The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c15.180

v4.c15.180

The garrison had invited a force of Portuguese to assist in the defence of the town, but when they arrived and saw how matters stood they assumed the character of envoys, and offered gifts to Akbar, who questioned them about Portugal and the affairs of Europe. The fulsome Abu-'l-Fazl adds: "Although it is well known that the holy heart of the Lord of the World is the repository of all knowledge, both spiritual and worldly, his exemplary mind designed to make these inquiries a means of showing kindness to that crew of savages." This is a fair sample of Abu-'l-Fazl's style. The "crew of savages" could have told and probably did tell Akbar many things of which he had never even dreamed. For one thing they could tell him where Portugal was, and the names of the states of Europe.