_Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in India, from 1576 to
1581; when the Crown of Portugal was usurped by Philip II. of Spain, on
the Death of the Cardinal King Henry._
In 1576 Ruy Lorenzo de Tavora went out as viceroy of Portuguese India;
but dying on the voyage, at Mozambique, Don Diego de Menezes assumed the
government in virtue of a royal patent of succession. Nothing
extraordinary happened during his government of nearly two years, when
he was superseded by the arrival of Don Luis de Ataide count of Atougaia
as viceroy of India for the second time. Ataide had been appointed
general in chief of the Portuguese forces by king Sebastian, who had
resolved to bury the glory of his kingdom in the burning sands of
Africa; and finding his own youthful impetuosity unable to conform with
the prudent councils of the count, he constituted him viceroy of India
as a plausible means of removing him. The count arrived at Goa about the
end of August 1577, where he immediately fitted out a mighty fleet which
struck terror into all the neighbouring princes. After continuing the
war for some time against Adel Khan, a peace was concluded with that
prince.
Soon afterwards news was brought to India of the melancholy catastrophe
which had befallen king Sebastian in Africa, and that the Cardinal Don
Henry had succeeded to the throne; but he soon afterwards died, and the
kingdom of Portugal came under the direction of a council of regency
consisting of five members. The viceroy Don Luis died soon afterwards at
Goa in the beginning of the year 1580, after governing India this second
time for two years and seven months. He seemed to have had a
presentiment of his death; for being applied to for leave to bury his
cousin Antonio Borello beside his brother Don Juan de Ataide, he refused
it, saying that he had long designed that situation for himself. He was
a man of most undaunted courage, of which the following instance may be
adduced. At the attack of _Onore_, he sailed in a brigantine sitting in
a chair, having a famous musician beside him playing on the harp. When
the balls from the enemy began to whistle past the ears of the musician
he stopt playing, on which the count desired him to proceed as the tune
was excellent. One of the gentlemen near him, seeing his
unconcernedness, requested him to expose himself less to the danger, as
if he were slain all would be lost; "No such thing," answered he, "for
if I am killed there are men enough who are fit to succeed me."
On his death, which appears to have happened in March 1580, he was
succeeded as governor by Ferdinand Tellez de Menezes, pursuant to a
patent of succession sent out by the regency in the year before. On this
occasion the new governor was installed with as much demonstration of
joy as if there had been no cause of sorrow among the subjects of
Portugal for the melancholy state of their country. While the affairs of
Portugal were in a miserable state of distraction, those of Visiapour
were in no better condition, in consequence of the death of Adel Khan
without heirs, in the 23d year of his reign and 50th of his age. Being
adicted to unnatural practices, a youth of eighteen years of age who had
too much honour to submit to his base desires, stabbed him as he was
endeavouring to allure him to comply with his brutal purposes. Ibrahim
Khan, the son of Shah Tamas, one of two brothers whom Adel Khan had put
to death, succeeded to the sovereignty; but was soon afterwards seized
by a powerful Omrah, named Quisbale Khan, who made himself master of the
city of Visiapour. Soon afterwards the Ethiopian guards revolted under
three leaders of their own choice, Acala Khan, Armi Khan, and Delarna
Khan, the last of whom secured the other two and usurped the whole
power.
About this time new instructions came from the regency of Portugal,
announcing that Philip II. of Spain had been admitted as king of
Portugal, and enjoining the governor and all the Portuguese in India to
take the oath of allegiance to the new sovereign.
At this period _Mirazenam Pacha_, a native of Otranto, and born of
Christian parents, was governor of all that part of Arabia which is
called _Yemen_ by the natives, and resided in _Sanaa_ or _Zenan_, a city
in the inland part of Yeman or Arabia Felix, 60 leagues north of
Mokha[402]. Sanaa stands upon a hill encompassed with a good wall, and
is thought to have been founded by Ham the son of Noah, and to have been
the residence of the famous queen of Sheba. The fruitful province in
which it stands was called by the ancients _Siria Muinifera_, because it
produces frankincense, myrrh, and storax. Being desirous to plunder
_Maskat_ near Cape Ras-al-gat, Mirazenam sent three Turkish gallies on
that errand under Ali Beg, who took possession of Maskat, whence most of
the Portuguese residents saved themselves by flight, leaving their goods
to be plundered by Ali Beg. The fugitives took refuge in _Mataro_, a
town only a league distant, whence they went to _Bruxel_, a fort about
four leagues inland, belonging to _Catani_ the sheikh or chief of a
horde or tribe of Arabs. The Arab officer who commanded there received
the Portuguese with much kindness and hospitality, and protected them
till the departure of Ali Beg, when they returned to Maskat. On learning
the ruin of Maskat, Gonzalo de Menezes, who then commanded at Ormuz,
sent Luis de Almeyda with a squadron consisting of a galleon, a galley,
and six other vessels, with 400 good men, to attack Ali Beg. But Almeyda
neglected the orders of his superior, and sailed to the coast of the
_Naytaques_, intending to surprise and plunder the beautiful and rich
city of _Pesani_[403]. But the inhabitants got notice of their danger
and fled, after which Almeyda dishonourably plundered the city, to which
he set fire, together with near fifty sail of vessels which were in the
bay. He did the same thing to _Guadel_ or _Gader_, a city not inferior
to Pesani, and to _Teis_ or _Tesse_ belonging to the barbarous tribe of
the _Abindos_ who dwell on the river _Calamen_ in _Gedrosia_[404], and
who join with the _Naytagites_ in their piracies.
[Footnote 402: Sanaa is about 80 marine leagues, or 278 English miles
N.E. from Mokha, and 30 leagues, or about 100 miles nearly north from
Makulla, the nearest port of Arabia on the Indian ocean.--E.]
[Footnote 403: Perhaps Posino on the oceanic coast of Makran, one of the
provinces of Persia, is here meant, nearly north from Maskat, on the
opposite coast of the entrance towards the Persian Gulf.--E.]
[Footnote 404: Gedrosia the ancient name of that province of Persia on
the Indian Ocean between the mouth of the Persian Gulf and the Indus,
now called Mekran or Makran.--E.]