Portuguese advent in India






Back in 1498, Vasco da Gama got bored of the usual European routes and decided to test out a new shortcut. With nothing but the stars and a lot of courage, he discovered the Cape route, a sea passage from Europe to India. On May 17, 1498, he sailed right into the port of Calicut, where the Hindu ruler, the Zamorin, welcomed him. Vasco probably just smiled and said, “I’m here for spices,” because let’s be honest, that was the ultimate treasure of the time.

Pretty soon, the Portuguese were busy setting up trading stations at Calicut, Cochin, and Cannanore. Cochin became their first capital in India, like a cozy startup office. But, as usual, bigger dreams took over, and later Goa became the main headquarters.

Then came Alfonso de Albuquerque in 1503, a man who arrived with big ambitions. By 1509, he became the governor of the Portuguese in India, following Francisco de Almeida, who had been governor from 1503 to 1509. Albuquerque wasn’t one to sit quietly; in 1510, he captured Goa from the ruler of Bijapur. That bold move turned Goa into the shining capital of Portuguese power in India.

And so, what started as a spice-shopping trip ended with the Portuguese planting their flag firmly in Goa.


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