Transferring the ownership of the Kotte Kingdom
During the lifetime of Don Juan Dharmapala, about 100 Catholic missions were opened. This king was also known as King Maha Bandara by his subjects. Going by this, the Portuguese used to address him as Periya Pandar or Periya Pandaram. Most of them respected the king.
This king possessed the regal and majestic look of a powerful king. He had the authority to appoint delegates to represent him in Goa, Lisbon and Rome.
The final rites of King Dharmapala were held in a very ceremonial manner. His remains were cremated in the Franciscan church. A decree was issued that no one else should be cremated there. The king’s third wife, Princess Isabella received a grant from Portugal. On top of the king’s tomb an inscription was placed. It had been there till the beginning of British rule, in Sri Lanka.
After that, it had gone missing.After the passing away of the king, the Deed of Gift, which the king had signed before his death, transferring the ownership of the Kingdom of Kotte, took effect.
As a result the Portuguese became the owners of Kotte and the adjoining areas. This gift was given to Don Hendrick of Portugal in 1580 AD. In 1583, after the death of the king, the deed was amended and accepted in such a way that the gift was for King Phillip of Portugal and the kings who ascended the throne of Portugal.
The Portuguese assembled the people of Kotte to the border of the palace grounds and read the Sinhala translation of this deed to them. They requested the people to accept the King of Portugal as their king hereafter. It was also announced that they did not have the power to appoint anyone else, whom they wished as their king.
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