The areas under Portuguese power
Although General Azavedo promised to abide by them, he did not much like the conditions agreed upon. However, the system of rule that existed during the time of King Dharmapala continued, but there was a difference. At that time, experienced, good officers put the rules into operation and as such no trouble was caused to the people.
Later on, the officers who carried on and put the rules into effect were chiefs who were trying to win the favour of the Portuguese. They did not respect our ancient customs and started to follow foreign customs. They did not have a proper knowledge of the system of Sinhala laws.
As a result they could only enforce taxes on the people, according to the ‘Rajakariya’, but like the king’s officers of ancient times, they could not be concerned about the betterment of the people. Meanwhile, there sprang up a class of Sinhala officers who sought the company of the Portuguese and tried to live like them.
They tried to oppress the people, the way the Portuguese did and started becoming rich. They began to treat the Sinhala people in a degrading manner. Because of all this, the Sinhala people in the low country, became a disgruntled lot. They were thoroughly discontented.
Just as the feudal system that spread in Europe in the Middle Ages, this mixed Sinhala form of rule was going from bad to worse. The benefit and the entire existence of this system, greatly depended on the co-relation among the land-owner, lessee and the worker. Although the entire land that belonged to the King of Portugal in name, the areas that came under his direct rule were areas won by the power of the gun.
This particular area won by the power of the gun was limited to the coastal belt from Puttalam to Walawe and the land between the coast and the foothills of the Kandyan Kingdom. Colombo, of course was well-equipped like a Portuguese city. All the requisites of a city, special privileges, a constitution, an assembly of selected members, a judge, a civil servant and a captain to carry-on a military form of government, were all present in Colombo.
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