The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c15.168

v4.c15.168

For the invasion of Gujarāt, on which he now decided, Akbar had a better excuse than for most of his attacks on his neighbours. A civil war was in progress, and one party, headed by I‘timād Khān, invited his intervention. The country lay on the way to Mecca and all Muslims were interested in its tranquillity and good government. Its weakness invited the aggression of the Portuguese both on its coasts and on pilgrim ships sailing from its ports, and the emperor was powerless to punish their aggression while the independent kingdoms of Gujarāt and the Deccan separated their settlements from his dominions.