Zamorin’s Decline & Exclusion of Arabs by Portuguese (1500s) - UPSC Notes
Portuguese aimed to monopolize the spice trade and exclude Arab competition.
They used the Cartaz system to control shipping — forcing ships to carry
📌 Zamorin’s Decline & Exclusion of Arabs by Portuguese (1500s) 🗓️ Timeline: 1498–1501 : Initial friendly contact with Vasco da Gama. 1501 onwards : Relations sour as Portuguese demand monopoly in spice trade. 1503–1520s : Growing conflicts with Portuguese over Arab traders. 🔑 Key Points: ⚔️ 1. Zamorin’s Support to Arab Traders: The Zamorin of Calicut was a powerful ruler on the Malabar Coast. His prosperity relied heavily on Arab Muslim merchants involved in the pepper trade . Arabs had dominated Indian Ocean trade for centuries. 🏴☠️ 2. Portuguese Strategy: Portuguese aimed to monopolize the spice trade and exclude Arab competition . They used the Cartaz system to control shipping — forcing ships to carry Portuguese passes. Portuguese demanded exclusive trading rights from Zamorin — he refused , leading to conflict. 💥 3. Military Conflict & Naval Blockades: The factory at Calicut was attacked in 1500 (Cabral’s time), worsening relations. Portuguese began naval warfare , blockades, and bombarde…