- Philip de Brito
Philip de Brito e Nicote (d. September? 1613) was a Portuguese adventurer and
mercenary in Burmese service.Born to French parents in
Lisbon ,Portugal , Brito first traveled to Southeast Asia as a cabin boy where he eventually served under the King of Arakan (Lower Burma ) becoming governor ofSyriam in 1600. Returning toGoa the next year to gain official recognition, he returned in 1602 and awarded "Commander of Syriam" and "General of the conquests ofPegu " by the Portuguese royal court.Ruling Syriam independently of Arakanese control, Brito allied with the Siamese governor of Pegu to raid
Toungoo in 1612. Quarreling with the Siamese, Syriam was soon besieged byAnaukpetlun , King of Ava ofUpper Burma (Ava, was located along the present dayAyeyarwady River ). After the fall of the city in September 1613, Brito was captured and crucified by the Burmese forces.References
*Danvers, Frederick Charles, "The Portuguese in India". London, 1966.
*Harvey, G. E., "A History of Burma". n.p., 1967.
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