Diogo Rodrigues

Diogo Rodrigues (? - April 21, 1577, Goa) was a Portuguese explorer of the Indian Ocean, after whom the island of Rodrigues is named. In 1528 he explored the islands of Réunion, Mauritius, and Rodrigues, naming it the Mascarene or Mascarenhas Islands, after his countryman Pedro Mascarenhas, who had been there before.

According to José Nicolau da Fonseca, Rodrigues was buried in Goa with his grave's inscription reading: Acqui jaz Diogo Rodrigues o do Forte, Capitão desta Fortaleza, o qual derrubou os pagodes destas terras. Falleceu á 21 de Abril de 1577 annos. In English translation this reads: "Here lies Diogo Rodrigues, (called) 'the one of the Fort', Captain of this Fortress, who destroyed the pagodas of these territories. He died on April 21, 1577."

All the Hindu temples of Salcette, Goa, India were destroyed by Diogo Rodrigues who personally oversaw this destruction. This led to the mass exodus of Hindus from the Portuguese held territories and the Hindus taking the idols of their deities across the Zuari river to the territories of the Hindu Sonde kings. Amongst the temples destroyed are the Temples of Shri Ramnathi and Shree Shantadurga and Shree Mangeshi.

References

• José Nicolau da Fonseca, Historical and Archaeological Sketch of the City of Goa, Bombay : Thacker, 1878, pp. 47-48. Reprinted 1986, Asian Educational Services, ISBN 8120602072.

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Name	Rodrigues, Diogo
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Date of death	1577
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