IgnacioElem3 at 16:52, 11 January 2026

2026-01-11T16:52:41Z

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{{Short description|Fort in Maharashtra, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox military installation
|name = Korlai Fort
|native_name = Morro de Chaul<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chaul a Portuguese town in India|url=https://www.colonialvoyage.com/portuguese-chaul/}}</ref>
|partof = Portuguese India
|location = [[Raigad district]], [[Maharashtra]]
|image = [[File:Portuguese church of Korlai fort.jpg|300px]]
|caption = Ruins of the Portuguese church in Korlai
|map_type=India Maharashtra#India
|map_size = 300
|map_caption = Location Of Korlai fort
|type = Island fort
|coordinates = {{coord|18|32|9|N|72|54|29|E}}
|built = 1521
|builder = Dom Filipe Mascarenhas
|materials = Stone
|height =
|used =
|demolished =1594
|condition = Ruins
|ownership = Government of India
|open_to_public = Yes
|controlledby = {{noflag}}[[Ahmadnagar Sultanate|Ahmadnagar]] (1521-1594) {{flagcountry|Portuguese Empire}} (1594-1739) {{flagcountry|Maratha Empire}} (1739-1818) {{flagcountry|United Kingdom}}
* {{flagicon image|Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg}} [[East India Company]] (1818-1857)
* {{flagicon image|British Raj Red Ensign.svg}} [[British Raj]] (1857-1947)
{{flagcountry|India}} (1947-)
|garrison =
|current_commander =
|commanders =
|occupants =
|battles =
|events =
|image2 =
|caption2 =
}}
'''Korlai Fort''' is a [[List of Portuguese colonial forts|colonial fort]] in the [[Raigad district]] of [[Maharashtra, India|Maharashtra]], India.<ref name="Kapadia 2004 72">{{cite book|last=Kapadia |first=Harish|title=Trek the Sahyadris|publisher=Indus Publishing|year=2004|pages=72|isbn=81-7387-151-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oICZM5HKRbAC&q=korlai+fort&pg=PA72|access-date=2009-02-04}}</ref> Formerly a part of [[Chaul]] in [[Portuguese India]],<ref>{{cite journal|year=1889|title=Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society|publisher=Bombay Natural History Society|volume=v4|pages=291|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5J9oyAsf0tEC&q=korlai+fort&pg=PA291|access-date=2009-02-04}}</ref> the structure is a specimen of [[Portuguese colonial architecture]].<ref name="Kapadia 2004 72"/> It was built as a companion to the fort at Chaul, at this strategic position the Portuguese could use it to defend their province which stretched from Korlai to the [[Fort Bassein]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Indica |publisher=Saint Xavier's College, Bombay Heras Institute of Indian History and Culture|year=2004|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L_htAAAAMAAJ&q=korlai+fort|access-date=2009-02-05}}</ref> Vestiges of the Portuguese occupation are manifested in the distinct dialect of the Korlai villages inhabitants which is a [[Luso-Indian]] creole called [[Korlai Portuguese Creole]].

== History ==
This fort was built in 1521 by the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese]] with the permission of the [[Ahmednagar Sultanate#Ahmadnagar sultanate|Ahmednagar sultanate]]. In 1521, taking advantage of the confusion in the aftermath of the death of the Burhan Nizam, the Portuguese tried to take over the fort.<ref name="bombay ">{{cite book|title=Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency|publisher=Govt. Central Press|year=1883|url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924070623776|page=[https://archive.org/details/cu31924070623776/page/n341 328]|quote=korlai fort.|access-date=2009-02-04}}</ref> However the sultan retaliated and sent some of his best men to reclaim the fort. Subsequently, a truce was reached in which the Ahmednagar sultanate occupied the island and no further fortification of the island took place. Only a wooden cross remained on the island as a sign of its former rulers.

However, in 1594, Abranches, a Portuguese captain with 1,500 soldiers and 1,500 natives took possession of the fort. The besieged soldiers of the Sultanate tried to block their way by putting a dead elephant at the main gate and a dead horse at the inner gate. But in the end they had to surrender.<ref name="konkan">{{cite book|last=Nairne|first=Alexander Kyd|title=History of the Konkan|publisher=Asian Educational Services|year=1988|pages=50|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nzPCcILP-XwC&q=korlai+fort&pg=PA50|access-date=2009-02-05 | isbn=978-81-206-0275-5}}</ref><ref name="bombay"/> The Portuguese won the fort but not having enough men to stand guard there chose to destroy it<ref name="bombay"/> leaving only the central tower and a battery intact.

Before its destruction, Korlai had been described by travelers as a "magnificent fortress as strong as any other in the world".<ref name="bombay"/> On the inland side - the only place where it was susceptible to be attacked - it was protected by a ditch and could only be accessed by a drawbridge. The main entrance was guarded by a bronze lion and the highest tower by a bronze eagle. It housed 7,000 horses and as much men.

Some parts of it were rebuilt later but now had a garrison of only 50 men.<ref name="bombay"/> The church within the fort was used for worship on Sundays and holidays. Korlai fort was also strategically very important as it guarded the mouth of the bay. [[Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj]], the son of [[Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj]], tried to take it over but failed<ref name="daiji"/> and had to withdraw his forces on 6 December 1687.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gokhala|first=Kamal Shri Krishna|title=Chhatrapati Sambhaji|publisher=Navakamal Publications|year=1978|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qvy1AAAAIAAJ&q=korlai+fort|access-date=2009-02-04}}</ref> The fort was taken by the Marathas who held it from 1739 to 1818.
== Last Commandant ==
The last commandant of the fort, belong to [[Vanjari caste| Vanjari]], who died a few years ago, must, like his predecessor, have wrought this nationalization of Portuguese names.”
<ref>{{cite book |last=Cunha |first=J. Gerson da |title=History and Antiquities of Chaul and Bassein |year=1882 |publisher=Government Central Press |location=Bombay |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.180735/page/n151/mode/2up?q=wanjari |page=151}}</ref>

== Major features ==

The fort is 2,828 feet long, and its average breadth is eighty-nine feet. The enclosing wall is 5' 3" high and has 305 battlements for guns. It is entered by eleven gates - four are outer and seven are inner. At the north point, within pistol-shot of the main battery, is the water cistern named Santa Cruz, major source of water. The area within the fort walls is divided into three enclosures by two lines of bastioned fortifications. Each of the seven bastions bears the name of a saint. The two westward bastions are named São Diego (after [[Didacus of Alcalá]]) and São Francisco (after [[Francis of Assisi]]).<ref name="daiji">{{cite web|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/chan/exclusive_arch.asp?ex_id=911|title=Korlai - The Lesser Known Portuguese Enclave on Konkan Coast |last=D’Souza|first=Eugene|date=23 June 2008|access-date=2009-02-05}}</ref> The others are São Pedro, São Inácio, and São Filipe.<ref name="bombay"/>

The top of the hill is bastioned as well and is surrounded by a parapet. It has a large rainwater cistern with three mouths, each one foot wide, and the ruins of the magazine and a church.<ref name="gunaji">{{cite book|last=Gunaji|first=Milind|title=Offbeat Tracks in Maharashtra|publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=2005|pages=24|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JIjmDLardesC&q=korlai&pg=PA29|access-date=2009-01-28 | isbn=978-81-7154-669-5}}</ref> The church was built in 1630 for the use of the army<ref name="daiji"/> and was functional until 1728.

There are three Portuguese inscriptions. One, over a doorway in the centre and highest part of the fort (see picture), reads as follows:

<blockquote>
This castle was commanded to be built by the Viceroy of India Dom Filipe Mascarenhas in November of the year 1646 and Fernão Miranda Henriques being Captain of Chaul, and was finished in May 1680, Cristóvão de Abreu de Azevedo being Captain of this fort.
</blockquote>

The inscription is surmounted by a cross with a coat of arms having the Portuguese stars in the centre and surrounded by seven castles. Other inscriptions over the main entrance and over an altar in the chapel are worn out and undecipherable.<ref name="bombay"/> During the brief Maratha rule, some of the names of the bastions were changed but now the only indication of their presence is some dismantled shrines.

==Forest==
The hill slopes surrounding the fort are in control of the [[Maharashtra]] [[Forest]] department. Originally trees of [[teak]] were planted on the eastern slopes. Later, in 1996, plantation of ''[[Casuarina]]'', [[cashew]] and ''[[Acacia auriculiformis]]'' was done to check erosion.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Korlai fort hall.jpg|alt=Korali fort main hall ruins|Main hall ruins
File:Korlai fort entrance.jpg|alt=Korlai fort entrance|Entrance
File:Korlai fort walkway.jpg|alt=Korlai fort walkway|Walkway
File:Korlai fort cross2.JPG|The Cross bateri
File:Korlai fort inscription.jpg|Inscription on top of the main entrance
File:Fortress of Chaul- Plans of Plazas and Forts of Portuguese Possessions in Asia and Africa WDL1057.png|Map of Chaul and environs
File:Korlai3.jpg|A canon
File:Korlai6.jpg|Section
</gallery>

== See also ==

* [[List of forts in Maharashtra]]

== References ==
{{commons category}}
{{reflist}}

{{Forts and fortresses of the Portuguese empire|state=collapsed}}
{{Forts in Maharashtra}}
{{Forts in India}}

[[Category:Forts in Raigad district]]
[[Category:Portuguese forts in India]]
[[Category:16th-century forts in India]]
[[Category:1521 in India]]
[[Category:1520s in Portuguese India]]
[[Category:1594 in India]]
[[Category:1590s in Portuguese India]]
[[Category:1520s establishments in Portuguese India]]
[[Category:1521 establishments in the Portuguese Empire]]

Korlai Fort - Revision history

IgnacioElem3 at 16:52, 11 January 2026