Portugal–Sri Lanka relations

Portuguese–Sri Lankan relations refer to the official and bilateral tie between Portugal and Sri Lanka. While two countries do not have embassies in respective capitals, with Portugal only has an honorary consulate in Colombo, they share a long, close and historical relationship.

Portuguese - Sri Lankan relations

Portugal
Sri Lanka

History
Main articles: Sinhalese–Portuguese War and Portuguese Ceylon

The Portuguese first arrived to Sri Lanka during the late 15th and early 16th century in the island. The Sri Lankan Sinhalese of the Kingdom of Kotte would soon clash with the Portuguese, in which the Sri Lankans were defeated and incorporated into Portuguese territory. Later the Sinhalese defeated the Portuguese in many battles and freed the central regions from Portuguese influence. Portuguese only maintained control of the coastal regions and were convincingly defeated in more central kingdoms like Kandy and Seethawaka. [1] The Portuguese rule, though only lasted for a century, left an influential legacy in the country, such as Portuguese naming of Sri Lankans, and the spread of Catholic Church in the country.[2] Many modern Sri Lankan names can be traced from the Portuguese, and Catholics formed at least 7 to 10% of Sri Lankan population.[3]

Modern relations

Owning the debt of such a long and historical tie, Sri Lanka and Portugal established relations following British departure from Ceylon.

Portugal provided unofficial support to Sri Lanka in its war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, though entirely non-lethal supports throughout the Sri Lankan Civil War.[4]

Since 2010s, Sri Lanka and Portugal have increased bilateral relations, as part of re-introduction of Portuguese heritages in Sri Lanka.[5]

Portugal condemned the brutal terrorist bombings of Easter Christians in Sri Lanka 2019,[6] which a Portuguese citizen was among the dead.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-09-13. Retrieved 2019-04-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. Jayasuriya, Shihan de Silva (26 April 2019). "The Portuguese Cultural Imprint on Sri Lanka". Lusotopie. 7 (1): 253–259. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  4. Peebles, Patrick (22 October 2015). Historical Dictionary of Sri Lanka. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 284. ISBN 9781442255852. Retrieved 26 April 2019 – via Google Books.
  5. "Sri Lanka – Portugal bilateral relations further consolidated - Embassy of Srilanka - Paris". Srilankaembassy.fr. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  6. "António Costa expressa "grande pesar" pela morte de português no Sri Lanka". SAPO. Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  7. "Widow of man killed in Sri Lanka terror attacks returns to Portugal". Portugalresident.com. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2019.

Category:Portuguese influence on ancient Sri Lanka

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