souvenir; 1937; P.v. 3. Panikkar, K. M. op. cit. P. 183. |