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First Luso-Malabarese War

First Luso–Malabarese War
Part of Zamorin–Portuguese conflicts

The city of Calicut in Civitates Orbis Terrarum, 1572.
DateDecember 18, 1500-December 24, 1513
(13 years and 6 days)
Location
Indian Ocean, Malabar Coast, India.
Result Portuguese victory
Belligerents
Portuguese Empire
Supported by:
Kingdom of Cochin
Kingdom of Cannanore (until 1507)
Kingdom of Kollam
Kingdom of Tanur (1504 on)		 Kingdom of Calicut
Supported by:
Mamluk Egypt
 Republic of Venice
Kingdom of Tanur (up to 1504)
Commanders and leaders
 Zamorin of Calicut X
Naubeadarim
Khawaja Kassein
Khawaja Ambar
Kunjali Marakkar

The First Luso–Malabarese War was the first armed conflict fought by the Portuguese Empire in Asia, and the first of nine against the Zamorin of Calicut, then the preeminent power on the Malabar Coast, in India.[1] Hostilities broke out in 1500 and continued for thirteen years until the ruling Zamorin was assassinated and his successor signed a peace treaty with the Portuguese governor of India Afonso de Albuquerque.

The conflict erupted over trade. Though himself a Hindu, the Zamorin was closely associated with and heavily dependent on the influential Muslim merchant community of Calicut. Wary of the threat that the Portuguese posed to their interests, they interfered with and disrupted Portuguese attempts to trade in India or negotiate with the Zamorin.[2]

Some of the most famous Portuguese personalities of the Age of Discovery participated in the war, such as Vasco da Gama, Pedro Álvares Cabral, Dom Francisco de Almeida and Afonso de Albuquerque, while the actions of some commanders like the defense of Cochin by Duarte Pacheco Pereira are considered of some of the greatest exploits in the military history of Portugal. It involved a significant part of Portuguese society whether directly or indirectly, many joining the service of King Manuel in the armadas attracted by the prospects of wealth and glory despite the very high risks due to disease, enemy action or shipwrecks.[3] "It was a supreme national effort that called on all the available resources of manpower, shipbuilding, material provision and strategic vision to exploit a window of opportunity before Spain could react. In the process, the Portuguese took both Europe and the peoples of the Indies by complete surprise."[4]

By simply sailing to India around Africa, the Portuguese incurred in the hostility of the entire Muslim community involved in the east–west trade, as well as the Republic of Venice whose commercial interests were threatened.[5] Although the Nair armies of the Zamorin were large, they proved inflexible compared to the smaller but heavily armed forces of the Portuguese, while his actions were almost invariably spied upon and leaked to the Portuguese by their Malabarese allies who resented the rule of Calicut.[6] The Portuguese also gathered the support of the Saint Thomas Christians.[7] The Zamorin sought to hire experienced Arab privateers and took in European defectors or specialists, though this ultimately proved insufficient to counteract the Portuguese.

Dissenting voices favouring terms with the Portuguese eventually rose within Calicut itself. Losses were heavy for Calicut, whether in terms of lives, resources or prestige: several vassals defected, a large number of merchants quit the city to trade elsewhere, and ultimately the ruling Zamorin was himself assassinated. His successor negotiated a peace treaty and a fortress was built at Calicut.

The Trimumpara raja of Cochin was a rebellious tributary vassal of Calicut and the first ruler in India to seek an alliance with Portugal. He emerged from the conflict as an alternative power to the Zamorin on the Malabar Coast as a result of his association with the Europeans.

The conflict is also noteworthy as the first war fought by Europeans on the subcontinent ever since the withdrawal of the Seleucids and the Greeks from India over 1500 years prior.

  1. ^ Aniruddha Ray :Towns and Cities of Medieval India: A Brief Survey, Taylor & Francis, 2016, p. 359.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference danvers49 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference crowley151 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Crowley, 2015, p. 101.
  5. ^ Diffie, 1977, p. 196.
  6. ^ Crowley, 2015, p. 149.
  7. ^ Sanjay Subrahmanyam: The Career and Legend of Vasco da Gama, Cambridge University Press, 1997, p. 218.

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