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What happened when Zheng He confronted King Alagonakkara of Sri Lanka?

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The Yongle emperor, detail of a portrait; in the National Palace Museum, Taipei.
Yongle The Yongle emperor, detail of a portrait; in the National Palace Museum, Taipei.

When Zheng He, the admiral serving the Yongle emperor of the Ming dynasty, encountered King Alagonakkara (also identified as Vira Alakeshvara) of Sri Lanka during his naval expeditions, the interaction turned hostile.

While Zheng He had visited the island during his first expedition (1405–1407), he withdrew hastily. During a subsequent voyage, he encountered treachery from the king. In response, Zheng He defeated Alagonakkara’s forces and took the king and his minister captive, transporting them back to Nanjing.12