The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c25.59

v3.c25.59

Vasco da Gama had appeared on the Malabar coast in 1498, and the Portuguese were now firmly established in more than one western port. In 1506 a strong fort was built at Cochin, which was their chief emporium, and in 1507 a settlement was made on the island of Socotra, near the entrance of the Red Sea. Thus, in less than a decade, they had diverted the greater part of the lucrative spice trade from the Red Sea and Egypt; for the discovery of the direct sea route to Europe had deprived the Mamlūk Sultans of one of their chief sources of revenue, heavy dues being levied both at Jedda and Alexandria on goods in transit. The important ports of north-western India, such as Cambay and Chaul, which were held by the Muslims, were at the same time seriously affected, and thus the Portuguese incurred the hostility of all the Muhammadan powers surrounding the Arabian Sea, who determined to make a combined effort to oust the infidel intruders. It was finally arranged, by correspondence which passed between Qansauh-al-Ghaurī, sultan of Egypt, the king of Gujarāt, other local Muhammadan rulers, and the Zamorin of Calicut, who had been the most intimately associated with the Europeans, that a fleet should be equipped at Suez and dispatched to India, where it would be reinforced by such vessels as were available locally. The Egyptian fleet was under the command of Amīr Husain the Kurd, governor of Jedda, while the Indian contingent was commanded by Malik Ayāz, a Turkish subject who had found his way to the court of Gujarāt. Up to the year 1507 the Portuguese had confined their activities inland to the Malabar coast, though they had frequently harassed the trading vessels and pilgrim ships bound from Gujarāt, ‘the Gate of Mecca’ to Indian Muslims, for Jedda. The Portuguese Viceroy, Francesco de Almeida, in this year resolved to exploit the northerly coast of India, and dispatched his gallant son Lourenço with a squadron to explore the coast as far as Gujarāt. It does not appear that the Viceroy had any intimation of the attack which was to be made by the Egyptian fleet, although he was aware of the correspondence which had been passing between India and Egypt. Had he known that Amīr Husain was on his way it is unlikely that he would have sent so small a squadron under his son. Amīr Husain reached India at the end of 1507 and encountered Lourenço in the harbour of Chaul in January, 1508, when a fierce fight ensued in which the Portuguese were utterly defeated by Amīr Husain and Malik Ayāz, and Dom Lourenço died a hero’s death. After this victory, which was the occasion of much jubilation and of mutual congratulations among the Muslims, Mahmūd returned to Chāmpāner.