The Martyrdom of Sultan Ali
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An artist's depiction of the battle in which Sultan Ali was martyred. The sketch shows how Sultan Ali VI fell to enemy musket-fire while fighting the Portuguese to defend the Maldives |
The Portuguese were among the foreigners who inflicted the harshest ordeals upon the Maldives. They captured the Maldives in 1558 AD and ruled the country for 15 years and 6 months. Indirectly, Sultan Hassan IX was the cause of the Portuguese conquest of the Maldives. In the year 1551 AD, the Sultan fled to Cochin where he joined the Portuguese and converted to Catholicism. Some historians have stated that he converted to Christianity to enlist Portuguese assistance to recover his kingdom. History records that after his conversion the ex-Sultan had been pressing the Portuguese authorities in Goa to send their fleets to subdue the Maldives, so that he could reclaim his throne.
On two occasions Maldivians defeated Portuguese naval expeditions to the Maldives. On both occasions the Maldivians were led by Sultan Abu Bakuru and Sultan Ali, prior to either of them ascending the throne. The third Portuguese expeditionary force attacked the Maldives shortly after Sultan Ali VI was proclaimed king. The Commander of the Portuguese expedition was Captain Manuel Da Silveira De Araujo. Shortly after the battle was joined, the troops who came out with Sultan Ali deserted him. The Maldivians trying to thwart the Portuguese onslaught were the Sultan himself and two others, one of whom was his chief minister and the other was a page. In the face of enemy musket fire, the three of them were quickly martyred. They fell on Thursday, the 1st of Shaaban 965 AH (19 May 1558).
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An artist's impression of the cruelty and torture Maldivians were subjected to under the repressive Portuguese rule |
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The Portuguese capture of the Maldives was a sad and tragic episode of the Maldivian history. After the martyrdom of Sultan Ali, the Portuguese established a fortress in Malé. They dispatched officers to the atolls to suppress the country and killed many people. The Portuguese assembled leaders from all the islands and informed them that if they continued to send to the ex-Sultan Hassan IX what was due to him, the Portuguese would not carry out any hostilities against the Maldives. After the Maldivians accepted this condition, the Portuguese appointed a Maldivian to administer the affairs of the country. He was instructed by the Portuguese that no political decision or step was to be taken without prior consultation with the resident Portuguese Commandant in Malé. They also informed him that all trade in and from the Maldives must be in the hands of the Portuguese.
It is not known whether the person which Maldivian history records as Andhiri Andhirin was Captain Araujo or the Portuguese Commandant in Malé or the local governor appointed by the Portuguese from among the Maldivians. However, there is no doubt that someone whose name was similar to the name "Andhiri Andhirin", did administer the country for the Portuguese. Oral tradition says that there was a Portuguese fortress in Malé'. The evidence pointing to this is the existence of a road in Maafannu, known until the early 20th century by the name of Andhiri Andhirin Magu. Also the fact that according to tradition it is said that the fortress of Andhiri Andhirin was located not far from that road, adds to the evidence that a person by such a name held an important post in the Portuguese governance of the country at that time..