Broken Promises
View(s):This article is part of a continuing series on Sri Lankan history
The Captain General of Sri Lanka, Don Philip Mascarenhas was appointed as the Viceroy of India. So he left the island. By this time, relations between the Dutch and King Rajasinghe were getting strained and there arose mutual differences. Both parties had to remind themselves of the promises made earlier.
By this time, seven years had elapsed after the arrival of the Dutch, to assist the king. Up to then, the Dutch had spent ten lakhs of gilders
(a unit of money in Holland then) on the Dutch army. The king had been unable to pay even half of this amount. By this the king had broken the promise he made.
The king did not even supply foodstuff or merchandise as agreed earlier. The earlier understanding was to hand over the forts conquered by the Dutch to the king. But the Dutch violated this and held on to the forts they conquered, thereby breaking a promise.
Even in the temporary agreement signed between the Dutch and the Portuguese, it was stated that these forts belonged to the Dutch company. The king was very angry over this condition. But he was helpless and could not do anything as the Portuguese were friendly with the Dutch during this period.
King Rajasinghe sent out a decree, proclaiming that the Dutch, under no circumstances should maintain any security measures in the areas that belonged to the king. When the Dutch received this announcement, they sent a copy of the old agreement to the king.
By Halaliye Karunathilake
Edited and translated by Kamala Silva
Illustrated by Saman Kalubowila