In 1737, the Portuguese Governor of
Bassein helped a rebel Maratha Commander against the Peshwa. This
provoked the Marathas to attack Bassein, and take the areas around
it. The siege took 3 years. To prevent the Portuguese from helping,
the Marathas also attacked Goa. In 1739, Salcete, Margoa, Sanguem,
Ponda and Quepem were occupied by the Marathas. Only the Forts of
Margoa and Rachol remained with the Portuguese. Simultaneously the
Raja of Sawantwadi who had joined hands with the Marathas occupied
the whole of Bardez except the Forts of Aguada and Reis Magos. Thus,
having lost more than two thirds of Goa, the Portuguese sued for
peace. Bassein and the area around were handed over but the Marathas
in turn withdrew from Goa. The Raja of Sawantwadi only withdrew
after being gifted the villages of Pirna and Cor juem. This peace
only lasted for one year. Bhonsle attacked Aguada Fort in February
1741. The Portuguese retained Aguada as well as Reis Magos but lost
the rest of Bardez. Bhonsle however, could not enter Goa as an
English Fleet chance to come to Aguada. The English helped the
Portuguese to defend themselves. However in May 1741, the new
Viceroy Marques de lourical arrived at Goa with six warships and
fresh troops. He attacked Bhonsle and retook Bardez. Bhonsle sought
peace and had to return Corjuem, Panelim and Pirna.
In 1742, the Chhatrapati of Kolhapur decided to attack the King of
Sonda. The Maratha General Govindaparita Thakur attacked and
occupied Sanguem and Ponda. He even asked the Portuguese to pay the
outstanding tribute. The Portuguese in turn attacked and tookover
the Fort of Sanguem. The Sonda General also attacked Ponda. Later,
the Portuguese themselves attacked and took over Ponda and returned
these territories to the Raja of Sonda. In April 1746, the
Portuguese attacked Bhonsle. They were assisted by the Raja of Sonda.
The Fort of Alorna was capatured by the Portuguese and then Bicholim
was occupied. The Ranes of Sanquelim and other feudatories of
Bhonsle namely Gaur of Manerim, Raghunath Prabhu of Bicholim and
Kushtube Dessai of Advoi, all joined the Portuguese. Bhonsle sought
peace but the Portuguese passed on and took Tracol and Reddi. Even
the Peshwa Balaji Bajirao could not help Bhonsle much except to
mediate. However, during the period 1754 56, the Portuguese returned
Reddi and Neutim to Bhonsle. However, Bhonsle attacked the
Portuguese at Pernem, Sanquelim and Maneri in 1756. He also beseiged
Bicolim and Tiraco. The warfare continued till a Treaty was
concluded under the mediation of the Peshwa Balaji Bajirao in 1759.
Pernem, Bicholim and Sanquelim were returned to Bhonsle. He,
however, was still not satisfied and appealed to the King of
Portugal in 1760, who accepted the appeal and ordered the Viceroy to
return the rest of Bhonsle territories. Accordingly, a fresh Treaty
was signed and Bhonsle got back his territory.
War broke out in the meanwhile between the Portuguese and the Raja
of Sonda. The Raja of Sonda had helped the English establish a
factory in Karwar. This was not liked by the Portuguese. They
attacked the Raja in May 1752. The Portuguese entered Ponda and
Zambaulim. Later Sadashivgad and Kurmagad were attacked. The Raja's
attack on Salcete and Anjediva was defeated. A treaty was concluded
only in 1755. The territory of Sonda was returned but he agreed to
pay for the cost of the war and transfer three villages. The vil
lages were not transferred. In April 1756, the Peshwa sent an army
against the Raja of Sonda. The Raja could only pay a part of the
tribute and agreed to hand over Ponda as security for die rest of
the amount. The Portuguese did not relish the idea and sought 19
takeover Ponda themselves. However, the Marathas occupied the Fort
first The Portuguese attacked but were badly mauled by the Marathas
The Viceroy himself was killed.
In 1761, in the North the Maratha army was defeated and destroyed in
the Battle of Panipat. The Portuguese taking advantage of the
weakness of the Marathas entered into an agreement with Bhonsle and
the Raja of Sonda to retake Ponda. In May 1763 the combined forces
of the Portuguese and Bhonsle retook Ponda. The Raje of Sonda did
not give any help, as such the Portuguese garrisoned Ponda but
allowed the Raja to retain nominal sovereignty.
One day, however in January 1764 the Portuguese Viceroy found the
Raja of Sonda sitting as a refugee in Goa. Hyder Ali had trained his
eyes on the territories of Sonda and his General attacked the Raja,
who fled and sought the Portuguese help. In return he offered to
place the districts of Ponda, Zambaulim and Canacona for safe
custody with the Portuguese. Nothing could suit them better. The
Portuguese Viceroy took a bold decision and sent troops to the
Districts. Hyder Ali Mysore responded with his cutomary zeal and
captured the Fort of Sadashivgad. He also attacked the Portuguese by
sea, but this attack failed. The war would have gone on but once
again events favoured the Portuguese. Hyder Ali had to withdraw the
end of 1765 to fight the combined army of the English and the
Marathas. Thus, in 1764, Ponda, Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona became
Portuguese territories with the erstwhile rule a refugee in Goa. The
King of Sonda did try to recover his territory with the help of the
Peshwa. However, the Portuguese did not exactly appreciate this and
forced him in January 17 1771 to cede Ponda on permanent basis to
them.
In June 1781, the Chhatrapati of Kolhapur invaded Sawantwadi. The
Peshwa was in no position to help Bhonsle. He turned towards the
Portuguese for help instead of doing that, the Portuguese sent
troops who occupied Sanquelim and Bicholim. The Bhonsle regrouped
and attacked and captured Gululem, Maneri, Mencurem, Sal and Dumacem
However, the Portuguese reinforcements arrived and forced Bhonsle to
retreat. Pernem was invaded in March 1783 and the Fort of Alorna was
captured by the Portuguese. At this stage, Bhonsle sought peace, to
which the Portuguese readily agreed but without return of the
conquered territories.
