Battle of Punnaikayal
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Q133236850
The Battle of Punnaikayal (1553) was a conflict between the Portuguese and a combined force of Ottomans, Kingdom of Calicut and Vijayanagara troops. Seeking to end Portuguese dominance over the Coromandel Coast and its pearl fisheries, Vitthala of Vijayanagar allied with the Ottoman-Calicut Muslim fleet under Irapali. The Muslim forces attacked by sea while Vishwanatha Nayak’s troops advanced by land. Despite fierce resistance from a small Portuguese garrison led by Captain Manoel Rodrigues Coutinho, the outnumbered defenders were eventually forced to retreat. However, they were captured by Vitthala’s forces before reaching safety. The victorious forces burned down churches, imprisoned Portuguese soldiers and priests, and proclaimed the end of Portuguese rule forcing locals to convert to Islam or face execution.
| Type | Subtype | Date | Description | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| event | armed conflict | 1553 | Battle of Punnaikayal | Ottoman Empire, Vijayanagara Empire, battle, Portuguese Empire, Kingdom of Calicut | Wikidata |
| site | fort | Kattabomman Fort | fort | Wikidata | |