A portrait of Francisco de Almeida in the National Museum of Ancient Art.

Francisco de Almeida (pron. IPA [fɾɐ̃'siʃku dɨ aɫ'mɐiðɐ]), also known as "the Great Dom Francisco" (born c.1450 in Lisbon; died March 1, 1510 at the Cape of Good Hope), was a Portuguese nobleman, soldier and explorer. He distinguished himself as a counsellor to King John II of Portugal and later in the wars against the Moors and in the conquest of Granada in 1492. In 1503 he was appointed as the first governor and viceroy of the Portuguese State of India (Estado da Índia). Almeida is credited with establishing Portuguese hegemony in the Indian Ocean. Before Almeida or his son could return to Portugal, they lost their lives in surprise attacks in 1510 and 1508 respectively. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Main entrance of the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga. ... Look up pronunciation in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words see here. ... // March - French troops under Guy de Richemont besiege the English commander in France, Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, in Caen. ... Lisbon (Portuguese: Lisboa, IPA: ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal. ... March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... 1510 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Exploration is the act of searching or traveling for the purpose of discovery, e. ... John II of Portugal João II of Portugal (Portuguese pron. ... Moorish Ambassador to Queen Elizabeth I of England The Moors were the medieval Muslim inhabitants of al-Andalus (the Iberian Peninsula including present day Gibraltar, Spain and Portugal) as well as the Maghreb and western Africa, whose culture is often called Moorish. ... Granada – Greek: (Steph. ... Not to be confused with 1492: Conquest of Paradise. ...

Exploits as soldier

As was customary for men in his social circle, he joined the military at a young age. In 1476 he took part in the Battle of Toro. He then fought in conflicts in different parts of Marocco and in 1492 participated in the Christian conquest of Granada on the side of the Castilians. The Kingdom of Morocco is a country in northwest Africa. ... Granada – Greek: (Steph. ... The starting point of Crown of Castile can be considered when the union of the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon in 1230 or the later fusion of their Cortes (their Parlaments). ...

Mission to the east

A carrack, 14 of which Almeida employed in his voyage to the east

In 1503 King Manuel I of Portugal appointed de Almeida, then in his mid 50's, as the first viceroy of Portuguese India (Estado da Índia). With an armada of 22 ships, including 14 carracks and 6 caravels, Almeida departed from Lisbon on March 25, 1505. The armada carried a crew of 1,000 and 1,500 soldiers. The flagship was the carrack São Rafael captained by Fernão Suarez. The mission's primary aims were to bring the spice trade under Portuguese control, to construct forts along the east African and Indian coasts, to further Portuguese spice trade through alliances with local chieftains, besides constructing trading posts. Image File history File links SantaMaria. ... Image File history File links SantaMaria. ... The Santa Maria at anchor by Andries van Eertvelt, painted c. ... 1503 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Manuel I of Portugal (pron. ... Portuguese India (Portuguese: or Estado da Índia) was the aggregate of Portugals colonial holdings in India. ... The Santa Maria at anchor by Andries van Eertvelt, painted c. ... Caravela Latina / Latin Caravel Caravela Redonda / Square-rigged Caravel A caravel is a small, highly maneuverable, two or three-masted ship used by the Portuguese and Spanish for long voyages of exploration beginning in the 15th century. ... March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ...

African conquest

De Almeida rounded the Cape of Good Hope and entered African coastal waters again at Sofala and the Island of Mozambique, whence they proceeded northwards to the coastal settlement of Kilwa. In July 1505 they employed 8 ships to conquer the ca 4,000 strong population of this harbour town. Due to the good harbour that the town provided, sufficient for anchoring ships up to 500t, the Portuguese decided to build a fort here. For this purpose Pêro Ferreira and a crew of 80 soldiers remained in the town. The Cape of Good Hope; looking towards the west, from the coastal cliffs above Cape Point. ... Categories: Stub | Provinces of Mozambique ... The Island of Mozambique is an island off the coast of Nampula province, Mozambique, that has been declared a World Heritage Site on the basis of its preserved architecture. ... Kilwa is one of the 6 districts of the Lindi Region of Tanzania. ...

In August 1505 the Portuguese arrived at Mombasa, a coastal port further north. The city with a population of ca 10,000 was conquered in heavy combat against the troops of the local Arab sheik. The city was plundered and torched. The Portuguese were assisted in this attack by a Mombasa enemy, the Sultan of Melinde. The same month a caravel of Almeida's fleet captained by John (Jão) Homere captured Zanzibar island and claimed it for Portugal. bumbasa is the second largest city in Kenya, lying on the Indian Ocean. ... Malindi is a city in Kenya that has been a Swahili settlement since the 14th century. ... Map of Zanzibars main island Zanzibar (IPA pronunciation: ) is the collective name for two islands in Tanzania: Unguja and Pemba. ...

Viceroy in India

After reaching India, Almeida took up residence in Cochin. He strengthened the Portuguese fortifications on Cochin and those on the island of Angediva. In March 1506 his son Lorenço de Almeida was victorious in a sea battle at the entrance to the harbour of Cannanore, an important setback for the fleet of the Prince of Kalikut. Hereupon Lorenço de Almeida explored the coastal waters southwards to Colombo in the current Sri Lanka. Cochin may refer to: Cochin China Kingdom of Kochi, a former princely state of India, merged with Travancore to form the State of Kerala Cochin city, the former name of the city of Kochi, in Kerala Hôpital Cochin, a famous hospital in Paris, France Cochin font, from the Adobe... Kannur district in Kerala Kannur or Cannanore is a district (and also the name of the town which is its headquarters) in northern Kerala, a state in India. ... Map of Colombo with its administrative districts Coordinates: District Colombo Division, Colombo District Mayor Uvaiz Mohammad Imitiyaz (Sri Lanka Freedom Party) Area    - City 37. ...

In 1507 de Almeida's mission was strengthened by the arrival of Tristão da Cunha's squadron. Alfonso de Albuquerque's squadron had however split from that of da Cunha in east Africa and was independently conquering territories to the west. In March 1508 a Portuguese squadron under command of Lorenço de Almeida was attacked by a combined Egyptian, Arab and Indian fleet at Chaul and Dabul respectively. The fleet was assembled with the support of Venice that feared for its eastern trade links. Lorenço de Almeida lost his life in this battle. Tristão da Cunha or Tristan da Cunha (~1460 - ~1540) was nominated first viceroy of Portuguese India in 1504, but did not take up this post owing to temporary blindness; in 1506 he became commander of a fleet which operated on the east coast of Africa and in the Indies... Afonso de Albuquerque Afonso de Albuquerque, Afonso dAlbuquerque or Alfonso de Albuquerque (1453 _ December 16, 1515) was a noted Portuguese naval general whose activities helped establish the Portuguese colonial empire in India. ... Chaul is a former city of Portuguese India, now in ruins. ... Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venezsia) is the capital of region Veneto, and has a population of 271,663 (census estimate January 1, 2004). ...

Afonso de Albuquerque arrived at Cochin at the close of 1508 and immediately made known the hitherto secret commission he had received from the king empowering him to supersede governor Almeida. Almeida refused to recognize Albuquerque's credentials and arrested him. Afonso de Albuquerque Afonso de Albuquerque, Afonso dAlbuquerque or Alfonso de Albuquerque (pron. ...

In 1509, Almeida became the first Portuguese to set sail in Bombay. Almeida, commanding a fleet of 23 ships, inflicted a decisive defeat on the joint fleet of Arabs, Egyptians and Indians in the naval Battle of Diu on February 3, 1509. The victory marks the beginning of Portuguese hegemony in the Indian Ocean, that was to last into the 17th century when it was ended by the Dutch and English. D'Albuquerque was released after three months' confinement, on the arrival of the grand-marshal of Portugal with a large fleet, in November 1509. 1509 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section should be merged with Mumbai Mumbai (previously known as Bombay) is the worlds most populous conurbation, and is the sixth most populous agglomeration in the world. ... The Arabs (Arabic: عرب ) are an ethnic group found throughout the Middle East and North Africa. ... The naval Battle of Diu was a critical sea battle that took place on 3 February 1509 near Diu, India, between Portugal and a joint fleet of Mamlûk Burji Sultanate of Egypt, Ottoman Empire, Calicut and the Sultan of Gujarat, with technical maritime assistance from the Republic of Venice... February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Return and death

Almeida sailed for Portugal in December 1509 and reached Table Bay near the Cape of Good Hope, where the Garcia, Belem and Santa Cruz dropped anchor late February, 1510, to replenish water. After friendly trade with the Khoikhoi some of the crew visited their nearby village where a dispute ensued. Almeida allowed his captains Pedro and Jorge Barreto to return to the village on the morning of March 1, 1510. The village's cattle herd was raided with the loss of one man, while Almeida awaited his men some distance from the beach. As the flagship's master Diogo d'Unhos moved the landing boats to the watering point, the Portuguese were left without a retreat. The Khoikhoi sensed the opportunity for an attack, during which Almeida and 64 of his men perished, including 11 of his captains. Almeida's body was recovered the same afternoon and buried on the shorefront of the current Cape Town. Cape Town, False Bay (top) and Table Bay (right) from space, February 1995. ... An 18th century drawing of Khoikhoi worshipping the moon The Khoikhoi (men of men) or Khoi are a historical division of the Khoisan ethnic group of south-western Africa, closely related to the Bushmen (or San, as the Khoikhoi called them). ... An 18th century drawing of Khoikhoi worshipping the moon The Khoikhoi (men of men) or Khoi are a historical division of the Khoisan ethnic group of south-western Africa, closely related to the Bushmen (or San, as the Khoikhoi called them). ... City motto: Spes Bona (Latin: Good Hope) Location of the City of Cape Town in Western Cape Province Province Western Cape Mayor Helen Zille Area  - % water 2,499 km² N/A Population  - Total (2004)  - Density Not ranked 2,893,251 1,158/km² Established 1652 Time zone SAST (UTC+2...

De Almeida's patron, Manuel I of Portugal

Painting of king Manuel I of Portugal. ... Painting of king Manuel I of Portugal. ... Manuel I of Portugal (pron. ...

Relatives and subjects

Almeida was the son of the 1st Count of Abrantes and one of a number of highly distinguished siblings including two bishops, an ambassador to the Holy See and the Portuguese head of the Order of Malta. His son Lourenço was killed in battle, but he was survived by a daughter, Leonor, who married Rodrigo de Mello, Count of Tentugal, precursors of the Dukes of Cadaval.

Ferdinand Magellan (Fernão Magalhães) accompanied de Almeida to the east, but was promoted to captain and only returned in 1512 after losing that commission. // mold textold text For the Presidential railcar named Ferdinand Magellan, see Ferdinand Magellan Railcar. ...

See also

• Lorenzo de Almeida, his son
• Exploration of Asia

Lourenço de Almeida (died 1508[]), son of Francisco de Almeida, acting under him, distinguished himself in the Indian seas, and made Ceylon tributary to Portugal. ... This article attempts to list every significant event in the history of the European exploration of Asia. ...

References

1. Fernão Lopes de Castanheda's account of de Almeida's mission
2. Works by and about Francisco de Almeida in the German National Library catalogue