Albuquerque: Caesar of the East. Selected Texts by Afonso de Albuquerque and His Son 9780856684876, 0856684872, 9780856684883, 0856684880, 9781800859142

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'EN 261 would build up my strength in those two places and station my fleet there. We shall leave India in our rear, but Goa will keep your affairs there stable and orderly, just as it ~as done hitherto, despite the fact that it has come under attack several times. Goa has tlreserved calm in India by itself, without giving any work to your fleets. Those who threatened it have been checked, as they are still in great awe and fear of your naval power. I repeat, Sire, that you should build up your strength in Aden and Massawa Island. You should not for the time being penetrate the hinterland of Aden, until these two places have been brought 10 order and have themselves brought order to the lands all around. Should there be opposition from anywhere, do not 00 any account surrender those places, but use such strength and troops as may be necessary 10 fight back. Your Highness should beware of the advice of men who have lost interest, which is the biggest danger we havo to face, for I do not anticipate any resistance in this mauer from the local people, or fmm those who sail the Indian Ocean, or from the forces and ships stationed in the Red Sea, for none of them amount to anything. If there is any opposition here,203 it must come from the sultan, yet because he can only launch an attack by sea, I trust in the merey of the most high God that his forces will be crushed and will never undertake such an attaek again. This is because the sultan cannot and will not leave his realm to his son. Instead, a hired slave will succeed to the throne of Cairo. The sultanes Marnluks never go 10 sea. His fleets are manned by mercenaries and foreigners from far and wide who, as soon as they have got their wages and gone on shore, leave their ships without crews. Consider, Sire, the case of Goa. There was plenty of resistance, as befits a large and important place, but now that order has been achieved there, Goa is the mistress, feared and obeyed, of all the commerce of

India.

Since we are beginning to frequent the Red Sea and your fleet can sail as far as Suez, only three days' joumey from Cairo, there will certainly be considerable disturbances in the capital, because the sultanes power is not as great as you have been given to understand. He has between fífteen and sixteen thousand horse, renegades hired for cash, who he uses to keep his territory under control. His own people are unarmed and are not used to warfare. He needs eight thousand Marnluks to maintain his rule in Cairo and keep it subservient. If another part of his country ís invaded and he has to send reinforcements, Cairo will no longer be obedient 10 him or pay the tributes and taxes which he demands daily, because his rents are small, io meet his monthly salary bill of eighty thousand cruzados. His robberies and acts of tyranny have caused many of the Moslem and Jewish merchants to flee the city and go to India, because there is no longer any profit in the spice trade. However, ir he failed to pay the Mamluks one day's wages, he would be killed on the spot, This was why he had their three chief captains put to death and gave their commands to his own slaves. The sultanes situation is not only precarious because he has only a few troops. He also never goes in person to fight anywhere outside Cairo; he spends his time inside a fortress and he has at his gates Shah Ismail, who pursues him relentlessly. On 4 August we left Aden in a body, sailed to within sight of Cape Guardafui and from there to within sight of Diulcindi.204 Proceeding along the coast, we carne to ~fangala20S and Cimunate206 , both Cambay ports, and finalIy 10 Diu. We repaired our small craft in this port of Malik Ayyaz's. He gave us an excellent reception,

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ADEN

festejados de dádivas e mantimentos e muito gasalhado. E mandei desembarcar ali especiarias e cobre de Vossa Alteza, e deixei por feitor daquela mercadoriaFemáo Martins Evangelho, e escriváo Jorge Correia; e acabado de gastar aquela mercadoria, se haviam de vire E deixei aí Enxobregas descarregandoas mercadoriase tomando outras. Partido de Diu, mandei diante Ant6nio Raposo no seu navio a Goa fazer-Ihe saber minha vinda, e mandei a Cananor e a Cochim Rui Galváo e Jer6nimo de Sousa nos seus navios, e eu me vim direito a Chaul, onde o vosso feitor das presas descarregou alguma especiaria e mercadoria que trazia de presas. E dei ordem para me fazerem aí duas caravelas e mandei daí levar soma de enxofre e salitre, e de linho e arroz e trigo, Fomos bem recebido de Chaul com muitos mantimentos e refrescos, e todas as outras coisas de que tínhamos necessidade nos deram com muita diligencia em abastanca, Chegando a Chaul, achámos o embaixador del-rei de Cambaia, e Tristáo de Ega e Joáo Gomes seu escriváo que lá tinha mandado sobre os apontamentos e concerto de paz. Deram-me as cartas del-rei de Cambaia e a resposta dos apontamentos da paz e assento de feitoria em sua terra, e cartas de Miligupi, que Vossa Alteza já lá conhecerá por fama, homem principal de sua terra, desejador de vos servir. Outorgou-nos fortaleza e assento de feitoria em Diu, e que se gastaria cada ano em sua terra quarenta mil quintais de cobre pelo preco que de vinte anos acá tivesse, que sao noventa xerafins o bahar, que do peso velho sáo cinco quintais, e todas as outras mercadorias de lá dessas partes que se pudessem gastar em seu reino, e para Vossa Alteza todas as que de sua terra quisesse. E me mandou dizer que me rogava que Ihe mandasse a nau Meri, a qual eu tenho metida no rio de Cochirn corrigida de novo e concertada para Iha mandar. Mandou-me um cavalo e urnas cobertas de aceiro e urna adaga de sua pessoa e urna sela; e mandou a Vossa Alteza urna adaga de ouro. Tristáo de" Ega, mensageiro que a ele enviei, foi bem recebido dele e agasalhado e bem tratado e feita mercé, Tristáo de Ega o achou achegado ao estremo do reino de Mandan, em guerra com grande arraial de cavalos e de muita gente e artilharia e todo aparato de guerra, Na carta del-rei de Cambaia nao falava nada disto, somente dizia que se faria tudo o que eu pedia, referindo-se acarta de Miligupi, que mais largamente me escreveria tudo, na qual vinham todas estas declaracóes que acima dito tenho, e assim mesmo o trazia Tristáo de Ega na resposta de sua instrucáo, dizendo mais que queria mandar um estante dos guzarates a Malaca e suas naus que navegassem Iá seguras. Praticaram em Maim e na ilha que está no canal de Goga que me davam da primeira. Maim disse Tristáo de Ega que era longe de Cambaia e que fariam as mercadorias muito custo. A ilha disse el-rei que a daria de boa vontade, mas que nao era proveitosa para nossas naus, que era urna ilha em que havia muitas cobras e bichos, e que a mandasse ver primeiro, e se dela fosse contente que a tomasse, e que por isso nao era povoada; e que em Diu poderia fazer o assento e fortaleza, que os rumes nao agasalharia em sua terra, Respondi logo de Chaul a suas cartas com agradecimentos, dizendo-Ihe como Vossa Alteza, pelo amor e amizade e trato que com ele folgava de ter, nunca mandara fazer guerra a sua terra, nem queimar seus portos e lugares, nem lancar pedra de bombarda em suas fortalezas; e se algum dano tinham recebido as naus e gente de sua terca, que eles

ADEN 263 with an abundance of gifts, foodstuffs and generous hospitality. I ordered Your Highness's spices and copper to be landed and appointed Fernáo Martins Evangelho as factor of the merchandise and Jorge Correia as notary. Their orders were to leave as soon as they had disposed of the goods. I left the Enxobregas unloading goods and taking on more. As soon as we had left Diu, I sent Ant6nio Raposo on ahead in his ship to Goa to give notice of my arrival, and I sent Rui Galváo and Jer6nimo de Sousa to Cananor and Cochin in their ships. I went straight to Chaul, where sorne spices and other goods that had been taken as booty were unloaded by your factor responsible. I ordered two caravels to be constructed for me there and gave instructions for the transport of a large quantity of sulphur, saltpetre, linen, rice and wheat. We were well received at Chaul, where they gave us a good deal of food and other refreshments. The people were also diligent in supplying us.with large quantities of all the other things we needed. We found the ambassador of the king of Cambay in Chaul and also Tristáo de Ega and his notary, Joáo Gomes, who I had sent there to convey my instructions with reference to the peace treaty. They gave me letters from the king of Cambay and his reply to my instructions about the treaty and about a place for a factory in his country. They also brought leuers from Malik Gupi, whom Your Highness will already know by repute.P? He is an important man loca11y and is anxious to do your service. He has granted us a fortress and a site for a factory in Diu, permitting us to sell forty thousand quintais of copper in his country at the price which has prevailed over the last twenty years, ninety xerafins to the bahar, which is five quintais by the old system of weights. 208 We can sell a11 other merchandise, as much as we want, and buy whatever Your Highness desires from them. Malik Gupi also sent word to me to return the nau Meri, which I have had fitted out and repaired in the Cochin River and was waiting to be delivered to him. He sent me a horse, sorne steel horse-armour, a dagger which had belonged to him personally, and a saddle. To Your Highness he sent a gold dagger. Trismo de Ega met him campaigning close to the frontier with the kingdom of Mandu. 209 In his camp there were many horses, men, guns and every kind of military

equipment,

The king of Cambay said nothing about this in his letter, only that he would do everything that I asked. For further details he referred me to Malik Gupi's letter, which contained a11 the statements listed above, The letter which Tristáo de Ega brought in reply to his instructions contained the same information. In addition, the king said that he wanted to send a Gujarati resident to Malacca and hoped that his ships could sail there under my proteetion. There was a discussion about Mahim-!? and the island in the Goga Channel-!' which I had been offered at the outset. Tristáo de Ega told me that Mahim was far from Cambay and that would make goods very expensive. The king said [in his leuer] that he would be happy to give me the island, but that it was not suitable for our ships. It was fuIl of snakes and wild animals, and I should order an inspection of it first. If I approved of it, I could take it, but for the reasons he gave it was not inhabited. I could have a site in Diu and build a fortress, and he promised not to admit Mamluks into his territory. I wrote from Chaul thanking him for his letters and explaining how pleased Your Highness was to enjoy love, friendship, and good relations with him. It was for this reason that you had never made war against him, never ordered his ports and towns

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eram os culpados, porque nos mares e portos dos reis com que Vossa Alteza tinha guerra suas naus e gente os ajudavam contra n6s com sua artilharia e suas armas, como fizeram em Adem e em Malaca e em outros muitos lugares; mas que o mar de sua terra e de seus portos até o dia de hoje nunca foram quebrados nem entrados, e outras palavras que ao caso e tempo convinham. A Miligupi escrevi mais miudamente,agradecendo-lheda parte de Vossa Alteza folgar ele tanto de fazer bem as coisas de vosso servico, pondo-Ihe alguma esperanca de galardáo de seus servícos por assim tomar cuidado das coisas de vosso servico, O embaixador mandou as cartas a el-rei e se foi comigo para trazer a nau Meri, e eu dar ordem a se fazer o assento e fortaleza em Diu. Em toda esta costa me pediram seguros para naus de Malaca, e a todos os dei e outros para naus e portos de Ormuz, com tal condícáo que os cavalos tragam a Goa, porque assim fica assentadopor toda esta costa nOO entraremcavalos da Arábia e da Pérsia em outro nenhum porto senáo em Goa. E creio que o farao, pelo bom despacho que as naus do ano passado levaram. Foram a salvamento a Ormuz, muito ricas e bem carregadas, do porto e cidade de Goa; e as de todos os outros portos que iam para Ormuz tomaram com grande temporal e com os mastos quebrados e desaparelhadas a costa da Índia, e assim as naus de Calecute como dos outros lugares que iam para o estreito, e perderam-se muitas delas. E é, senhor, coisa muito para espantar haver tres anos que a maior parte que iam para Adem, Judá e Meca se tomaram atrás cada ano, perdendo-se muitas delas, e a maior parte delas de Samatra e de Ceíláo para dentro. E sao muitos mercadores da Índia desfeitos e derribados de tres anos a cá. E esta foi a causa por que este ano nao tomámos cem naus no Mar Roxo, e a mim, senhor, me parece que, afora serem ajudas de Nosso Senhor·em todas as vossas coisas, que é por a vossa armada andar tlo viva sempre cortando os golfos, caminhos e lugares por onde eles navegam, e nio ousam de partir até nao saberem a citacáo que a vossa armada leva, e depois que a sabe partem, sendo já no cabo de sua navegacao, e acham já tempos contrários que os faz volver atrás, por que eu fui espantado nao virem cometer a boca do estreito cem naus. Chegado a Diu, soube como as naus de Calecute arribaram com temporal e jaziam por estes portos de Cambaia até Monte DeH, e urna entrou em Danda, terra de Chaul. Chegando sobre o porto de Danda, pedi que me entregassem a nau, que era de Merceris do Cairo, nossos imigos, carregada de especiaria,e entregaram-mea nau e perto de tres mil quintais de especiaria, de pimenta e gengivre. AH me detive alguns dias e recolhi a especiaria e varei a nau ao mar. Entregaram-me toda sua artilharia, ancoras e velas e toda sua enxárcia; é urna formosa nau da feicáo das do Mar Roxo, a que os mouros chamam moruazes. Partido dali, vim sobre Dabul e Singuicar e pedi duas que aí estáo dentro em Dabul e urna em Singuicar, Comecaram de querer andar em prática comigo; deixei al entao Lopo Vaz com tres naus em guarda delas, e que nao deixasse entrar nem sair nenhuma nau até que as náo entregassem. Creio que todavia me entregarse as naus e especiaria.

ADEN

265

to be burnt, nor fired a shot at his fortresses. If the ships and people from his country

had been harmed in any way, that was their fault for using their ships, artillery and weapons against us in the waters and ports of the kings with whom Your Highness has been at war. This they did in Aden, Malacca and many other places. However, I said that so far bis coastal waters and harbours had never been attaeked or invaded, and I added other words appropriate to the time and circumstances. I wrote in more detall to Malik Gupi, thanking him on Your Highness's behalf for consenting to do you valuable service and holding out sorne hope of reward to him for having given his best attention to your affairs. The ambassador forwarded lOO letters to the king and then accompanied me to collect the Meri, while I gave orders for the construction of the factory and fortress in Diu. All along the coast I was asked for safe-conducts for ships sailing to Malacca, which I invariably issued. I issued others for lOO ships and ports of Ormuz, on condition that horses should be carried to Goa, because it is now fully accepted in all lOO ports here that Arabian and Persian horses should only enter India through that one. I think that the merchants will comply, because our ships made such successful voyages last year. From the pon and city of Goa they carried large and valuable cargoes to Ormuz, but those that set out for the same destination from other ports were foreed by asevere stonn lO turn back to the coast of India, with their masts broken and their gear destroyed. This happened to vessels from Calicut and other places that were making for the Straits, and many of these were lost. It is a remarkable fact, Sire, that for the last three years most of the ships that were bound for Aden, Jiddah and Mecca have turned back, many being sunk, and in addition most of those from Sumatra, Ceylon and beyond. In that period many Indian merchants have been ruined and undone. It was for this reason that this year we did not capture a hundred ships in the Red Sea. I believe, Sire, that notwithstanding the aid Our Lord gives to anything to do with your service, another reason was the fact that your fleet can swiftly travel the channels, routes and other places where the natives go. However, they do not dare to set sail until they have the information brought by your fleet. 212 When they have received it they leave, but by then it is the end of the sailing season and they find the winds against them and have to toro back. This is the explanation for my surprise that a hundred ships had not attempted the passage of the Straits. On arrival at Diu I learnt how, because of the storm, the ships from Calicut had sought refuge in the ports along the Cambay coast as far as Mount Deli. One was in Danda,213 in the territory of Chaul. I lay off the port of Danda and demanded that the ship be surrendered 10 me. It belonged 10 enemies, the Mesris of Cairo,214and was laden with spices. She was handed over with nearly three thousand quintais of spices, pepper and ginger. I stayed there sorne days, loaded the spices and beached the ship, after they had surrendered all her artillery, anchors, sails and rigging. 21S She is a fme vessel built in the Red Sea fashion, of the kind that the Moslems call a moruaz, I then sailed to Dabhol and Sangameshwaré'" and claimed two ships that were Iying in the first of these harbours and one in the second. They began 10 by 10 negotiate, so 1 left Lopo Vaz with three ships to watch over them, telling him not to allow any vessel to enter or leave until they were handed over. 1 still believe that they willlet me have the ships and the spices.

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Soube também que entrara outra em Baticalá. Mandei entao Ant6nio Raposo com urna galeota de Goa lancar sobre o porto e pedir que ma entregassem, e parece-me que todavia ma entregaráo. Mandei também lancar Fernáo Gomes de Lemos com urna fusta de Goa sobre Mangalor, onde estáo metidasduas, com determinacáo de nao deixar navegar o porto até que mas náo entreguem. Foi desdita nossa tornarem atrás estas naus com temporal, porquetomáramos um mundo de riqueza. Chegado a Goa, achei um presente de panos da Pérsia e um anel com um diamante, que me mandou o embaixador de xequeIsmaelque veioao rei de Daquém e ao filho do Sabaio, e algunsoferecimentos seusde parte de xequeIsmael,e se tomaram para onde estava o embaixador quando me aí náo acharam, e deixaram dito, que vindo eu do Mar Roxo, o embaixador me verlaver e falarcomigocoisasde xequeIsmaelantesde sua partidapara a Pérsia. Achei mais em Goa urnas contas e urna campainha que me mandou o guardiáo de Jerusalém, que era vindoao Cairoa chamado do sultáoe achou aí umjudeu portugués, morador em Jerusalém, que vinha para a Índia, e por ele me mandou este presente, dizendoque as contaseram tocadas em muitas relíquias, e que a campainha era da capela de Nossa Senhora,com que se sempre tangiaa missa. Mandolá esta j6ia do guardiáoa Vossa Alteza. Prazerá a Nosso Senhor que se abrirá esta caminhoe romaria por cá por estas partes por onde estasj6ias vieram. Escritaem Cananor a 4 dias de Dezembro de 1513. Feiturae servidor de VossaAlteza, Afonso de Albuquerque.

ADEN 267 I heard that another ship had reached Bhatkal, so I sent Ant6nio Raposo into the harbour with a Goanese galliot217 10 demand her surrender, and I think they will comply. I also sent Fernáo Gomes de Lemos in a Goanese pinnace to Mangala, where two of the ships had run for shelter, 10 blockade the port until they were delivered to me. It was a pity that these ships had been forced to tum back because of the stonn, as otherwise we would have laid hands on a fortune. When I arrived at Goa I found a present of Persian cloth and a diamond ring, which Shah Ismail's ambassador 10 the king of Decean and the Sabaio's son had sent me, and sorne other gifts of his own which he brought on behalf of Shah Ismail. [The arnbassador's messengers] retumed 10 where he was staying when they could not find me, but left word that after my retum from the Red Sea and before he left for Persia the arnbassador would pay me a visit and discuss Shah Ismail's business. I also found in Goa sorne rosary beads and a bell which had been sent by the warden of Jerusalem, who had visited Caico by command of the sultan. There he had come across a Portuguese Jew, a resident of Jerusalem, wbo was on bis way to India. He accordingly sent me the present by the Jew, explaining that the beads had touched many rellcs and that the bell carne from the chapel of Our Lady, wbere it was always rung during Mass. I am sending the warden's jewel to Your Highness. May it please Our Lord to open a way for pilgrims along the route these jewels have taken.

Written in Cananor, 4 December 1513. Your Highness's creature and servant, Afonso de Albuquerque.

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