The Portuguese, however, resolved to have a factory near the town of Calicut, for two reasons: in the first place, on account of its great trade; and, secondly, because their factory being contiguous to that port, they could blockade it, and entirely monopolise the export of pepper and ginger. In spite of remonstrance, therefore, in the
A. H. 938.
A. D. 1531.
year 938 they built a fort at the port of Jaliat, seven miles distant from Calicut, and also the fort of Reevadunda, near Choul.
A. H. 941.
A. D. 1534.
In the year 941 they took possession of
the ports of Swally and Daman, and of
the island of Diù, in Guzerat, from Bahadur
Shah, as has been already related in the history
A. H. 943.
A. D. 1536.
of that monarch; and in the year 943 they
attacked the town of Cranganore, and
built a fort, notwithstanding the efforts
of Samiry to prevent it. At this time, Sooliman,
the Grand Signior of Constantinople, resolved, if
possible, to deprive the Portuguese of the trade
to India, and to attack their factories, after which
he proposed to conquer the empire of Hindoo-
A. H. 944.
A. D. 1537.
sailed from the Red Sea in the year 944. Sooliman Aga first attacked and took the port of Adun, which lies at the mouth of the Red Sea, whence he sailed towards the island of Diù, in Guzerat; but finding, on his arrival, that his treasury was low, and his provisions nearly exhausted, he was compelled, after a few days, to return, without accomplishing his purpose.
A. H. 963.
A. D. 1555.
Before the year 963 we find that other
nations of Europe had sent vessels to
India, and settled in the several ports
and islands of the East. They built factories at
Pûlicat, Mylapoor, Negapatam, Madras, Barcelore,
Mangalore, and in Bengal. They also settled on
the islands of Sumatra, Malacca, Timoor, and
Ceylon, and even established factories on the coast
of China; but Sooltan Ally Akhy attacked the
Europeans on the island of Sumatra, and drove
them from their factory, as did also the King of
Ceylon. Samiry, the King of Calicut, being much
oppressed by the Portuguese, sent ambassadors to
the Mahomedan kings of Beejapoor and the Deccan,
requesting their assistance.
A. H. 979.
A. D. 1571.
In the year 979, the Deccan and
Beejapoor monarchs marched against
Reevadunda and Goa, while Samiry attacked
and captured the fort of Jaliat; but the
Mahomedan kings were compelled to raise the
sieges both of Reevadunda and Goa, and return
to their respective capitals. The Portuguese now
became more and more exasperated against the
Mahomedans; and having the entire command of
the seas, they plundered several ships (belonging
to Akbur Padshah of Dehly) returning from
Judda in the Red Sea, whither they had conveyed
pilgrims to the holy shrine at Mecca. They also
landed and burned the towns of Adilabad and
Carapatam, on the shore of the Beejapoor empire,
and went to Dabul for the same purpose; but the
governor, Khwaja Ally Shirazy, having heard of
their intentions, permitted them to land, and put
to death upwards of a hundred and fifty Portuguese.
From the time the vessels belonging to Akbur Padshah
were taken, that monarch laid an embargo on
all his ships sailing either to the Red Sea or to the
Gulf of Persia, as heretofore, conceiving that to
obtain passes from the Europeans would be derogatory
to his dignity; and the ships being plundered
incurred both disgrace to the King and loss
to his subjects. Some of the governors on the seacoast,
however, such as Abdool Raheem of Surat,
and others, obtaining passes for their vessels, still
A. H. 1020.
A. D. 1611.
continued to trade. In the year 1020,
the Emperor of Dehly, Jehangeer, the son
of Akbur Padshah, granted a spot for the
English to build a factory in the city of Surat, in
the province of Guzerat, which is the first settlement
that people made on the shores of Hin-