CONQUEROR WHO HELD THE EAST IN FEE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23161, 10 April 1937, Page 4

CONQUEROR WHO HELD THE EAST IN FEE

THE AMAZING CAREER OF DE ALBUQUERQUE

"Indies Adventure; The Amazing Career of Afonso de Albuquerque.” By Elaine Sanceau. Illustrated. Lon don: Blackie. 19s 6d.

The story of Portugal’s bid for empire in the East is one, of the remarkable pages of history and one which is little known, so insignificant have the events of that period been in the main current of-history. To-day, the seaport of Goa is the only Portuguese colonial possession in India,, but in the early part of the sixteenth century, when both England and Spain were still more occupied with internal affairs than with the exploration of the world and the founding of empires, Portugal was one of the greatest kingdoms of Europe, and her ruler was the acknowledged overlord of most of the maritime princes from Aden to Malacca. Venice no longer held the gorgeous East in fee, for a large portion of the trade was diverted to sea instead of by land following the great voyage of discovery by Vasco da Gama. Lisbon became the great trading centre, and the discovery of Brazil in 1500 opened up further possibilities of empire in the New World. The rise to such a prominent position in world affairs by so small a country was a sudden one—its decline was almost as sudden. An amazingly large share of the credit for the establishing of the spreading Eastern Empire was due to one man, Afonso de Albuquerque, whose story has been told in "Indies Adventure, by Elaine Sanceau. Here was a man outstanding as a soldier, sailor, diplomat, and statesman, one ofi the great figures in an age of many great men, and his story, graphically reconstructed.' from the wealth of original documents in the National Archives, makes fascinating reading. The characteristic of Albuquerque which entitles him to a mote general recognition as one of the brilliant leaders of the time is that, when most of the'm were gentlemen of fortune—to use a euphemistic term —he was a single-minded genius whose constant aim was the mighty one of establishing an empire in the East for the exaltation of his king and country. He was not merely a conqueror; he was a, builder, and he achieved his ambition. That the empire began to crumble almost with his death was not due to any fault on his part in laying the foundations; it was simply that he had built too vast an empire for so small a country effectively to maintain. - 1 . Perilous Project

the first Portuguese territorial possession in Asia. But while he was immediately engaged with this task, his mind was planning far ahead with an ambitious dream to league with the Shah of Persia against Egypt and Turkey, and, operating from the east and west, crush them completely to fulfil the centuries-old dream of the crusaders. His activity in India was staggering. At the same time he was commander-in-chief of the army, admiral of the navy, chief magistrate, and final court of appeal for all questions civil and military, head of public works, in charge of foreign affairs, and every administrative department besides, not only directing but taking a personal share in the work of each as well as organising and conducting each year an armed expedition to some new sphere of influence, within the periods circumscribed by the monsoon. On one of these excursions he conquered Malacca and despatched the first European vessel into the Pacific, on another he reconquered Ormuz, and on a third he captured Aden and penetrated the Red Sea for the first time. He founded his empire on Malacca, Goa, and Ormuz, which were the keys, respectively, to the Far East, to, India, and to Central Asia, China sent friendly envoys to him, and from the secret empire of Prester John came an ambassador. His genius as a builder equalled that of the conqueror, for in consolidating the newly-won territories he worked along lines which have been adopted by other countries only in the present (day. He regarded natives of a colony not as the servants of the white man but as fellow subjects of the Crown, with liberties to be protected under the same flag. Complete religious freedom was granted—a remarkable thing in that era of intolerance—and freedom to practise all native customs, with one exception—in Goa he abolished the practice of suttee, a reform which even the British Government only dared to introduce some 300 years later. He favoured marriages with the higher class native women, established schools for the children, and encouraged the Portuguese to learn peaceful trades and to settle permanently in the new colonies. He established funds for the orphans of those who died in the service of their country. He founded a wellequipped hospital and an important church. Small wonder that natives from outside sought the protection of the Portuguese flag and that the conquered peoples regarded him as a father. Malicious Reports But like many another empirebuilder his autocratic manner won for him the opposition and hatred of many powerful hidalgos who were not accustomed to being treated without due ceremonial even by so highly placed a leader as Albuquerque. For his part he was too busy to harbour malice, but others were not. and their reports to the King were so numerous that, in the face of any denial from the person chiefly concerned, the royal favour wavered. Albuquerque had not been home to Portugal for nine years and the detractors prevailed. Another man was sent out as Governor while Albuquerque, despite the fact that he was dying of dysentery, was busily completing the erection of a fortress at the now completely conquered Ormuz. News of his replacement reached him during the return journey to Goa. It crushed him, and he died as his vessel dropped anchor in the harbour of the settlement he had established. The following year, in ignorance of events /n India, Don Manuel repented and sent an order cancelling the order for Albuquern"' s to return home and givinr him sole command of most of the forces and dominions.

Little is heard of Afonzo de Albuquerque in the history of his country before 1503, when he was about 43 years of age, and was given command of three ships to carry out a mission to the Samorin of Calicut ‘ and the Rajah of Cochin. The expedition was not unsuccessful, but neither was it strikingly successful, and Albuquerque returned to Portugal after an absence of 15 months. Two years later, with six ships and 400 men, he sailed again for the East, bearing with him a proclamation from the King appointing him Governor of India. Before taking up this position he was to proceed along the Arabian coast under the vague instruction to capture any points which might be of value. Sixteen months later Albuquerque arrived off the Gulf of Oman with his fleet badly the worse for wear. His nearest friendly base was 1000 miles away, and he was faced with the prospect of starvation between the hostile desert and the barren sea. His position called for desperate measures, and he determined to proceed with the conquest of Ormuz, the most populous and powerful city of the Indian seas, beginning with the subject towns of Oman.

Kalyat was the first town approached, and Albuquerque boldly announced that he would destroy the town unless it immediately paid tribute. Always an expert in staging a show which would impress the Oriental mind, he arranged his ships effectively, and himself played the part of the haughty satrap who would accept nothing but his own terms. The sheik temporised, wavered, and submitted. Full opportunity was taken to reprovision and repair the boats and then quickly the next port, Kurhat. was entered. Kurhat offered battle with a force of 2000, but after a brief struggle the town was entered and all were put to the sword as an example to the neighbouring towns. Muscat and two other towns fell before the conqueror, whose fame spread like lightning, and then he sailed into the harbour of Ormuz, crowded with shipping from throughout the ports of the East. There were over 100 vessels at anchor, including the 800-ton galleon of the King of Cambay with its force of 1000 armed men. Albuquerque dropped anchor and sent a message to the captain of this ship, recognising it as a flagship, and commanded him to come on board immediately or he would send his boat to the bottom. The order was obeyed, but the terms of the Portuguese, of course, were not accepted. A battle followed, but again by strategy Albuquerque, although hopelessly outnumbered, was victorious after a six-hours’ struggle. The jewel of the East, as the city was called, was in the hands of the foreigner. In the space of a little more than a month, six important towns, with defensive armies running into thousands, were reduced to subjection by the small and ill-found force. It was a feat of conquest to rival that later undertaken by Pizarro in Peru, but it was marred and ruined by the mutiny and desertion of the captains cf three of the ships, and Albuquerque had to withdraw before he had completely consolidated his victory. Dreams of Empire Then he turned to his task in India, conquering Goa and establishing there

It was not in the King's power, however, to command any longer so great a man. In death, the natives kept the grave of the leader adorned with flowers. They took their complaints to his tomb and spoke to him as though he still lived. Lopo Soares, the new Governor, held that position only in name: in fact and in right the real ruler of Goa was a dead man. Four hundred years have passed since Albuquerque’s death, but his memory is strong in Goa to this day. D. G. B World-Shakers Under the title “ World-Makers and World-Shakers” the Hogarth Press announces a new series of short biographies for young people. This series is an attempt to nlain history to young people through the lives of great men and great women, and at the same time to present history from a modern and enlightened point of view. The subjects chosen will be men and women who epitomised the age in which they lived, or who influenced the course of history, either through what they did. or through what they were. The first four volumes are “Joan of Arc,” “Socrates,” “Mazzini, Garibaldi and Cavour." and “ Darwin.” Author’s Credo “I have tried to remember that life is there, not to be written about, but to be lived. ... I have tried to make my life a completed and rounded thing. I have sought freedom, material and spiritual, and now, on the threshold of old age, I am not disinclined to think that I have at last achieved it.” —Somerset Maugham, in an interview.