ALFONSO DE ALBUQUERQUE: UPSC Daily Important Topic | 18 July 2023

ALFONSO DE ALBUQUERQUE

•Real founder of the Portuguese power in the East.

 •His Policy was of dominating entire oriental commerce by setting up forts in strategic places in Asia and Africa supplemented by a strong navy.

• Introduced permit system for other ships and control over ship building areas.

•Albuquerque acquired Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur – Yusuf Adil Khan in 1510 with ease.

•They also able to blockade and sack the Bijapuri ports of Danda-Rajouri and Dabhol, thus paralysing Bijapur’s sea-trade on the mainland.

 • They established a fort at Colombo in Sri Lanka, and at Achin in Sumatra, and the Malacca port which controlled the exit and entry to the narrow gulf between the Malay peninsula and Sumatra.

•The Portuguese made two attempts in 1520-21 to capture Diu but both were defeated by its governor, Ahmad Ayaz.

• An interesting feature of his rule was the abolition of sati.

•He encouraged his men to take Indian wives.