Volume Six
The Portuquese in the Sea of Oman Annals of History 1497 CE – 1757 CE Volume Six by: Al Qasimi Publications Author: Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi (United Arab Emirates) Publisher: Al Qasimi Publications, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Edition: First Year of publication: 2025 ©All rights reserved * ISBN: 978-9948-715-31-3 * Printing Permission: UAE Media Council No. MC 03-01-0851544, Date: 24-03-2025 Printing: AL Bony Press- Sharjah, UAE Age Classification: E The age group that matches the content of the books was classified according to the age classification issued by UAE Media Council * Al Qasimi Publications, Al Tarfa, Sheikh Muhammad Bin Zayed Road PO Box 64009 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Tel: 0097165090000, Fax: 0097165520070 Email: info@aqp.ae
_ 5 _ Contents Introduction to Volume Six 7 • Episodes of the year 1529 9 • Episodes of the year 1530 105 • Episodes of the year 1531 133 • Episodes of the year 1532 149 • Episodes of the year 1533 155 • Episodes of the year 1534 169 • Episodes of the year 1535 179 • Episodes of the year 1536 195 • Episodes of the year 1537 199 • Episodes of the year 1538 207 • Episodes of the year 1539 265 • Episodes of the year 1540 275 • Episodes of the year 1541 303 Researchers’ Guide 587 Volume Six Reference 599
_ 7 _ Introduction to Volume Six This volume covers the events of thirteen years, from 1529 to 1541, during which significant events took place in Ormuz, including uprisings against the Portuguese followed by submission and subjugation to them. This period was also marked by Turkish defeats at the hands of the Persians at one point and by the Portuguese at another. In the subsequent years, the Portuguese were captured in Khor Fakkan, and prisoners were exchanged between Khor Fakkan and those captured in Rishahr, the land of Bani Malik. The conflict between the Portuguese and the Ottomans then spread to the Red Sea and subsequently to India, concluding the sixth volume with the struggle between the Ottomans and the Portuguese over Aden and the Red Sea. Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi
_ 9 _ (1) Document no. and reference. Episodes of the year 1529 In February 1529, Rais Sharaf was arrested by order of the King of Portugal. His arrest took place as stated in the book: "History of the Discovery and Conquest of India by the Portuguese", by Fernao Lopes de Castanheda, (chapters 102 and 103):(1) Chapter: 102 Nuno da Cunha was spending the monsoon in Mombassa where Sinao da Cunha Don Francisco da Sa and Francisco da Mendonca met him at the end of the season. They had been there also, where four hundred of our men had died as they told Nuno da Cunha. They told him also of the loss of Afonso Baz Azambujo and of Bernaldim da Silveira. This made him very sad, and he feared that Garcia de Sa and Antonio de Saldanha might also have perished.
_ 10 _ Because it was just before the monsoon in India, navigation in that direction was very hazardous for the large naos. Thus, he agreed with those captains mentioned that for their safety they should spend the Indian monsoon season in Ormuz. Whilst ready for departure he met there a certain Bastiao Eerreira,a citizen of Goa, whom the governor had sent to seek Nuno da Cunha. Believing that Nuno da Cunha was spending the monsoon season in Mozambique he had gone there and on failing to find him had gone to Malindi, As he had intended to spend the monsoon in India, Nuno da Cunha wrote to the governor through him, telling him of his capture of Mombassa and the reason why he was going to Ormuz, he asked him to have the Indian fleet gathered together, because there would be need of it on his arrival. When Bastiao Ferreira had left he departed for Ormuz, whilst taking on water at Terve he met Don Fernando de Sa with the other two captains in his charge, who were on their way from India as I said earlier. From there he went to Muscat, where he put ashore the sick men from the armada, of whom there were many. He also left there the naos of Don Francisco de Sa and of Francisco de Mendonca putting them under the command of Don Fernando de Lima. He then continued his journey to Ormuz in his own nao, Simao de Cunha and Don Fernando de Sa, going with him.
_ 11 _ The King of Ormuz received them warmly, but their arrival caused Rais Sharif to be very afraid as he thought he might be punished for his tyranny. Nuno da Cunha being new to the scene there was fear of what he might do. After Nuno da Cunha had been in Ormuz a few days Manuel de Macedo reached the area from Portugal as captain of a galleon. He carried an order from the King of Portugal that Rais Sharif was to be seized on account of the many misdeeds he had committed and sent in that same galleon back to Portugal under guard. The king had given the task to Manuel de Macedo as he had confidence in him believing he would do it better than any other and would not be perverted by bribes. On arriving at the watering place of Terve, which is sixty leagues from Ormuz, he learnt that Nuno da Cunha was in Ormuz, and as he feared that if Nuno da Cunha knew of his mission, he would deprive him of the honour he would gain in apprehending Rais Sharif a thing much demanded, he decided to conceal his going to Ormuz. He went in a terrada with some trusted men he told the officer he had left as captain of the galleon to go to Ormuz after a few days, which he thought would be time he would need to carry out his task. He duly arrived at Ormuz in the terrada one morning and landed very secretly. He then went to the residence of
_ 12 _ Rais Sharif in the king's palace. Firstly, he told his servant that if he should see him speaking to Rais Sharif he was to take a letter to Nuno da Cunha in which he would say what he was required to do by the King of Portugal and that if he sent men to Rais Sharif's house he would be doing a great service to the king. When Manuel de Macedo reached Rais Sharif's residence he was very well received as they knew each other and had become friends when Manuel de Maceda, had brought Rais Sharif back from India to Ormuz after he had been freed from his captivity there. When the man carrying the letter saw them talking, he duly took it to Nuno da Cunha. Whilst Nuno da Cunha was reading the letter Simao da Cunha arrived in a great hurry and told him that Manuel de Macedo had seized Rais Sharif which was now the news of the town. Nuno da Cunha was most surprised by this news and immediately ordered Simao da Cunha to go and capture Rais Sharif, so he departed taking many men with him. On his arrival as expected, he found that Manuel de Macedo had taken Rais Sharif. He duly took charge of him and ordered him to make a list of his property. He then took Rais Sharif to Nuno da Cunha's house without there being any disturbance in the city though Rais Sharif had much
_ 13 _ power and authority there and was well connected. This was because our people were much feared. Nuno da Cunha was so angry at Manuel de Macedo's capture of Rais Sharif and ignoring his presence there that he ordered him to be taken into custody notwithstanding being shown the order from the king instructing him to do what he had done. This was also to appease the King of Ormuz who had been much aggrieved at Rais Sharif's capture in his own palace. Following Rais Sharif's imprisonment in August Nuno da Cunha began preparing his departure for India. The King of Ormuz then received news that Rais Barbadin the governor of Bahrain had rebelled against him and was refusing to send him the forty thousand xerafins usually paid as rental. This was on account of Rais Sharif's imprisonment; being his brother-in-law, He said that the king had caused him to be seized having allowed him to reside in his own palace and he therefore would do him any injury of which he was able. When the king heard this, he made it known to Numo da Cunha, saying that as he was a vassal of the King of Portugal and was paying tribute to him, he as the governor should restore Bahrain and the obedience of Rais Barbadin.
_ 14 _ Furthermore, as the imprisonment of Rais Sharif was the cause of the rising, he would have to deduct forty thousand xerafims from his tribute to the King of Portugal, being the rentals from Bahrain Nuno da Cunha replied that he had no reason to do that as Rais Sharif had been imprisoned for his misdeeds and the King of Portugal had the right to punish him ag his superior. Thus, there was no excuse for not paving the tribute in full. They discussed the matter at length and Nuno da Cunha agreed with the king that he should not deduct the forty thousand xerafins from his tribute, but that he would make Bahrain return to obedience. Nuno da Cunha then had a meeting with the captains and nobles of the fleet. Some said that he had been directed from Portugal to take Diu and that it was more important to take Diu than to ensure that forty thousand xerafins more should be paid in tribute from Ormuz. Diu would produce more income and gain more honour for the King of Portugal if it was taken. They should attack now following the destruction reaped by Lopo Vazdasaopayo on the fustas and coming fresh from Portugal. Going to subdue Bahrain would delay them greatly as it was outside the monsoon there and they would lose the time they now had to reach India early. Thus, they should abandon Bahrain.
_ 15 _ Others said that they could subjugate Bahrain and take Diu as well and Nuno da Cunha was of this view. This was agreed and also that Simao da Cunha should go to Bahrain, Nuno da Cunha gave him instructions that as it was outside the monsoon and the winds would be contrary, he should toil against them up to thirty days and if in this time he had not been able to drop anchor, he should turn back. With this instruction Simao da Cunha set off at the beginning of September in a square-rigged ship belonging to one Jorge Gomez a merchant in Portuguese India whom he knew. One of his captains was Don Francisco de Sa, sailing in the ship in which Manuel de Macedo had come from Portugal, but he did not reach Bahrain on account of a ruined sail. Others were Manuel de Albuquerque, Don Fernando de Sa in his galleon, Aleixo de Souza in another, Lopo de Mezquita in the "Samorin Pequeno" and Tristao d' Ataide in a fusta. There were three hundred of our men sailing in these ships, all nobles and gentlemen all loyal servants of the king, and all of good stock. They were well equipped with silken cuirasses and knightly armour. As they pursued their voyage, they found contrary winds and had great Iabour. However, Our Lord eventually brought them a wind which took all of them to Bahrain, except for Francisco de Sa who fell behind and Aleixo de
_ 16 _ Souza who seized some Moorish terradas on the way, but who later went on to Bahrain to join the others anchored there. Chapter: 103 When Simao da Cunha arrived at the port of Bahrain he found there Belchior de Sousa Tavares chief sea captain at Ormuz, with a force of six brigs and catures which were guarding the port next to which there was a good fortress with turrets and towers surrounded by a wall and ditch, Rais Barbadin was in this fortress together with his wives, children and many warriors. When he saw our fleet enter the port and realized its purpose he flew a white flag on the fortress. On seeing this Simao da Cunha sent word on Iand to discover what Rais Barbadin wanted, through an interpreter. Rais Barbadin ordered him to say that he had only rebelled because of the imprisonment of his brother-in-law Rais Sharif. Our people were intervening in this matter, and he had no quarrel with him as he was a loyal servant of the King of Portugal. If Simao da Cunha wanted to take the fortress he would give it peacefully on the condition that he could depart with his wives, children and other people there. When Simao da Cunha heard this he wanted to accept the fortress with that condition, but the captains and
_ 17 _ nobles disagreed, saying that to take it this way was to show fear. It was not good that the Moors should go unpunished for what he had done and if they took the place without fighting he would keep his property. Rais Barbadin could go away with his wives, children and warriors but without his property. He would then be well punished and would give no more trouble or disturbance of the King of Ormuz. And although this seemed a very wrong view to Simao da Cunha as everyone supported it much against his will, he replied accordingly to Rais Barbadin. As he was a brave man Rais Barbadin did not reply and only ordered two flags to be floun on the wall, one white, one red. This was asking our people to say. If they wanted peace or war. When the captains saw this, they said to Simao da Cunha that they wanted war. He therefore ordered the men to land. They took some artillery in order to bombard the fortress and set up two refugees. He ordered them to man the refugees and they began to bombard the fortress from them. When this happened Rais Barbadin pulled down the white flag leaving only the red one to show that he did not fear a fight with us. And this was justified for when our men made a hole in the wall with the artillery it was repaired and so quickly that it was done in a twinkling, Simao da
_ 18 _ Cunha was very angry when he saw he could not achieve anything, mainly because he lacked enough gunpowder. He then realized the great mistake he had made in not accepting the fortress and letting the enemy go in peace. He had no remedy but to send gunpowder for Ormuz and he therefore sent a brig there. It reached Ormuz in a few days on a following wind, but the return was very slow. When the Moors saw that our bombardment had stopped, they jeered at our men from the top of the wall at night. They said that as we had not wanted to let them leave, they would now all stay. It seems that they guessed what was happening, and it is presumed that they threw poison into the wells where our people would obtain drinking water or perhaps, they were already poisoned at that time. There was then much sickness in the Iand and our men were susceptible to disease after the great labour they had endured. They began to become ill and could not even stand up. Rais Barbadin sent words to Simao da Cunha to say that in view of the friendship he had for our people he advised him to go away, because if he stayed any longer when he wanted to leave, he would not be able to. Our people joked about this and told Simao da Cunha that the Moor was
_ 19 _ saying this out of fear. Simao da Cunha did not take the Moor's advice, which was very good, because if he had the disaster which occurred it would not have occurred. So many of our people fell ilI that when the gunpowder arrived from Ormuz almost all were iII and some were dead. On seeing this Simao dá Cunha moved the gun stations to be nearer the sea in order that he might have his men closer together should the Moors attack them, which he much feared if Rais Barbadin should learn of the state of the men. Rais Barbadin knew this very well, in fact from the experience he had of war. However, as he only wanted friendship with our people because if he did them any harm, he knew Rais Sharif would have to pay. He did not want to go out to attack the Portuguese. If he had done, he could have killed them all with as little effort. After Simao da Cunha had gathered his people nearer the sea he made one refuge for them all and turned once more to bombarding the fortress managing to break a gap in a stretch of the wall. He would then have entered the fortress at this place if he had enough men to accompany him, but he could not find more than thirty-five to fight. All the others were so sick and weak that they could not stir themselves.
_ 20 _ In great anger Simao da Cunha raised his hands to the heavens saying "Lord, it would cost you so little to give me a hundred fit men. With those I would have courage to go into the fortress. Seeing I do not have them I cannot do it, and it is a great sorrow for me. I can see now how it would have been right to have taken the fortress when it was offered in peace and how badly advised I was not to do so and in not going away when I had time," Before he should lose what, time remained, he decided to load his artillery on board together with the sick in order to save them. This was done with great effort by himself and the thirty-five who were in health, with blood streaming from their hands they put the artillery in the ships. They were too tired to put the sick on board, so they tied cords to their feet and dragged them to the shore. It was a pitiful thing to see this embarkation with the groans and cries they gave out in their affliction. A certain Moor from Ormuz helped our people much in this work and was with Simao da Cunha at the time he was the Sheikh of the island of Angar who was sailing in a terrada with forty Moors also from Ormuz. He gave much help to our men in both the previous seige and in the embarkation.
_ 21 _ When all the sick and guns had been loaded Simao da Cunha went on board almost dead from exhaustion and from the great misfortune. What grieved him most was that he could have taken the fortress if they had allowed him, and he said as much to the captain of the ship he embarked on. He said, "Captain, when you have to do something for your honour do not take the advice of anyone except yourself." Then he ordered the sails to be raised and departed together with the other ships, In the first three days of their voyage many of the sick began to die and his sadness steadily grew until he himself became ill. He was so disgusted with life and everything that he stayed in the cabin and would not see or speak to anyone. He gave out great sighs and moans during nine days and finally dying of sadness. A good seventy died in this ship apart from those in the other ships. The ship was so undermanned that it would have been lost it Our Lord had not sent to its aid Fernando Alvarez Sarnache in a terrada. He came with some men and helped it to get to Ormuz where Simao da Cunha was buried as was Francisco Gomez, the son of the Bishop of Funchal. All the ships of the armada arrived without their captains, some in front and others following
_ 22 _ afterwards. Most of those who went to Bahrain died and few escaped. Furthermore, with this disaster Nuno da Cunha would not be able to leave for India in August in order to reach their by September, in time to make ready the fleet to go to Diu that year, so he did not do so. However, when he saw that he had nothing more to do in Ormuz he decided to leave for India and collected the tribute from the King of Ormuz, freed Manuel de Macedo putting Rais Sharif under his charge so that he could be taken to Portugal as the king had ordered. Having everything ready he took the route to India. Sailing with him were Don Fernando de Lima, Don Francisco de Sa, Francisco de Mendonca, Manuel de Macedo and all the other captains of the naos and Jorge Gomez in his ship.
_ 23 _ (2) Document no. and reference. In the same year (1529) The King of Ormuz sent a letter to King D. Joao III, in May 1529, regarding Ormuz, which stated:(2) You, prized by many great kings because of all of those are honoured, powerful in a greater degree than all these of whom... writes, João, King of Portugal, whom all obey... may they continue in obedience all the days and years of their life...... to your high authority which Mir Alixa was honoured to equal...... of Your Highness and of their grace, through whom…. health and peace to Your Highness, whom God...... to us. I wish you to know that Diogo de Melo took…. Reis Sharif last year and had six…. well guarded, desiring...... two thousand seven hundred and fifty xerafins and asked him for still more...... Manuel de Macedo arrived from
_ 24 _ India and..... by the Commander-in-Chief, and..... the Guazil and had a meeting with the Commander-in-Chief and the captains about the leaders of the Christians. They also discussed the affairs of the Guazil and agreed that Diogo de Melo had taken the Guazil prisoner unjustly. In order to carry out Your Highness’s wishes, they ordered him to bring him to Ormuz in the company of Cristovão de Mendonca, Captain of Ormuz. And when the news came that Cristovão de Mendonca was coming to Ormuz as the new Captain, and that Reis Sharif was coming with him, and this reached the ears of Diogo de Melo and Reis Azmede, they came to me and told me that they had agreed and sworn to kill Reis Sharif. They wished me to join them in this undertaking and…. they took me for weak, and I was afraid that they would kill me on account of the ill will they bore me, I decided that I…. was obliged to cooperate with them. I gave them a verbal promise to support them in whatever they decided to do. And when the captain arrived, they came to me and told me that Reis Sharif had arrived. Now, they said, is the time to do what you promised to do and to fulfil the oath you made to us. Do not fear, nor be afraid...... in this way I tried to find a peaceful way out of these bad situations.... to send Diogo de Melo away from my...... I told him to go and
_ 25 _ receive the captain. Reis Sharif to come up here...... do it, and with these words the.... de Melo. And as soon as it….me... the harm they wished me.... the harm they had always inflicted on me and…. they take my brother and place him…. and I cried out asking why they wished to kill me…. my brother in my place and in everything with…. and they would make my brother my...... the moment at which I sent Diogo de Melo to greet....... galleon, Reis Azmede came to me, saying only... that I must do as I had promised, or he would turn against me. And I asked him why he ordered so much harm, and why he himself did me so much harm. And Reis Azmede attacked me, and I killed him. As a result of his death the conflict died down and the people in the land all rejoiced. This was when Cristovão de Mendonca arrived, which made the people rejoice. That night he came to my house, and I did not allow him to spend the night at the fortress...... the fortress surrendered in response to a decree…. as soon as the fortress surrendered, he sent out a crier to proclaim that anyone... ...to whom Diogo de Melo had done harm, or to whom any other person belonging or not to his following... should come to him for justice to be done, for such were the orders of the King of Portugal. When the people heard this
_ 26 _ proclaimation and the Captain saying anyone from whom Diogo de Melo had taken possessions or money against that person’s will should come to him so that justice should be done if possible, and that Your Highness had do decreed, a… to maintain justice and truth for whomsoever possible.... I accept this decree with all possible gratitude and shall carry it out to the best of my ability.... to see such great love and friendship. Notwithstanding, Sir…. years when Diogo de Melo was Captain...... he destroyed the land, and the merchants left…. in fifteen years if he did not change his ways and to change his ways from what they were…... now this Cristovão is here…. justice because after this... his justice everywhere… many people and merchants pray for this...... until now I have not seen Captain equal to him...... the service of Your Highness as in everything else... may it please Your Highness graciously to lengthen his captaincy in Ormuz by four years, to give us peace, and this in addition to the time he has already spent here, making a total of eight years. May it please Your Highness to know that the captain has requested me to hand over to him some of the houses in which I live, which lie between me and the fortress, so that they can be demolished to make a surrounding ditch. As this request was made in the service of the King of
_ 27 _ Portugal, I would have no objection if he asked for more, and then... and I would grant him for more if he requested it...... I wrote to Your Highness how the Guazil is a great servant of Your Highness…. to my father and serves me with all his heart and good… I beg Your Highness to command him to serve.... served, and thus reward him and with to... favour, and raise him to be more than he was, which is my guazil, so that everyone will know that the King of Portugal made him great. Since Cristovão de Mendonca came here, he has moved him forward in everything. May it please God that this land and people always grow in your service. May it please Your Highness to know that Ormuz is sadly deprived of merchants and merchandize.... there are far fewer than there used to be. I beg your highness to…. expenditure be greater than ever...less than ever is what they have been...... pay for something, having regard to the expenses...... be far less, and this we hope of Your Highness. May God increase your power and estate…. Reis Sharif my guazil and also make my brother take to flight and they would take him to the fortress with the intention of killing me and making him king in my place. It was necessary to agree with them if I were to keep it.
_ 28 _ While Diogo de Melo left me to go to see the captain in the galley, Reis Ahmed stayed alone with me, and considering the great treason he was committing against me I took the opportunity and killed him. With his death all these disagreements were settled, and the kingdom was very peaceful. The day Cristóvão de Mendonca arrived I arranged that he should spend the night with me in my palace, and the next day the fortress was handed over to him as Your Highness ordered. When this was done, he at once ordered it to be proclaimed in Your Highness’s name that any person whom Diogo de Melo had offended, or who had been offended by anyone else, should come to him and he would see justice done. When the people heard this proclamation all those who were here went to him, and up to the present he has done much justice and has caused to be returned much property that Diogo de Melo had taken by force, all proved by witnesses before him and the magistrate. Much had been taken by force from me also and I hope he will have it returned to me, as he has to everyone. I do not write to Your Highness here all I have to say because I hope to write at greater length through Fernão Martins. It is certain, Sir, that in the four years that Diogo de
_ 29 _ Melo has been captain here he has done such harm to the kingdom that most of the merchants have left the kingdom. I would say that, everything considered, it will take fifteen years to put right, although from the manner in which Cristóváo de Mendonca the present captain is governing and ruling this kingdom. I hope in God that it will return to the noble state it was before. This is certain, because from the day that Cristóvão de Mendonca arrived, it can be seen that many merchants, hearing of his just dealings, return to the city every day. No captain who has ever come to this country to serve Ormuz has served me in the way this one serves me. I know that Your Highness has given him this fortress for four years. I would be grateful if Your Highness would grant him another four years and also send him the means to finish setting the kingdom right, for it has great need of it, so great was the harm done. Sir, you will know that Cristóvão de Mendonca asked me for some of my houses which lie between my palace and the fortress, telling me that it was necessary to pull them down to make a ditch around your fortress and also an open space, explaining that it was to serve Your Highness. I ordered that he should have all he was asking since it was for Your Highness, without putting any obstacle in his way.
_ 30 _ Sir, I write no more now to Your Highness, because the Journey requires me to stop, but only remind Your Highness of Reis Sharif my guazil, whom I hold as a father, because he is a loyal servant of Your Highneses and mine. God be praised that with the arrival of so good a captain trade is so great that as much comes in caravans as by sea, which brings to the customs house more than it ever did. From Ormuz, 13 July 1528. (Royal Chancery) Sir, Your Highness will already know that I wrote to you through my ambassador [Mira Lexar] about the ruin of this kingdom and not having as much revenue as before. We hoped that Your Highness would ask something less in the way of tribute, and we have news that Your Highness has done us this favour. When Mira Lexar came, he told us that it was true that you were going to grant us this favour, except that according to a letter sent from here there was sufficient revenue for this. I would hold it a favour if Your Highness would not listen to the untruthful things that people say, and hope that Your Highness will agree to lower this tribute payment a little because the expenses of the country are heavy, and the revenue is very small.
_ 31 _ Your Highness’s vassal King Mamaxa [Muhammed Shah] of Ormuz. From the King of Ormuz, brought by António Tenreiro, its bearer.
_ 32 _ (3) Document no. and reference. In the same year (1529) The King of Ormuz sent a letter from Ormuz to King D João III, in May 1529, regarding the conspiracy to kill Rais Sharaf, and he exonerated himself from it:(3) You, prized by many great kings because of all of those are honoured, powerful in a greater degree than all these of whom... writes, João, King of Portugal, whom all obey... may they continue in obedience all the days and years of their life...... to your high authority which Mir Alixa was honoured to equal...... of Your Highness and of their grace, through whom…. health and peace to Your Highness, whom God...... to us. I wish you to know that Diogo de Melo took…. Reis Sharif last year and had six…. well guarded, desiring...... two thousand seven hundred and fifty xerafins and asked
_ 33 _ him for still more...... Manuel de Macedo arrived from India and..... by the Commander-in-Chief, and..... the Guazil and had a meeting with the Commander-in-Chief and the captains about the leaders of the Christians. They also discussed the affairs of the Guazil and agreed that Diogo de Melo had taken the Guazil prisoner unjustly. In order to carry out Your Highness’s wishes, they ordered him to bring him to Ormuz in the company of Cristovão de Mendonca, Captain of Ormuz. And when the news came that Cristovão de Mendonca was coming to Ormuz as the new Captain, and that Reis Sharif was coming with him, and this reached the ears of Diogo de Melo and Reis Azmede, they came to me and told me that they had agreed and sworn to kill Reis Sharif. They wished me to join them in this undertaking and…. they took me for weak, and I was afraid that they would kill me on account of the ill will they bore me, I decided that I…. was obliged to cooperate with them. I gave them a verbal promise to support them in whatever they decided to do. And when the captain arrived, they came to me and told me that Reis Sharif had arrived. Now, they said, is the time to do what you promised to do and to fulfil the oath you made to us. Do not fear, nor be afraid...... in this way I tried to find a peaceful way out of these bad situations.... to send Diogo de Melo away from my...... I told him to go and
_ 34 _ receive the captain. Reis Sharif to come up here...... do it, and with these words the.... de Melo. And as soon as it….me... the harm they wished me.... the harm they had always inflicted on me and…. they take my brother and place him…. and I cried out asking why they wished to kill me…. my brother in my place and in everything with…. and they would make my brother my...... the moment at which I sent Diogo de Melo to greet....... galleon, Reis Azmede came to me, saying only... that I must do as I had promised, or he would turn against me. And I asked him why he ordered so much harm, and why he himself did me so much harm. And Reis Azmede attacked me, and I killed him. As a result of his death the conflict died down and the people in the land all rejoiced. This was when Cristovão de Mendonca arrived, which made the people rejoice. That night he came to my house, and I did not allow him to spend the night at the fortress...... the fortress surrendered in response to a decree…. as soon as the fortress surrendered, he sent out a crier to proclaim that anyone... ...to whom Diogo de Melo had done harm, or to whom any other person belonging or not to his following... should come to him for justice to be done, for such were the orders of the King of Portugal. When the people heard this
_ 35 _ proclaimation and the Captain saying anyone from whom Diogo de Melo had taken possessions or money against that person’s will should come to him so that justice should be done if possible, and that Your Highness had do decreed, a… to maintain justice and truth for whomsoever possible.... I accept this decree with all possible gratitude and shall carry it out to the best of my ability.... to see such great love and friendship. Notwithstanding, Sir…. years when Diogo de Melo was Captain...... he destroyed the land, and the merchants left…. in fifteen years if he did not change his ways and to change his ways from what they were…... now this Cristovão is here…. justice because after this... his justice everywhere… many people and merchants pray for this...... until now I have not seen Captain equal to him...... the service of Your Highness as in everything else... may it please Your Highness graciously to lengthen his captaincy in Ormuz by four years, to give us peace, and this in addition to the time he has already spent here, making a total of eight years. May it please Your Highness to know that the captain has requested me to hand over to him some of the houses in which I live, which lie between me and the fortress, so that they can be demolished to make a surrounding ditch. As this request was made in the service of the King of Portugal,
_ 36 _ I would have no objection if he asked for more, and then... and I would grant him for more if he requested it...... I wrote to Your Highness how the Guazil is a great servant of Your Highness…. to my father and serves me with all his heart and good… I beg Your Highness to command him to serve.... served, and thus reward him and with to... favour, and raise him to be more than he was, which is my guazil, so that everyone will know that the King of Portugal made him great. Since Cristovão de Mendonca came here, he has moved him forward in everything. May it please God that this land and people always grow in your service. May it please Your Highness to know that Ormuz is sadly deprived of merchants and merchandize.... there are far fewer than there used to be. I beg your highness to…. expenditure be greater than ever...less than ever is what they have been...... pay for something, having regard to the expenses...... be far less, and this we hope of Your Highness. May God increase your power and estate….
_ 37 _ (4) Document no. and reference. In the same year (1529) Rais Sharaf was arrested in Ormuz, in 1529, and the events of Ormuz were described as they came in the book: "Da Asia Nova":(4) Chapter: 3 Governor Nuno da Cunha goes to Ormuz: Manuel de Macedo arrives at the fort in Ormuz and seizes Rais Sharif. The rebellion of the Wazir of Bahrain, Nuno da Cunha sends his brother, Simão da Cunha, against the Wazir. As soon as the westerlies started to blow, which usually begin around the fifteenth of March, Simo da Cunha, Don Francisco de Sá and Francisco de Mendoza, the captains of the ships from Portugal, who had stopped over in Mozambique, called a meeting and agreed that, since Nuno da Cunha had not yet arrived, they should sail up the coast
_ 38 _ of Melindi as far as Mombasa to see if there was any news of him and, if there was none, to sail on to India. They left Mozambique without four hundred of their men, who had all died there of sickness. They set sail and at the end of March they were off Mombasa, where they found the Governor. There was great rejoicing, and they dropped anchor outside the harbour bar; Aleixo de Sousa, who had come aboard in Zanzibar with the others who had escaped, was with them. Nuno da Cunha valued their arrival very much and he told them to enter the harbour, He received his brother and all the other noblemen with great happiness because he had given them up for lost, just as he feared for Antonio de Saldanha and Garcia de Sá, about whom he had received no reports at all; and he was deeply upset by the loss of Afonso Vaz Zambujos nau and Bernardin da Silveira, which they had heard about back in Mozambique. The captains discussed with the pilots whether there was still enough time to sail to India to winter there. Everyone agreed that it was very late in the season to set out for India and they decided that it would be better to go to Ormuz and wait there to catch the September monsoons, so that they wouldn’t all end up dying of fever in the very unhealthy climate where they were.
_ 39 _ They were preparing to leave for Ormuz when Bastião Freire arrived. As we described earlier, Lopo Vaz de Sampaio, the Governor in Cochin, had sent Freire from Cochin to sail along the East African coast and learn the whereabouts of Nuno da Cunha. Freire was welcomed by Nuno da Cunha, who then read the letters from Lopo Vaz de Sampaio that outlined the current state of affairs in India; and because Freire’s was a light vessel, Nuno da Cunha promptly despatched him back to Lopo Vaz with letters of his own in which he gave a report of his journey and asked Lopo Vaz to have the whole fleet made ready because it might be necessary for him to sail at short notice. This ship reached Goa in early May and Bastião Freire gave the letters to Lopo Vaz who greatly rejoiced at the news from Nuno da Cunha, because there was already trouble brewing among the Moors, who thought that da Cunha was lost; and he straightaway ordered the fleet to be fully prepared, As soon as he had despatched Bastião Freire, Nuno da Cunha set sail for Ormuz; with favourable winds he reached Muscat, where he put ashore his sick, of whom there were many. He was on board Simão da Cunha carrack/nau and,
_ 40 _ accompanied by the carrack of Dom Fernando de Sá, he sailed on to Ormuz, leaving the rest of the ships at Muscat, A few days later he reached the fort at Ormuz, where he was warmly received by Cristovão de Mendoza, the King of Ormuz and the Wazir. He took up residence in the fort, where he began to investigate the disagreement between the King and Rais Sharif, calming them down and making enquiries in secret because he was determined to punish whoever was at fault. And there we will leave Nuno da Cunha for the moment and return to Manuel de Macedo, whom we last saw setting out from Portugal. His voyage passed without any setbacks, and he entered the mouth of the Persian Gulf and took on water at Tiwi, which we commonly call Teive, twenty-two leagues beyond Cape Ras-al-Hadd, where he received word, that Nuno da Cunha had gone on to Ormuz. He opened his orders there and found that the King had ordered him of no amendment to arrest Rais Sharif and escort him back to Portugal which was done without agreement. Manuel de Macedo was afraid that if he sailed into Ormuz in his carrack for all to see then Nuno da Cunha might want to take the honour for the Wazir’s arrest from him, this being something that the King was so keen to have done. So, he decided to go ahead in secrecy without first reporting to the Governor. He took a light terrada
_ 41 _ and set out with some men that he trusted, ordering the captain he left aboard his carrack to follow on after him. He sailed with all speed, reaching Ormuz very early one morning and going ashore without making himself known to anyone. From the shore he sent a man with a letter to Nuno da Cunha, requesting on behalf of the King of Portugal that as soon as the Governor saw the letter, he should send some men to the Wazir’s residence in order to render a service to the King Macedo himself went to find Rais Sharif, whom he knew was with the King of Ormuz. He went to the King’s palace and went into Rais Sharif. When the Wazir saw Macedo he recognized him, making him most welcome and embracing him, because they were great friends. Manuel de Macedo told Rais Sharif that the King of Portugal had ordered him to be taken as a prisoner to Portugal and that he had volunteered for the task because he didn’t trust anyone other than himself to treat the Wazir’s person with due respect; but since it was the King who had ordered the arrest he was pleased that it should be done by him rather than anyone else. Rais Sharif was taken aback by events so sudden and so unexpected. Macedo’s man delivered the letter to Nuno da Cunha and while the Governor was reading it Simão da Cunha
_ 42 _ arrived and told him that Manuel de Macedo had taken Rais Sharif prisoner and that there was already unrest in the city. Nuno da Cunha was stunned and ordered Simão to go as quickly as possible and capture Rais Sharif and bring him back to the fort, Simão da Cunha went with a large band of men and entered the King’s palace and took the Wazir away from Manuel de Macedo. There were a few words exchanged about this, and he brought the Wazir to the fort where he was put in the keep. They quickly made an inventory of the Wazir’s possessions, leaving the King of Ormuz greatly insulted that this affair had taken place in his house and in his presence. Nuno da Cunha was outraged that Manuel de Macedo had undertaken such an important and dangerous business without consulting him and he ordered Macedo to be arrested, putting a gloss on it by saying that he was doing it in order to mollify the King of Ormuz and pacify the city, which was in uproar, since Rais Sharif was second-in-command to the King and very powerful and well connected. Reports of the arrest reached Bahrain, where the Wazir was Ras Bardadin, the brother-in-law of Ras Sharif. He heard how Ras Sharif had been taken prisoner in the King’s
_ 43 _ palace and took it that the King had agreed to the arrest on account of the dispute between them. The result was that the Wazir and the kingdom of Bahrain, which paid forty thousand pardaus to the King of Ormuz every year, rebelled against him. The King of Ormuz soon learned of this and speaking as a vassal of the King of Portugal to whom he paid sixty thousand pardaus in tribute; he asked Nuno da Cunha, to restore Bahrain to his control, otherwise he would be forced to cut his own tribute by the forty thousand pardaus that he himself received from Bahrain, because he had no other means of raising them. Nuno da Cunha discussed this matter with Cristovão de Mendoça, the Portuguese commander in Ormuz, and the rest of the noblemen in the fleet, and different opinions were expressed. Some said that to go and build the fort in Diu, as the King had ordered, was more important than any other matter in the East and this could most easily be done now when the kingdom of Cambay was in such disarray after its defeat and the loss of its fleet (news of which had already reached Ormuz); and if Nuno da Cunha went to Bahrain himself, or sent somebody in his place, on the chance that things would go according to plan. They would be forced to linger in Ormuz and not set out quiet
_ 44 _ so as early for India, where help was needed, whereas the business in Bahrain could be settled at a later date. Others were of the opinion that he should not disguise the situation in Bahrain now, on account of the King of Portugal’s obligation to support his vassal, the King of Ormuz in his kingdom. The matter would be resolved much easier if Nuno da Cunha was in the fort in Bahrain, on which the Moors had their eyes, then they would be so afarid that they would not cause trouble for fear of punishment. It was known that if the Wazir saw the Portuguese fleet in Bahrain, he would quickly hand over the fort and the kingdom; which he would not do later on, but rather [...] when he saw Nuno da Cunha in Ormuz, acting in disguise the situation. There would be plenty of time to deal with the business of Dui. The right thing to do was to secure the forty thousand pardaus for the King of Portugal because they could not fail to deduct forty thousand pardaus from the King of Ormuz’s tribute while Bahrain, which in its paid him forty thousand in turn, was in rebellion. Nuno da Cunha agreed with this second opinion, and he promptly ordered his brother Simão to go to Bahrain aboard a ship belonging to a merchant, Jorge Gomes. He
_ 45 _ was accompanied by the carracks of Dom Fernando De Sá and Manuel de Albuquerque, Dom Francisco De Sá in the carrack that Manuel de Macedo had used, Lopo de Mesquita in a small camorin, Aleixo de Sousa in a naveta and Tristão de Athaide, who had come out with Simão from Portugal; in a foist. There were nearly five hundred men in these vessels, most of them noblemen and members of the King’s household. Simão da Cunha was ordered to collect Belchior de Sousa, who had command of six small galleys inside the Straits, guarding the passage of the terradas that ply between Basra and Ormuz. This was Belchoir de Sousa Tavares, the governor of Porto Blegre and Assumar, who has those posts taken away from him by the King on account of some grievance he had against him, giving him instead the profits from the fishing in Aveiro, which at that time was worth very little but nowadays is worth a lot and has been inherited by his grandchildren. This fleet, set, sail at the beginning of September and spent several days at the mercy of adverse winds floundering about and having a hard time until better weather brought them to Bahrain, save for the carrack of Dom Francisco de Sá, whose sails had been destroyed and was unable to move. Anchored off Bahrain, they found that
_ 46 _ Belchior de Sousa Tavares was already there with his ships. He had been at the place where the Euphrates river meets the Tigris, those were the first Portuguese ships to go there, waiting for a caravan of ships coming down the Euphrates from Baghdad (which we call Babylon). As soon as he had heard of the Wazir’s rebellion he had left all other, business and gone to lie off Bahrain, guarding his supplies and engaging in waging hostilities as best he could. He gave a report on the situation in that country to Simão da Cunha (who held the powers of Governor). He was of the opinion that they should go ashore quickly and attack the fort because the climate there was very unhealthy and in a few days, everybody would be falling sick. Simão da Cunha determined to do this quickly and he began to organize everything necessary for the assault.
_ 47 _ (5) Document no. and reference. In the same year (1529) A truce was concluded in Ormuz Castle, and Rais Badr al-Din regretted what he had done, despite his presence inside Ormuz Castle, and the details of the truce as they were described in the book: "Da Asia Nova" in 1529:(5) Chapter: 4 Our men land at Bahrain. The terms offered by the Wazir, our men attack the fort, The incredible fevers caught by all the Portuguese. They set sail. Simão da Cunha dies of disgust. When our fleet anchored off Bahrain Ras Bardardin almost regretted what he had done, even though he was in the fort with a large garrison and artillery, ammunition and supplies, because his brother-in-law Ras Sharif would
_ 48 _ have to pay for any misfortune that befell the Portuguese; so, he quickly ordered a large white flag to be hoisted on a bulwark as a sign of truce. When Simão da Cunha saw the flag he sent an interpreter to find out what Ras Bardardin wanted. Ras Bardardin told the interpreter that he would not have rebelled if it hadn’t been for the imprisonment of his brother-in- law, which the King of Ormuz had agreed to, since he had allowed Ras Sharif to be taken prisoner in his palace; but now that the Governor of India had intervened in the affair, and since the King of Portugal had ordered it to be done, he, as a servant and loyal vassal, wanted to put himself at the service of the Governor, who stood in the King’s place, and to comply with whatever his commander might decree. If they wanted the fort, he would open it freely to them and leave with his wife and family to go somewhere else, leaving Bahrain free and open for the King of Ormuz. When Simão da Cunha saw Ras Bardadin’s justification for his actions he wanted to finish the business quickly and accept the fort since they would give it to him without any trouble or any casualties. But the captains and noblemen in the fleet argued against this intention; they said it wasn’t right that the Moor should be left unpunished for
_ 49 _ his misdeeds and that the least they should do was accept the fort from him and for him to depart with only his household, leaving all his wealth behind. His terms were unacceptable to them because their greed for the looting of Bahrain, which they thought would be very great, didn’t allow them to properly grasp what Ras Bardardin was offering. The surrender of the fort without so much as a single blow of a sword nor the experience of the poisonous fevers of the area which in a few short days wrought such havoc among them that few escaped; such were the fruits they harvested for their greed. However, Simão da Cunha did not have to reject the terms as they were not announced openly to hear and now, acting out of fear, he did reject them. And this made him lack confidence (something unknown in a brave, prudent commander, because it is the strongest and most powerful of all the enemies he has to fight, one at whose hands men are broken and lost every day). Knowing very well that he was failing in his duty by allowing this lack of confidence to set in, Simão da Cunha’s response to Ras Bardadin was the one that the captains had chosen. When the interpreter delivered the message since Ras Bardardin was a brave man and hadn’t offered his terms out of fear but only to secure the life of his
_ 50 _ brother-in-law. He promptly ordered a red flag to be raised alongside the white flag, as a sign of war. He told the interpreter that such was the reply he had for him, and that the Portuguese commander could choose whichever of the two flags he wanted. When Simão da Cunha, received the reply, seeing the resolve of Ras Bardardin and with his captains urging him to accept war, and not to engage in further negotiations, he began to put his men ashore where they met no resistence and took up positions for an assault. He ordered trenches, ditches and tunnels to be dug all around, and he positioned some pieces of artillery where they would be able to bombard the fort. He built shelters for the captains and soldiers and began to set to work and bombard the fort every day. Ras Bardardin didn’t stir himself until the first shots were fired; when he saw we were attacking he ordered the white flag to be taken down and the red one to be left, to demonstrate to our men how little he was worried by the prospect of war, although he did not plan to do anything more than defend himself and maintain what he held, because any damage that was done to the walls was soon patched up and repaired so quickly that it could scarcely be noticed.
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