In Order To Determine Which
Of These Was To Be Undertaken, He Convened A Council Of All His
Captains, And It Was Agreed That Ormuz Was To Be Preferred, Which Was In
Fact Quite Consonant To The Wishes Of The Viceroy.
He accordingly set
sail on the 20th of February 1514, with a fleet of 27 sail, having on
board a land force of 1500 Portuguese and 600 native Malabars and
Canaras.
The fleet anchored in the port of Ormuz on the 26th of March,
and an immediate message of ceremony came off from the king with rich
presents; but Albuquerque was better pleased with finding that Michael
Ferreyra, whom he had sent on an embassy to Ismael king of Persia, to
negociate a treaty of amity and commerce, had strong hopes of success.
Seif Addin king of Orrauz and his governor Khojah Attar were now both
dead, and Reis Hamet now possessed the entire favour and confidence of
the new king. Among other things, Albuquerque sent to demand being put
immediately in possession of the fort which he had formerly begun to
build at Ormuz, and that some principal persons should be sent to ratify
and confirm the submission which the former king Seif Addin had made of
the kingdom to the supremacy of the king of Portugal. All was consented
to, as there was no sufficient power for resistance; and Reis Noradin
the governor came to wait upon Albuquerque accompanied by his nephew, to
make the desired ratification. The viceroy made rich presents on the
occasion, and sent a splendid collar of gold to the king, with the
Portuguese standard, as a mark of the union between the two nations.
Public rejoicings were made on both sides on account of this amicable
arrangement; and Albuquerque took possession of the fort, which had been
formerly begun, and by using every exertion it rose in a few days to a
great height, so that the viceroy and his principal officers took up
their residence in some houses in its neighbourhood. Albuquerque now
made splendid preparations to receive the ambassador from the king of
Persia, who brought a magnificent present from his sovereign, consisting
of rich brocades, precious stones, splendid golden ornaments, and many
fine silks. The ambassador was honourably received, and the treaty
concluded to mental satisfaction. This ceremony took place on a scaffold
erected in public near the residence of the viceroy, and had been
delayed for a considerable time on purpose to be exhibited in great
splendour to the people of Ormuz, that they might see that the
Portuguese friendship was sought after by so powerful a sovereign. The
king of Ormuz was at a window to see the procession.
Reis Hamet[136], formerly mentioned, had come to Ormuz from Persia with
the design of seizing the city and delivering it up to the Sophi. He had
insinuated himself so effectually into the favour of the king as to
govern him in all respects, and nothing was done but by his directions.
The better to carry on his enterprise, he had gradually introduced a
number of his dependents into the city, and was actually preparing to
kill the king and seize the government, but deferred his intentions to
a more favourable opportunity. Albuquerque was fully informed of all
these secret practices, and that the king was anxious to be delivered
from the influence of Hamet; he therefore endeavoured to devise means
for effectuating the purpose, and fortune soon gave him an opportunity.
An interview had been appointed to take place between the king and
Albuquerque; but prompted by his fears, Hamet endeavoured to shun this
danger, by proposing that Albuquerque should wait upon the king, lest if
the king went to visit the viceroy, he might be obliged to attend him.
But Albuquerque insisted upon receiving the visit of the king, which was
at last agreed to, on condition that neither party was to be armed. Some
of the attendants upon Hamet were however secretly armed, and Hamet came
armed himself, and pressed foremost into the room with much rudeness, on
which Albuquerque made a concerted signal to his captains, who.
instantly dispatched him. After this the king came, and a conference
began between him and the viceroy, which was soon interrupted by a
violent clamour among the people, who supposed their king was slain. But
the people belonging to Hamet, knowing that their master had been
killed, ran and fortified themselves in the kings palace. Albuquerque
proposed immediately to have dispossessed them by means of his troops;
but the king and governor found other means of expelling these men from
the city, who to the number of 700 men went to Persia.
[Footnote 136: Reis or Rais signifies a chief, and is commonly given on
the coasts of Arabia and Persia to sea captains: In Faria it is
Raez. - Astl I. 75. 2.]
When this tumult was appeased, the people of Ormuz were much gratified
at seeing their king conducted back to his palace in great pomp,
attended by Albuquerque and all his officers, more especially as he was
now freed from the tyranny of Hamet, and restored to the majesty of a
king[137]. Albuquerque now dispatched the Persian ambassador,
accompanied by Ferdinando Gomez, carrying a present of double the value
of that he had received, and having orders to give a proper account of
the late transactions at Ormuz, especially in regard to Reis Hamet.
Gomez was well received, and brought back a favourable answer. It would
require more room than can be spared in this history to give an account
of the affairs of Persia; it may therefore suffice to say that the
valiant prince who reigned over Persia at this time was engaged in war
with the Turks, and was desirous of taking advantage of the Portuguese
assistance against his enemy.
[Footnote 137: It is scarce possible to conceive how Faria could gravely
make this observation, when the Portuguese had imposed an annual tribute
on the king of Ormuz, and were actually building a fortress to keep the
capital under subjection.
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