Portuguese invasion of Jaffna kingdom (1560) | |||||||
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Part of Portuguese conquest of the Jaffna kingdom | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Portuguese Empire | Jaffna kingdom | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Dom Constantino de Bragança | Cankili I | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
1,200 soldiers |
2,000 soldiers (first attack) Unknown (Defending capital) | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Few | Heavy |
The Portuguese invasion of Jaffna kingdom in 1560 AD was the first expedition against the Jaffna kingdom by the Portuguese Empire. It was led by Viceroy Dom Constantino de Bragança and resulted in the capture of the capital, Nallur. The king of Jaffna, Cankili I, managed to escape and regained the capital through a pact that he made with the Portuguese. He subsequently incited a peoples' rebellion against the Portuguese, resulting in their withdrawing their forces from Nallur. The Jaffna kingdom, however, lost its sovereignty over Mannar Island and its main town, Mannar.[1][2]