colony · South Asia
Portuguese India
Origins
After Vasco da Gama reached Calicut in 1498, Portugal appointed Francisco de Almeida as first viceroy in 1505. Afonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate in 1510, making it the capital of the Estado da India, an empire of forts and ports including Daman, Diu, Bassein, Cochin, Malacca and Hormuz.
Rule and society
The Estado controlled sea trade through the cartaz pass system and fortified posts rather than large territories. Goa became a centre of Catholic missions, with Francis Xavier based there and the Goa Inquisition from 1560. Its churches, such as the Basilica of Bom Jesus, are a World Heritage Site. A Luso-Indian society emerged, and Konkani and Portuguese were both spoken.
Decline and legacy
The Dutch and English took most Portuguese posts in the 17th century, and the Marathas captured Bassein in 1739. Goa, Daman and Diu remained Portuguese until the Republic of India annexed them by military action in December 1961.
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (4)
- Portuguese India was a colony of Portuguese Empire1505 CE – 1961 CE
- Sultanate of the Maldives was conquered by Portuguese India1558 CE – 1573 CE
- Portuguese Ceylon was part of Portuguese India1597 CE – 1658 CE
- Portuguese India was conquered by Republic of India1961 CE
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Portuguese India. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/portuguese-india
- MLA
- “Portuguese India.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/portuguese-india. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Portuguese India.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/portuguese-india.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Portuguese India’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/portuguese-india (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻