Akhbar-i Mahabbat 4: The Muhammadans and Christians in Malabar and the Dakhin.
Akhbár-i Muhabbat, of Nawáb Muhabbat Khán (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 4
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- English
The Muhammadans and Christians in Malabar and the Dakhin.
4.1
Let it not be hidden from the sun-resembling minds of those who understand the value of the gems of intelligence, that, previous to the rise of Muhammadanism, the Jews and the Christians had intercourse, as merchants, with most of the ports of the Dakhin, such as Palniar and others. Having become familiar with the people of that country, they established their residence in some of the cities, and built houses and gardens. In this manner they sojourned for many years. When the great star of Muhammadanism appeared, and the rays of that world-enlightening sun shone from the east to the west, gradually the countries of Hindustan and the Dakhin were also benefited by the light of the Muhammadan law, and intercourse of the Musulmans with that country began. Many of the kings and rulers of that country espoused the Muhammadan faith. The Rajas of the ports of Goa, Dabal, and Chand, etc., allowed all the Musulmans who came there from the different parts of Arabia to settle on the sea-shore, and treated them with great honour and respect. For this cause the Jews and Christians burned with the fire of envy and malice. But when the countries of the Dakhin and Gujarat came into the possession of the Kings of Dehli, and Islam was established in them, the Europeans put the seal of silence on their lips, and never uttered a word of animosity or opposition, till at length, about the year 900 A.H.
4.2
(1495 A.D.), when weakness and disorder found their way into the government of the Sultans of the Dakhin, the Portuguese Christians received orders from their King to build their forts on the shore of the Indian Ocean. In the year 904 A.H. (1499 A.D.) four ships of the same people arrived at the ports of Kandaria and Kalikot (Calicut), and having made themselves acquainted with the circumstances of the place, they returned to their own country. Next year six vessels came and anchored at Kalikot. The Portuguese petitioned the chief of the place, who was called Samuri (Zamorin), to prohibit the Muhammadans from intercourse with Arabia, remarking that they would benefit him much more than the Muhammadans could. The Samuri, however, gave no heed to their prayers, but the Christians began to deal harshly with the Muhammadans in all their transactions. At last the Samuri, being provoked, gave orders that the Christians should be slain and plundered. Seventy persons of rank were destroyed among the Christians, and those who remained embarked on the vessels, and thus saved themselves. They landed near the city of Koji (Cochin), the chief of which was at hostility with the Samuri. They obtained his permission to build a fort, which they completed hurriedly in a very short time. They demolished a mosque on the sea-shore, and made a Christian church of it. This was the first fort which the Christians built in India.
4.3
With the same expedition they built a fort at Kanur (Cananore), and to their entire satisfaction engaged in the trade of pepper and dry ginger, preventing others from engaging in the same traffic. On this account the Samuri raised an army, and having killed the son of the chief of Cochin, plundered the country and returned. The heirs of those who were slain again collected their forces, raised the standard of sovereignty, and restored the population of the country to its former state. By the advice of the Firingis they built ships of war, and the chief of Cananore followed their example. This excited the anger of the Samuri, who lavished immense treasure upon an army raised for the purpose of attacking Cochin; but as the Firingis always gave their assistance to its chief, the Samuri returned twice unsuccessful. He was at last obliged to send his ambassadors to the Kings of Egypt, Jedda, Dakhin, and Gujarat, complaining to them of the outrages of the Christians, and imploring their aid. He also at the same time represented their disrespect towards Islam, and thus excited the wrath as well as the zeal of those Princes. The Sultan of Egypt, Mansur Ghori, sent one of his officers named Amir Husain with thirteen ships (ghrabs) full of fighting-men and munitions of war towards the coasts of Hindustan. Sultan Mahmud of Gujarat also prepared several ships to oppose the Firingis, and despatched them from the ports of Diu, Surat, Goga, Dabal, and Chand.
4.4
The Egyptian vessels touched first at Diu, and joining those of Gujarat, sailed towards Chand, where the Firingis had assembled. This force was augmented by forty vessels of the Samuri, and some from the port of Dabal. When the junction was effected, a fire-ship of the Firingis, without being observed, suddenly fell upon their rear, and the whole surface of the water was instantly in a blaze. Malik Ayaz, the chief of Diu, and Amir Husain, prepared to oppose the enemy, but all to no avail. Several Egyptian ships were taken by the enemy, numerous Muhammadans drank the sweet water of martyrdom, and the Firingis returned victorious to their port. It was during these days that Sultan Salim of Rum obtained a victory over the Ghori Sultans of Egypt, and thus their dynasty closed. The Samuri, who was the originator of all these disturbances, was disheartened, and the Firingis obtained complete power; so much so, that in the month of Ramazan, 915 A.H. (Dec. 1509 A.D.), they came into Kalikot, set the Jama'-masjid on fire, and swept the city with the broom of plunder. Next day, the Palnadis collected in large numbers, and falling upon the Christians, killed five hundred men of rank, and many were drowned in the sea. Those who escaped the sword fled to the port of Kulim (Coulon). Having entered into friendly relations with the zamíndár of that place, they erected a fortress for their protection about half a farsakh from the city.
4.5
In the same year they took the fort of Goa, belonging to Yúsuf ’Ádil Sháh, who retook it by stratagem; but after a short time, the Firingís, having bribed the governor of the place with large sums of gold, again became its masters, and they made the fort, which was exceedingly strong, the seat of their Government. This made sorrow and grief prey upon the health of the Sámurí, who expired in 921 A.H. (1515 A.D.). His brother, who succeeded him, rolled up the carpet of destruction, and pursued the path of friendship with the Firingís. He gave them ground for a fort near the city of Kálikot, and took an agreement from them that he should be allowed to send four ships laden with pepper and dry ginger to the ports of Arabia. For some time the Firingís observed these terms; but when the fort was completed, they prohibited his trading in those articles, and began again to practise all kinds of tyranny and persecution upon the followers of Islám.
4.6
In like manner, the Jews of Kranghír (Cranganore), observing the weakness of the Sámurí, advanced their foot beyond the proper limit, and made a great many Muhammadans drink the cup of martyrdom. The Sámurí, repenting of his concessions, marched towards Cranganore, and so entirely extirpated the Jews that not a trace of them was found in that land. After this, joined by all the Musulmáns of Pálnád, he proceeded to Kálikot, and laid siege to the fort of the Firingís, which he reduced with great difficulty. This increased the power and pride of the Pálnádís, who, according to the terms of the original agreement with the Firingís, began to send their ships full of pepper, dry ginger, etc., to the ports of Arabia. In the year 938 A.H. (1531 A.D.) the Firingís founded a fort at Jáliát, six kos from Kálikot, and prevented the sailing of the Pálnadí vessels. About the same time, during the reign of Burhán Nizám Sháh, the Christians built a fort at Rívadanda, near the port of Chaul, and took up their residence there. In the reign of Sultán Bahadur Sháh of Gujarát, 941 A.H. (1534 A.D.), they took possession of the ports of Swálíh, Damán and Diú, which belonged to the Kings of Gujarát, and in the year 943 A.H. (1536 A.D.) they fully established themselves at Cranganore by force of arms.
4.7
At this time Sultán Salím of Rúm determined to expel the Firingís from the ports of India, and make himself master of them. With this view, in the year 944 A.H. (1537 A.D.), he despatched his minister, Sulaimán Bádsháh, in command of one hundred vessels, and he, having wrested the port of Aden from Shaikh 'Amr, son of Shaikh Dáúd, whom he put to death, sailed to the port of Diú, and there made preparations for war. He was nearly victorious, but, for want of provisions and treasure, he was obliged to return unsuccessful to Rúm. In the year 963 A.H. (1556 A.D.) the Tarsás (Christians) were in possession of the ports of Hurmuz, Muskat, Sumatra, Malacca, Mangalore, Negapatam, Barcelore, Ceylon, and Bengal, to the very borders of China. In all these places they built their forts. But Sultán 'Alí Haí captured the fort of Sumatra from them, and the chief of Ceylon also, having subdued the Firingís, expelled them from his dominions. The Sámurí, chief of Kálikot, being much harassed, sent his ambassadors to 'Alí 'Ádil Sháh and Murtazá Nizám Sháh, instigating them to wage a holy war against the Firingís and turn them out of their country.
4.8
In 979 A.H. (1570 A.D.) the Sámurí besieged the fort of Chálíat, and Nizám Sháh and 'Ádil Sháh besieged that of Rívadanda. The former, through his courage, was successful in capturing the fort; but the latter, on account of the infidelity of their servants, who were deceived by the temptations which the Firingís offered them, returned without fulfilling their object. From this time the Christians became more audacious in their persecution of the Muhammadans, in so far that they stretched out their rapacious hands to plunder on their return from Jedda some ships of the Emperor Jalálu-d dín Muhammad Akbar, which had sailed to Mecca without their permission, and they treated the Musulmans with great severity and contempt. They burnt down the port of 'Adilabad Farain, which belonged to 'Adil Shah, and entirely destroyed it. In the guise of merchants, they also came to Dabal, and wished, by cunning and deceitful means, to obtain possession of it; but its chief, Khwaja 'Aliu-l Malik, a merchant of Shiraz, being aware of their views, killed one hundred and fifty of their men of rank, and devoted himself to extinguish the fire of mischief.