Kingship and Conversion in Sixteenth-Century Sri Lanka: Portuguese Imperialism in a Buddhist Land

by Alan Strathern

When the Portuguese arrived on the shores of Sri Lanka in 1506, they opened an era in which religious identity became central to struggles for power on the island. During the reign of King Bhuvanekabahu VII (1521-51), they became the first European empire to dominate Lankan politics. This book sets out to explain the behaviour of the Portuguese and the Sinhalese as their relationship evolved over the century. Topics covered include the nature of Portuguese...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521860091
• ISBN13: 9780521860093
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 8.9"