Politica dos Casmentos - Fact or Fiction which keeps being regurgitated? (final - part 3) Analysis: 12. Portuguese soldiers and sailors had opportunities to taste the hot tropical summer, treacherous monsoon weather and the many tropical diseases. (Goaeven at its later ‘golden peak’ was called the grave-yard of the Portuguese). 13. Soldiers could return home on the ‘Carreira da India’ with their individual booty of black pepper contained in their freight-free ‘caixa de Liberdade’ or ‘liberty chest’. This would be good retirement savings for even a poor sailor; as the life expectancy was another 20 years (total only 40 years). Petty officers took a caixa of more expensive and lucrative spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg to make a fidalgo’s living and retirement. Senior officers and the ships' capitaums got a higher quota of duty-free and freight-free caixa-allowance with their compensation package (in lieu of higher salary). Depending on the spice, prices in Europewere 5 to 10 times more than in India. 14. Likely there were some soldiers who opted for the fidalgo life on Tiswadi with the ‘Politica dos Casmentos’. Yet, there were few women to choose from (see next paragraph) if there were any. And one needs to question those who may think otherwise!
15. How many women of what ever culture and what ever era would turn around to marry the murderer of her husband and father of her children? 16. In my analysis, there likely were NO widows of soldiers on Tiswadi. Look back! Yusuf Adil Shah marched in a hurry from Bijapur to recapture Goa. This does not permit an army to mobilize the families. An average army marches 20-25 miles a day on foot (there was no transportation system in 1510). To get to Goa, the army had to march over the Western Ghats. Perhaps native Goans can tell us the distance between Bijapur and Goa. From Alexander the Great, (350 BCE) it was difficult to feed, care-for and house soldiers during a march. Soldiers spend the night in large tents or camps. To have wives, children and other dependents in a military march is definitely not a military strategy. 17. On Tiswadi a scene of two prior battles, (third impending) soldiers lived in camps and forts; because everything else was destroyed in the battles. There was no time to build housing for families with oncoming hostilities. And soldiers and commanders do not have their family in the midst of a battle zone. 18. Even if there were non-combatants on the Isle of Goa / Tiswadi in early November 1510, they would be / could be easily ferried across the small tributary of the river out of Tiswadi prior to or, in worst case scenario, under cover of darkness during the hostilities. All one needed was a canoe (voddem) or dhow. Most Goans have crossed this small tributary by boat or walked the current bridge in a short time (less than an hour). 19. The battle started November 25 ending on December 10, 1510. This contradicts some (frequently regurgitated) historical reports that claim that the third battle for Goawas a 2-day effort. I look forward to alternative explanations for or against my point that the much reported ‘Politica dos Casmentos” was a non-event or a fabrication of later historians. Once again those whose literary works contains reference to this event should avoid taking my analysis personally. Regards, supurlo Goenkar, GL
