Portuguese purchase of Dadra (1785)

The purchase of Dadrá saw the Maratha Confederacy transfer the territory of Dadra to Portuguese India after the handover of Nagar Áveli

The earliest known inhabitants of Dadrá were the Koli people, who were defeated by Rajput invaders. By the early 18th century the Marathas invaded the region and asserted their control.

On 17 December 1779 the Maratha Peshwa Madhavrao II signed an agreement with the Portuguese to end any hostilities between the two powers. However, by 10 June 1783, the Portuguese took over the revenue collection of Dadrá and Nagar Áveli, on the basis of that friendship treaty administered on 1779. This was done as a compensation towards damage in late 1700s to a Portuguese warship, Santana, by the Maratha navy.

Purchase of Dadrá
Dadrá was purchased by the Portuguese in 1785, annexing it to Portuguese India Dadrá, itself consisted of only 3 villages and encompassed around 14.2 km2.

Collapse of the Marathas
After the defeat and collapse of the Maratha Confederacy in the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1818), the Portuguese became the de facto sole rulers of Nagar Áveli. They took control of the area and recognised it as territory of Portuguese India.