_ 493 _ desired, but were marking time until the outcome of the rivalry between the two Portuguese and the balance of power in the Indian seas became clearer(A). These events showed the fragility, or perhaps the failure, of the policy of trusting to mastery of the seas with support from poor islands such as Socotra and Anjidiv and occasional alliances with a few potentates. Albuquerque realized that a military presence was necessary in those places which played a cental role in the distribution network of inter-regional commerce in the East. He should therefore conquer and fortify Ormuz, Malacca, a central position in India (which was to be Goa) and Aden. Albuquerque took up the Governorship of India at the end of 1509 on the arrival of the fleet of the Marshal, D. Fernando Coutinho and set about putting into practice the projects he had been preparing during his long and troublesome wait(B). Although he had decided to conquer (A) J.Aubin, 'Lettres de Cojeatar à Àfonso de Albuquerque' in Mare Luso-Indicum, Vol.II, Geneva 1973, pp.189-99. (B) In addition to the chroniclers Barros, Castanheda, Correia, Goís, Bras de Albuquerque and the Crónica do descobrimento e Conquista da India pelos Portugueses, anonymous ms.in theBritish Library, Egerton 20,901 [sic, (published at Coimbra 1974),v.biographies by António Baião, Affonso d'Albuquerque, Lisbon 1913; Visconde de Lagoa, Grandes e humildes na epopeia portuguesa do Oriente,Lis-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTg0NzAy