The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c18.29

v4.c18.29

An opportunity for action soon presented itself. A Portuguese merchant at Sātgāon named Afonso, who had made a claim to certain land in Hooghly, applied to Qāsim Khān in 1632 and held out the promise of rich booty if the settlement were taken, which would be an easy task. The governor acted cautiously, as the Portuguese were known to be capable soldiers, and he feared that if he became involved in a long struggle the Magh king would take advantage of his concentration of forces at Hooghly to attack and plunder Dacca. He therefore assembled a considerable force under the pretext of coercing refractory landholders near Murshidābād north of Hooghly and Hijilī to the south, and he also collected boats, as the Portuguese were particularly redoubtable on the water. Warnings had been received from priests at Dacca and Āgra, but were disregarded, and when the large Mughul army approached Hooghly at the end of June, and it was known that the fleet was not far away, barricades and palisades had to be improvised, and a Jesuit was sent to parley. Bahādur Khān, who was in command, detailed the offences described above and proposed to search for Bengali slaves and punish those who had purchased them. The Portuguese declined to allow a search, and after some preliminary skirmishing an attack was launched by both land and the river, which was repulsed. A few days later the besieged sent out fresh envoys to sue for peace, and were bidden to despatch four of the principal residents with power to make terms. These agreed to give up the slaves, but surrendered only a small number. Further hostages were obtained and a large ransom demanded from the church with half the property of the inhabitants, and the hostages were fettered and threatened with death. The negotiations were being prolonged as reinforcements were expected by the Mughuls, who soon attacked again and obtained a footing in part of the settlement. For about five weeks the siege continued till artillery was brought up and trenches were dug. During a fresh armistice the Portuguese gave up 200,000 rupees with which the Mughuls paid their troops, Afonso tried to block the river with a bridge of boats and a chain, and prepared a number of fire-boats to burn the Portuguese ships. Finally the Portuguese decided to evacuate the town in their boats, but delayed and were attacked before the boats cast loose. A running fight ensued, and about 3000 refugees escaped down the river, while 400 Christian prisoners were taken the long slow journey to Āgra.¹ Most of them refused to apostasise and were imprisoned. While the emperor had substantial reasons for coercing the Portuguese, evidence of his religious intolerance at this period exists in orders issued for the demolition of newly built Hindu temples, particularly in and near the sacred city of Benares, where seventy-six were said to have been destroyed.