Christianization of Goa

The indigenous population of the erstwhile Portuguese colony of Goa, Daman and Diu underwent Christianisation following the Portuguese conquest of Goa in 1510, which was followed by the Goa Inquisition from 1560 onwards. The converts in the Velhas Conquistas (Old Conquests) to Roman Catholicism were then granted full Portuguese citizenship. Almost all present-day Goan Catholics are descendants of these native converts; they constitute the largest Indian Christian community of Goa state and account for 25 percent of the population.

Many Kudali, Mangalorean & Karwari Catholics in present-day Karnataka and Maharashtra are also of Goan descent due to migration of the local population in the 16th and 17th centuries. Korlai and Bombay East Indian Catholics of the Konkan division, and the Damanese of Damaon, Diu & Silvassa have had Goan admixture and interactions in the Portuguese Bombay territory, which was ruled from the capital in Old Goa. Bombay East Indians were formerly Portuguese citizens until the seven islands of Bombay were taken over by the British East India Company, via the dowry of Catherine Braganza in marriage to Charles II of England. Salsette islanders and Basseinites of the Bombay East Indian community were also Portuguese citizens, till the Mahratta Invasion of Bassein in 1739.