Francisco de Almeida
Portuguese nobleman and soldier Francisco de Almeida (c. 1450— 1510)) served as the first viceroy of Portuguese India before Afonso de Albuquerque superseded him in November 1509. Earlier, Almeida had commanded the 7th Portuguese India Armada, which left Lisbon in March 1505, rounded the Cape of Good Hope and established a fort at Kilwa before destroying Mombasa en route to India, where he established himself in Cochin. His determination to make Portugal the paramount power in the Indies and to monopolise the spice trade resulted in ongoing conflict with local rulers and competitors from the Ottoman Empire, Mameluke Egypt and Venice.
His son's death in a naval battle off Chaul in 1508 meant Almeida had unfinished business. When Albuquerque arrived at Cochin to supersede him, Almeida disputed the legality of his commission and imprisoned him until he was forced to recognise Albuquerque’s authority in November 1509. In the meantime, a decisive naval victory off Diu in February 1509 established Portugal as the dominant power in the Indies until Dutch and English competitors arrived almost a century later and paved the way for Albuquerque's conquest of Goa and Malacca.
Almeida set sail for Portugal the next month. While the homeward-bound squadron was taking on water at Table Bay, Almeida was killed in a skirmish with the local Khoekhoe people.
Links to add:
Cape of Good Hope
Kilwa
Mombasa
Cochin.
Ottoman Empire
Mameluke Egypt
Venice.
Battle of Chaul
Diu
Goa
Malacca.
Table Bay
Khoekhoe people.
