The rule of the Kadambas

The Kadambas ruled the Konkan coast for nearly 300 years, as feudatories under the Chalukyas. Chandrapur grew in to a beautiful city and remained the capital until 1050 AD, when a newer port on the Zuari, known as Govepuri or Gopaka (now called Goa Velha) was adopted.

Trade and commerce flourished and the trade with Arab nations was particularly important. This was a period of religious tolerance, which saw the building of the first mosque on the west coast, at Dhas. Under the patronage of the Kadambas, Hinduism flourished and Goa became a pilgrimage destination. But peace was shattered at the beginning of the 14th century by a series of Muslim invasions from the north. In 1312 AD Govepuri and much else along with it was destroyed, In 1327 AD, the conquest of Muhammed Tughluq destroyed the old capital of Chandrapur completely. Finally in 1352 AD, Goa came under the Muslim rule of the Bahmanis.

1367 - Conquest of the kingdom of Kadamba by the Vijayanagar Empire.
The Bahmanis held Goa for a quarter of a century, but they were in constant conflict with the mighty Vijayanagar empire which controlled much of southern India. In 1378 AD, the Vijayanagar army finally succeeded in wresting Goa from the Bahmanis.

1380 - 1454: Rule of Vijayanagar Governors.
A period of peace followed, accompanied by excellent trade. In particular Goa was used to import Arab horses for the Vijayanagar cavalry, while spices flowed as export goods back to the Arab countries.

1469 - Capture of Goa by the Muslim Bahmani king, Muhammad Shah II.
In the early 15th century, the Bahmanis made concerted attempts to win back their old territory. In all, four expeditions were mounted, the last of which, under Mahmud Gawan, struck in 1469. Despite a lightning attack from land and sea, it still took three years to bring Goa back under control.

1488 - Capture of Goa by Yousuf Adil Shah of Bijapur.
There was little time for the Bahmanis to celebrate their success, however, for within 20 years the kingdom had become riven by dispute, and it split into four factions. One of these, the kingdom of Bijapur, under its ruler Yussuf Adil Shah, inherited Goa. He was so impressed by Ela, new city that he made it his second capital.

1498 - Discovery of the route to India from Europe.
In 1498 Vasco da Gama a Portuguese sea captain, landed south of Goa at Calicut (present day Kozhikodepalace was constructed in Gove.) on the Malabar Coast. The first European to reach India via the sea route around the Cape of Good Hope was on the look out for a safe haven for the spice trade. For the Portuguese, who were approaching at the height of their power as a seafaring nation, the prospect of controlling the spice trade to Europe which had been monopolised by Arab traders, was too good to miss.

1510 - Capture of Goa by Afonso de Albuquerque.
In 1503 a nobleman named Alfonso de Albuquerque sailed from Portugal to reinforce the two fortresses in Cochin and Cannanore in Kerala. It was evident that a more permanent base was required on the Indian coastline for the Portuguese to consolidate their presence in the area. Wasting little time he sailed for Goa, and in March 1510 attacked and occupied the main island in the river where Panaji and Old Goa stand today.

1515 - Defence of Goa against Ismail Adil Shah
Alfonso de Albuquerque's achievement during this trubulent period was the skilful political balancing he did between the feuding Vijayanagar empire and the Bahmani kings. Both the armies were keen to import horses to use in warfare and he turned this to financial as well as political advantage. During his abscence there was an attempt to recapture Goa by Yousuf's son Ismail Adil Shah, but the Portuguese garrison managed to hold out.