THE FALL OF CAPTAIN GENERAL DIEGO DE MELLO

The Battle of Gannoruwa was fought on March 28. 1638, a little over 374 years ago, where the Portuguese who were at the height of their power were completely routed. Out of an Army of 5,900 fighting men only 33 survived to tell the tale, in the “Parangi Hatana” and they were graciously pardoned by the King, Rajasinghe II, the Uda Rata Monarch who personally led the battle.

The Portuguese Captain General who led the assault against the Kandyan Kingdom, Diego De Castro De Mello, was slain and even his body was not recovered. Such was the fury of battle. Only his sword was found by a Sinhala soldier, and this was handed over to the King. It was only three years before, in 1635, that the son of Maha Muhandiram Warnamana Dissanayaka Saparamadu Nanayakkara was baptized as Bernado De Mel in order to comply with the draconian Portuguese laws of inheritance.

At this Baptism ceremony, Cardinal Bernado, the Head of the Catholic Church and the Captain General were the “God Parents ” of the child and they provided their own names to the off spring of the Maha Muhandiram, befitting the status he held in the maritime provinces. Thus came generations of De Mels , starting with Bernado, who were undoubtedly loyal servants of the Kings of Sri Lanka before the advent of the Portuguese.

It is significant to note that it took nearly 130 years before they were virtually forced by circumstances to change their names and to adopt the ways of the invaders, just in order to survive and keep their property and position in society which they held from the time of the Kings.

Portuguese power soon declined thereafter and the Dutch and British followed. The latest concept of “Smart Power”, is nothing new. It was practiced from time immemorial. It is a shame that this modern world still tries to browbeat the weak by imposing duplicitious, draconian policies under the very Charter of the United Nations, wrapped up in the garb of Human Rights which do not apply to the powerful countries.

There is a lesson to be learnt from Gannoruwa. The king and his brother Vijayapala of Uva were at loggerheads over the annexation of Matale by the King. But they made up and united to meet the common foe.

Cecil de Mel,Moratuwa