Soon after the capture of Goa in 1510, the Portuguese established factories at Honore, Barcelore and Mangalore in pursuance of their treaties with the chiefs of Sonda, the kings of Vijayanagar and the local chiefs. In a short period Christian (Catholic) settlements sprang up in these towns and several other places in the interior of Kannada.
To prevent the newly-converted Catholics from practising Hindu customs, the Portuguese introduced the Inquisition in Goa in 1560. Rather than be declared heretics and be condemned to death, they left Goa to settle down outside the Portuguese dominion. Large numbers went to Kannada where they were welcomed by the Bendore kings of Kannada (1565-1760), given grants of land and recruited to their regiments. There they formed a large and important community as is clear from the clauses guaranteeing their interests incorporated in the treaties concluded between the Portuguese and the Bendore Kings in 1671, 1678, 1707 and 1714.
The grants the kings made to the churches testify to the respect the Catholics commanded at the court of Bendore. Hyder Ali also confirmed these privileges. Living under the rule of these Hindu rajas, these Catholics lived on friendly terms with their Hindu neighbours whose dress, food, habits and ways of living they soon made their own.
In the last quarter of the eighteenth century Tipu Sultan of Mysore, suspecting that the Catholics were supporting the British against him, placed almost the entire population (about sixty to eighty thousand) in captivity at Seringapatnam till 1792, when those who had survived went back to Kannada where they had to start afresh as their property had been appropriated by others.
The record of Kannada Catholics in the freedom movement is creditable. Those who did not participate directly in the struggle helped the cause by sheltering the fighters and giving them moral and material support. Catholics have played a leading role over several decades at the village panchayat level and in the Mangalore municipality.
Society of Kannada Catholic Community: Caste system prevails in the Kannada Catholic Community. This system is somewhat similar to that of the Hindus. Besides, the people of this community are quite industrious too.
To enrich their language, Konkani, through drama, journalism and literature have been the work of a band of dedicated men and women from among unprivileged some of whom have been Alix Pais, Louis Mascarenhas, J.J. Rego, G. Rodrigues, V. Saldanha, Mark D`Souza, C.F. D`Costa, J.S. Alvares, D.P. Pai, S.S. Res-quinha, M.P. D`sa, A.T. Labo, G. D`Souza, R. Miranda, J. D`Souza, Francis Fernandes, B. Mendonca, Eulalia, Alvares, Monthi Lasrado, Mabel Baretto, Betty Mazareth and Rose Kanwarstreet.
