_ 479 _ Ormuz. In concentrating his efforts on this Gulf island, Albuquerque pursued two aims: he was acquiring control of one of the itineraries of the Levant route, and securing the base of inter-regional commerce between Arabia and Persia, in one direction, and between India and the Far East in the other. The beginnings of Portuguese history in the East, with particular reference to the actions of the first two governors, has been studied with great attention and much has been published on this period. The twofold conquest of Ormuz by Afonso de Albuquerque, in 1507 and 1515, constitutes one of the fundamental events of the establishment of the Portuguese in Asia and the achievement of its principal architect. The two documents published as appendices here, from the National Archive of Torre do Tombo, add further information on this period of great historical significance(A). The first document is an autograph letter from D. Francisco de Almeida to King Manuel, written when (A) The classification made by Dr Maria José da Silva Leal has faciliated access to the 'Fragmentos' where documents of great interest are to be found. The letter from Pero de Alpoim (doc.II below) is in very bad condition and was restored by Dr. Maria do Carmo, who gave assistance in its interpretation.
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