The Private Lascoreen Guard of Padikara Muhandiram Arthur Silva Wijeyasinghe Siriwardena
Active
1500s–1930s
Country
Portuguese Ceylon Dutch period in Ceylon British Ceylon
Allegiance
Portuguese Empire Dutch Empire British Empire
Branch
Army
Type
Infantry
Engagements
Sinhalese–Portuguese War Dutch–Portuguese War
Military unit
Not to be confused with Lascar.
Lascarins (Sinhala: ලස්කිරිඤ්ඤ, romanized: laskiriñña, Tamil: லசுக்காரின், romanized: Lacukkāriṉ or Lascareen, Lascoreen and Lascarine) is a term used in Sri Lanka to identify indigenous soldiers who fought for the Portuguese during the Portuguese era (1505–1658) and continued to serve as colonial soldiers until the 1930s. The lascarins played a crucial role not only in the colonial armies, but also in the success of the campaigns of the local kingdoms.[1][2][3][4]
^The Portuguese in Ceylon: Before the war with the Dutch - Colonial Voyage Web. Accessed 2015-11-25
^The Historic Tragedy of the Island of Ceilāo - J. Ribeiro (AES) ISBN 81-206-1334-1 p 20, 91–92
^Nayaks of Tanjore - V. Vriddhagirisan (AES) ISBN 978-81-206-0996-9 p. 80 & 91
^Kandy fights the Portuguese: a military history of Kandyan resistance - C. Gaston Perera (Vijitha Yapa) ISBN 955-1266-773 pp. 138, 168, 228, 307 & 342
to the king of Kotte became Lascarins and continued to hold ranks such as Mudali, Muhandiram, Arachchi or Kankani. Lascarins were crucial for the occupying...
derived, is not recorded in English. The Portuguese adapted the term to "lascarins", meaning Asian militiamen or seamen, from any area east of the Cape of...
On the third day, they sent a detachment of Lascarins to find the way back to the camp. The Lascarins surprised a group of Kandyans, whom they killed;...
also located in this village in an area called Rajamalwatta. Kastane Lascarins Saddharmarathnakaraya Siege of Kotte (1557–1558) List of Sri Lankan monarchs...
Company (From 1638) Portuguese Empire Portuguese India Portuguese Ceylon Lascarins Kingdom of Kotte Stalemate Establishment and then destruction of Portuguese...
Portuguese captains Portuguese captain-majors Portuguese governors Economy Maral Tombo Cinnamon Indian Ocean slave trade Society Other Lascarins Joseph Vaz...
Portuguese captains Portuguese captain-majors Portuguese governors Economy Maral Tombo Cinnamon Indian Ocean slave trade Society Other Lascarins Joseph Vaz...
Portuguese captains Portuguese captain-majors Portuguese governors Economy Maral Tombo Cinnamon Indian Ocean slave trade Society Other Lascarins Joseph Vaz...
Empire in 1619. His title Arachchi, is a title given to the commanders of Lascarins or native military forces. They are also known by other names including...
Parliament and the national day celebrations. During the colonial era, the Lascarins provided the local guards of honour, apart from British Army, British...
Portuguese captains Portuguese captain-majors Portuguese governors Economy Maral Tombo Cinnamon Indian Ocean slave trade Society Other Lascarins Joseph Vaz...
Mulleriyawa Satana a significant number of Portuguese and several thousand Lascarins were killed, and the invading force routed. The victory was a huge psychological...
the Lascarins executed, on suspicion of being in collusion with Vimaladharmasurya. This execution led to the immediate mass desertion of the Lascarin auxiliaries...
Kingdom of Kandy Dutch East India Company (from 1638) Portuguese Empire Lascarins Kingdom of Kotte Victory End of the kingdoms of Kotte, Sitawaka, Jaffna...
Portuguese captains Portuguese captain-majors Portuguese governors Economy Maral Tombo Cinnamon Indian Ocean slave trade Society Other Lascarins Joseph Vaz...
under Portuguese rule, along with the Karaiyar and Nair recruited as Lascarins and were converted to Catholicism. Large Catholic Karava communities exists...
Portuguese captains Portuguese captain-majors Portuguese governors Economy Maral Tombo Cinnamon Indian Ocean slave trade Society Other Lascarins Joseph Vaz...
Concert band Beat Group String ensembles Pipe Band Oriental Orchestra The Lascarins, which was the indigenous guard composed of soldiers who fought for Portuguese...
Sinhalese army at once attacked the Lascarins carrying provisions and separated them from the main force. The Lascarins abandoned the provisions in order...
Portuguese captains Portuguese captain-majors Portuguese governors Economy Maral Tombo Cinnamon Indian Ocean slave trade Society Other Lascarins Joseph Vaz...
Portuguese captains Portuguese captain-majors Portuguese governors Economy Maral Tombo Cinnamon Indian Ocean slave trade Society Other Lascarins Joseph Vaz...
Portuguese incursion in 1604 saw them capture Balane, but dissent amongst their Lascarin troops forced a withdrawal back to the coast. Relations between the Dutch...
Global Information
Portuguese Ceylon
Dutch period in Ceylon
British Ceylon
Portuguese Empire
Dutch Empire
British Empire