The Viceroy Had Been Informed Of The Danger To Which
Ormuz Was Exposed, And Fitted Out A Fleet In Which He Embarked In Person
For Its Relief; But Hearing At Diu, On His Way To The Persian Gulf, That
Ormuz Was Out Of Danger, He Sailed Back To Goa.
On his return
unsuccessful from Ormuz, Pirbec was beheaded for having acted beyond
his instructions, and Morad-beg was sent in 1553 with fifteen gallies
to cruise in the Persian Gulf against the Portuguese.
An encounter took
place between this Turkish squadron and one belonging to the Portuguese
under Don Diego de Noronha, which ended without material loss on either
side; but the Turks were forced to take shelter in the Euphrates, where
the water was too shallow to admit the Portuguese galleons. In the
course of this year 1553, Luis Camoens, the admirable Portuguese poet,
went out to India, to endeavour to advance his fortune by the sword,
which had been so little favoured by his pen.
About this time new troubles took place at Diu in consequence of the
death of Sultan Mahmud, king of Guzerat or Cambaya. Like Mithridates, he
had accustomed himself to the use of poison, to guard against being
poisoned. When any of his women happened to be near their delivery, he
used to open them to take out their children. Being one day out hunting
accompanied by some of his women, he fell from his horse and was dragged
by the stirrup, when one of his women boldly made up to his horse and
cut the girth with a cymeter; in requital for this service he killed
her, saying "that a woman of such courage had enough to kill him." He
was at length murdered by a page in whom he had great confidence.
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