📌 Zamorin’s Decline & Exclusion of Arabs by Portuguese (1500s)
🗓️ Timeline:
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1498–1501: Initial friendly contact with Vasco da Gama.
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1501 onwards: Relations sour as Portuguese demand monopoly in spice trade.
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1503–1520s: Growing conflicts with Portuguese over Arab traders.
🔑 Key Points:
⚔️ 1. Zamorin’s Support to Arab Traders:
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The Zamorin of Calicut was a powerful ruler on the Malabar Coast.
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His prosperity relied heavily on Arab Muslim merchants involved in the pepper trade.
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Arabs had dominated Indian Ocean trade for centuries.
🏴☠️ 2. Portuguese Strategy:
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Portuguese aimed to monopolize the spice trade and exclude Arab competition.
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They used the Cartaz system to control shipping — forcing ships to carry Portuguese passes.
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Portuguese demanded exclusive trading rights from Zamorin — he refused, leading to conflict.
💥 3. Military Conflict & Naval Blockades:
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The factory at Calicut was attacked in 1500 (Cabral’s time), worsening relations.
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Portuguese began naval warfare, blockades, and bombarded Calicut.
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Series of battles and blockades by Portuguese reduced Arab trade influence.
📉 4. Decline of Zamorin:
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Portuguese allied with rival states like Cochin and Cannanore.
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Gradual shift of trade power from Calicut to Goa and Cochin.
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By mid-1500s, Zamorin's political and economic influence weakened significantly.
📌 Summary:
| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Arab support by Zamorin | Provoked Portuguese hostility |
| Portuguese naval policy | Targeted Arab ships, weakened Zamorin’s trade |
| Portuguese alliances | Cochin & Cannanore empowered at Calicut’s expense |
| Decline of Calicut’s dominance | Rise of Goa & Cochin under Portuguese control |
🧠 MCQ for Practice:
Q. Which of the following best explains the decline of the Zamorin of Calicut in the 16th century?
A. Invasion by the Vijayanagara Empire
B. Refusal to cooperate with the Portuguese monopoly on spice trade
C. Conversion of Zamorin to Christianity
D. Famine and natural disasters
✅ Answer: B
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