When did the British colonized Sri Lanka?

When did the British colonized Sri Lanka?

During this period of 443 years, Sri Lanka has been under the rule of Portuguese (1505-1658), Dutch (1658-1796), British (1796-1948) and Trincomalee Harbour was under the French for few months in 1796. Only the coastal areas of Sri Lanka were colonized until the British conquered the whole island in 1815.

Who came first to Sri Lanka?

According to the Sinhalese tradition, as recorded in the Mahavamsa, the first Indian settlers on Sri Lanka were Prince Vijaya and his 700 followers, who landed on the west coast near Puttalam (5th century bce).

Why do Sri Lankans have British names?

Many Sri Lankans adopt an English name when they come to Australia mainly due to the perception that their Sri Lankan name may be too long and difficult for others to pronounce. Tamils generally have no family name.

When did Dutch come to Sri Lanka?

The Dutch presence in Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) lasted 150 years, officially from 1658 when the Dutch expelled the Portuguese, until 1796, the year of the British occupation. However, the first encounter with the island dates back to 1602, when Joris van Spilbergen arrived on the eastern coast.

How long did British rule Sri Lanka?

The British Ceylon period is the history of Sri Lanka between 1815 and 1948. It follows the fall of the Kandyan Kingdom into the hands of the British Empire. It ended over 2300 years of Sinhalese monarchy rule on the island. The British rule on the island lasted until 1948 when the country regained independence.

How did British invaded Sri Lanka?

The British East India Company’s conquest of Sri Lanka, which the British called Ceylon, occurred during the wars of the French Revolution (1792–1801). When the Netherlands came under French control, the British began to move into Sri Lanka from India.

What did the British take from Sri Lanka?

The British found that the uplands of Sri Lanka were very suited to coffee, tea and rubber cultivation, and by the mid 19th century Ceylon tea had become a staple of the British market, bringing great wealth to a small class of European tea planters.

Who owned Sri Lanka?

Following the Kandyan Wars, the island was united under British rule in 1815. Armed uprisings against the British took place in the 1818 Uva Rebellion and the 1848 Matale Rebellion. Independence was finally granted in 1948 but the country remained a Dominion of the British Empire until 1972.

What was Sri Lanka called before 1972?

Ceylon
Ancient Greek geographers called it Taprobane. Arabs referred to it as Serendib. Later European mapmakers called it Ceylon, a name still used occasionally for trade purposes. It officially became Sri Lanka in 1972.

What is the most common last name in Sri Lanka?

Most Common Last Names In Sri Lanka

Rank	Surname	Incidence
1	Perera	965,666
2	Fernando	583,843
3	de Silva	335,264
4	Bandara	254,719

When did the Portuguese came to Sri Lanka?

1505
Famed explorer, Marco Polo, arrived in Sri Lanka in the period between 1254 and 1324, and, in 1505, the Portuguese landed, and occupied the island’s coastal regions.

Did the British rule Nepal?

The Himalayan states were Nepal of the Gurkhas, Bhutan, and Sikkim. Nepal and Bhutan remained nominally independent throughout the British period, though both eventually became British protectorates—Nepal in 1815 and Bhutan in 1866.

When did the British give Sri Lanka its independence?

It ended in 1948 after the British gave Independence to Sri Lanka. During this period of 443 years, Sri Lanka has been under the rule of Portuguese (1505-1658), Dutch (1658-1796), British (1796-1948) and Trincomalee Harbour was under the French for few months in 1796.

Who was the last colonial ruler of Sri Lanka?

During this period of 443 years, Sri Lanka has been under the rule of Portuguese (1505-1658), Dutch (1658-1796), British (1796-1948) and Trincomalee Harbour was under the French for few months in 1796.

Who was the first person to colonize Sri Lanka?

Dutch explorer, Joris van Spilbergen, meets with Vimaladharmasuriya I of Kandy in 1602. The Colonization of Sri Lanka began with the Portuguese in 1505. It ended in 1948 after the British gave Independence to Sri Lanka.

When did the Dutch take over Sri Lanka?

This occurred after the falling of Colombo in 1656. The Dutch persecuted many Catholics, but left the Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims alone. There were mixed Sinhalese-Dutch people named Burgher people, who were the legacy of Shabi rule. In 1659, the British sea captain, Robert Knox, was captured by the King of Kandy.