Haidar Ali’s and Tipu Sultan’s policy towards Goa and their Kanara Christian subjects were dramatically different. Haidar kept his channels to Goa open as a means of obtaining supplies and expertise from Goa to build up his army and navy. Goa depended on Kanara’s rice and placated Haidar with limited compliance of his requests. The English capture of Mangalore in 1768 resulted in a setback in Haidar-Christian relations for a while.
Tipu’s policy toward Goa and his Christain subjects was very different, and resulted in the Captivity. Christians, Konkani, Tamil, and Kannada speaking, throughout the sultanat-i-khudadad were deported to Srirangapatna, and deprived of their right to live as Christians. Many superficial and biased reasons have been offered for this. This presentation will offer a more plausible explanation for Tipu’s antagonism towards Christians, which arose in his effort to establish his legitimacy to rule his sultanat-i-khudadad, the ‘God-given state’
Mr. Alan Machado, an Engineer by profession, has worked in India, UK and Australia. He has recently published SLAVES OF SULTANS, a history of conversions in Goa, migration of Goan Christians to Kanara, and their captivity under Tipu Sultan. His previous books include a history of the Mangalorean community (SARASVATI’S CHILDREN) and a novel (SHADES WITHIN SHADOWS).
P.C. F. Noronha
