St.Angelo's Fort Cannanore- Kannur fort -

St.Angelo's Fort Cannanore.

The oldest map of Kannur fort: civitates1572






Cannanore (KANNUR) had been an important international trading port long before the Portuguese arrived off its shores.

A Muslim dynasty based at Cannanore had controlled much of the trade from the Northern Malabar Coast to the Gulf. Following the arrival of the Portuguese who tried to control the coastal trade, this same dynasty had helped to maintain the Indian Arab trade via its Laccadive homelands, circumventing the Portuguese naval blockade by adopting routes away from the Malabar coast.

This redoubtable family was traditionally led by a matriarch called the Beebee (or Bibi) of Arrakal. Although Beebee was obviously highly regarded in her rights and trading business.





St.Angelo's Fort Cannanore
 

The fort we see today at Cannanore was originally built by the Portuguese and was one of the very first forts that they built in India. It was used to garrison navy troops and their types of equipment and helped to ship-off traded goods. As time passed the Dutch and the English took possession making it one of the most important military stations on the west coast. It is built with laterite/vettu-kallu which is plenty in the Malabar region.

 History

The Portuguese had intended to trade in India and were well informed about the potential locations where the trade took place in India. The first voyage had been intended for Calicut to trade with the subjects of the Zamorin. At this period Calicut was the prime trading location, but it was also very closely connected with the Arab trading system to the Gulf

St.Angelo's Fort Cannanore Portuguese map

Portuguese had relationships with the Kolathri Rajah. At first this was limited to leaving goods and merchants at the settlement. However King Emmanuel of Portugal decided to send out Don Francisco de Almeyda as his first Viceroy of all the Indies. His appointment on the 25th March 1505 included instructions to built forts at Anjediva (must be present  Anchutheng) Island, Cannanore, Cochin and Quilon.
Portuguese Arrival

His fleet arrived at Anjediva on the 13th September 1505 and a fort was commenced straight away. Leaving a garrison on the island De Almeyda sailed south to Cannanore arriving on the 23rd of October 1505. He landed Lorenzo de Brito with one hundred and fifty men to construct the fort, and two ships to be used to guard the site and to patrol out to sea. These were not the only Portuguese at Cannanore, some two hundred had been left behind in December 1502 by Da Gama, and some of these had probably survived.The blog Malabar days describe this in detail.

A drawing of Cannanor Bay 17 C

Modern Satellite view of same spot





Planta da Fortaza de Canananor Evora means
Plants of Kannur fort Evora as per Google translator from Portuguese.



Working from Figure above, and by using proportions, it is possible to mark up a modern satellite photo with an approximate line of where the two outer suburbs of the Portuguese settlement might have been situated.

Mappila Bay in another different look from satellite
Ancient property boundaries are often preserved long after the original reasons for their existence has gone.

I believe that the northern boundary of the Portuguese settlement where it met the territory controlled by the Ali Rajah or Bibi of Arrakal has been preserved down to the present day along the route taken by the Portuguese Walls.



Cananor town Map by Portuguese.



The Dutch

The Dutch captured the fort from the Portuguese in 1663. They modernised the fort and built the bastions Hollandia, Zeelandia and Frieslandia that are the major features of the present structure.

Cananoor during the Dutch Period.

Cannanore in Dutch map comparison by Google earth

The English

In 1790 the British seized the fort and used it as their chief military station in Malabar till 1947.

The bridge and frontage Near the entrance of fort

A drawing of Cannannore fort By Thomas cussons

Photo Taken From St Angelos Fort 2011




St Angelos Fort, British Era

@ 2012 Near the entrance of fort



Entrance of Fort






Kerala Government's  document of the site
St Angelos Fort vew from Bridge near entrance.
 

The Interesting Facts

 The fort is massive and is almost triangular in shape with a moat that separates it from the mainland, used as a protective mechanism to stall the enemy from direct entry and connects the Arabian sea to the Mapilla bay running east-west.
Stables, dungeons, cellars and an armory are testimony to the European architectural design . Most of the buildings including chapels and prisons were built by the Portuguese while the stables and ammunition rooms were built by the Dutch. An eerie feeling persists within the fort with the continuous lashing of waves on its walls. The Archaeological Survey of India maintains the fort and treats it as a protected monument of national importance

Gem of the crown.



The photo given below is a rare picture taken inside the fort under British rule. Creator of this photo is unknown but dated between 1850 to 1887. I like this photo too much and tried to post some photos from same angle and location.

Note these points in this picture

1.British Soldiers in uniform-not Indian soldiers in British army.

2.The Ramps to the Fort. a small bridge Directs to the triangular outer defense wall (see satellite picture given blow) .

3.Bridge in the main entrance is damaged or demolished. Presently the brigde is renovated and small bridge nowhere to see
4.Cannonnore Town at that era can be clearly seen with buildings of Arakkal Palace and commercial buildings.
 

picture taken at   inside the fort under British rule.
Modern view of Bridge in the main entrance. Presently the bridge is renovated and small bridge in 1850 photo nowhere to seen, But the remains are still traceable if searched carefully
same area of above photo in opposite direction (towards sea) in another season

Kids playing At the top of the wall where the soldiers stood once in the old photo


Ayikkara bay or Mappila bay ,view from Fort.


Study the picture more closely, in full res.
Approximately relates to the above photo of 1850

Photo  of 2011  in same position in relation to the classic photo above


satellite Photo  of 2011  in same position in relation to the classic photo above. Note the triangle shaped structure in left side of picture



1865 hand drawn map of fort and adjacent area. Note the triangular shaped defense wall at the north side of fort. it can be clearly viewable in satellite photo, but completely covered by grass now


North view from the same point of the triangular barrier in the above arial photo.


Thomas_Cussans Painting


Cannanore Town_and_bay_of_Kannur_by_Thomas_Cussans 17 centuary



Modern Kannur CITY and_ Ayikkara bay_of_Kannur_by Kallivalli 2011

 
satellite picture of Ayikkara bay_of_Kannur,angled view in relation to the drawing by_Thomas_Cussans 17 centuary
satellite picture of Ayikkara bay_of_Kannur
Mappilabay in Kannur

My Impression

The Europeans indeed left a relic in the architectural beauty of St. Angelos fort, one that will go down generations as a treasure-trove in history. The local government now preserves it well and kept neat and tidy. A must visit for all.


More Blogs and pages over Kannur Heritage:

KALLI VALLI : Kannur Old and Now Part 1
KALLI VALLI : Kannur Old and Now Part 2 Payyambalam
KALLI VALLI : Kannur Old and Now Part 3 Light house,Baby beach ...
KALLI VALLI : Old photos from Kannur 1901-02 
 KALLI VALLI : Tellicherry British Influence
 KALLI VALLI : Basel Mission School Tellicherry.