[3] Eventually, the Kingdom of Kandy sought help from the Dutch East India Company, with whom they initially entered into agreement.

After the collapse of the Iberian economy in 1627, the Dutch–Portuguese War saw the Dutch conquest of most of Portugal's Asian colonies – Ceylon included, between 1638 and 1658.

In 1505 King of Portugal instructed General Dom Francisco de Almeida to find the island of ''Seylan'' when he was appointed as the emperor of the East by the Portuguese.

It was largely accidental and it wasn't until 12 years later that the Portuguese sought to establish a fortified trading settlement.

[5] By 1600 the Portuguese had consolidated the main centers of rebellion, the Kelani and Kalu ganga basins, leaving the border regions to Sinhalese resistance.