Vasco da Gamma
was the first European to land in India via a sea route when he landed in Cochin in Kerala on May 28, 1498.where he soon started a trading post. He carried spices from India to Portugal. It was a very profitable business and so the Portuguese sent other expeditions to India and soon trading centres were established in Calicut, Cochin and Cannanore.
He carried spices from India to Portugal. It was a very profitable business and so the Portuguese sent other expeditions to India. Soon trading centres were established in Calicut, Cochin and Cannanore.

Dom Alfonso de Albuquerque Enters Goa
Alfonso de Albuquerque came to India in 1503 as a commander of a squadron and in 1509 was appointed as the Governor of Portuguese affairs in India. He realized the need for a permanent base in India and so set off with a fleet of 21 ships and 1600 men to conquer Goa.
Goa was conquered on the morning of March 4, 1510. However, on May 20, 1510 Adil Shah recaptured Goa and Albuquerque had to abandon Goa and flee back to Portugal. As luck would have it they met reinforcements on the way and so headed back for Goa with a fleet of 23 ships and 2,000 men. And so on the morning of 25 November 1510, Albuquerque's men attacked the city, and at midday Goa was again in Portuguese hands. It was the feast of St Catherine and kneeling in the public square he dedicated Goa to her.
 
The City Of Goa
Alfonso de Albuquerque immediately repaired the fortifications to the City of Goa and ordered the strengthening of the forts of Benasterim, Devarim and Pangim, which commanded the principal passes to the mainland.
A mint was established and gold, silver and copper money were minted. Asia's first hospital was built in Goa in 1511. Primary schools with Portuguese teachers were set-up in the same year and Albuqurque reduced by one-third the tribute that they had thus far paid (to Adil Khan). 
Several churches (Church of Priorado do Rosario, Chapel of Santa Catarina) were built but Albuquerque allowed the locals to practice their own religion. He encourage the marriage of Portuguese soldiers with native women and passed an order abolishing the practice of Sati.
In 1530, the capital of Portuguese India was transferred from Cochin to Goa and in 1534 it became the centre of the Roman Church in the whole East. Finally in 1557 Goa became the seat of an archibishopric. On this occasion a large cathedral was also built (Sé of Santa Catarina 1562-1619).

The Velhas Conquestas (Old Conquests)
By 1543, the Portuguese had extended their control over Salcette, Mormugao and Bardez, thus ending their first phase of expansion into Goa. The territories of Ilhas, Salcette, Mormugao and Bardez formed part of the Portugal's "Velhas Conquestas" or Old Conquests, and formed only one fifth of the total area of modern Goa.
 
The Novas Conquestas (New Conquests)
The second attack by the Marathas in 1737 was led by King Shahu, grandson of Shivaji and this ended in a truce. The treaty of May 1739 gave control of Portugal's northern Indian provinces including Bassein to the Marathas in return for the withdrawal of Maratha forces from Goa. In 1741, the Marathas invaded Bardez and Salcete and threatened the city of Goa itself. Fortunately for the Portuguese, a new viceroy, the Marquis of Lourical arrived with substantial reinforcements and defeated the Marathas in Bardez. During this period, the Portuguese slowly expanded their territories which enabled them to extend their control over Bicholim and Satari (in 1780-1781), then Pernem later that decade and finally Ponda, Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona in 1791. These acquisitions known as the" Novas Conquestas " were quickly integrated with the Velhas Conquestas consisting of Salcette, Bardez and Tiswadi.
This second and final phase of Portuguese expansion was rather different from their initial conquests. By the time these territories were added, their attitude had changed and their zeal for religious conversions had died down. By 1835, all religious orders were banned, and the Hindu majority were granted the freedom to practice their religion. As a result, the "New Conquests" retained their Hindu identity, a characteristic feature that persists even today, and this is also why there is a religious/cultural/language or dialect difference existing in Goa between the Talukas of Tiswadi, Bardez, Salcette and Mormugao on one side and Pernem, Bicholim, Sattari, Ponda, Sangem, Quepem and Canacona on other.
 
Goa Dourado
At the beginning of 17th. century, Goa was the capital of an empire which spread from Moçambique to Nagasaki and that controlled the Indian Ocean trade. This was the period of great brightness for Goa and the Portuguese power in the East, the city was also called "Goa Dourada" or "Roma do Oriente" at that time is said that Goa had 200.000 inhabitants and was able to compete with the most important cities in the world, a lot of magnificent churches and buildings were built during these years. Several of them are still visible today. A proverb of the time said: "Quem viu Goa, dispensa de ver Lisboa" (whoever has seen Goa need not see Lisbon). Goa became the jewel of Portugal's eastern empire and was the headquarters of Portuguese India, and seat of the Portuguese viceroy who governed the Portuguese possessions in Asia.