The Portuguese arrived in the Kingdom of Kotte in 1505. By 1518, they had appointed a captain to control the Portuguese-occupied territory called Ceylon on the island of modern-day Sri Lanka. In that time, there were numerous captains until 1551. The post of captain was succeeded by that of the captain-majors in 1551 and by the governor in 1594.
List of captains
edit| Portrait | Name | Birth | Death | Captain from | Captain until | Sovereign |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| João da Silveira | - | - | 1518 | 1518 | Manuel I | |
| Lopo de Brito | - | - | 1518 | 1522 | Manuel I John III | |
| Fernão Gomes de Lemos | - | - | 1522 | 1524 | John III | |
| Vacant | - | - | 1524 | 1551 | John III |