Malik Ayyaz
Encyclopedia
Malik Ayyaz, called Meliqueaz by the Portuguese was a naval officer and governor of the city of Diu, in the mouth of the Gulf of Khambhat
(Cambay), circa 1507-1509 under the rule of Gujarat Sultanate
. He was one of the most distinguished warriors of his time .
Meliqueaz was a mamluk
of Russian Christian origin, who had been imprisoned and converted Muslim. Taken to India
he distinguished at the service of the Sultan Mahmud Begada
of Gujarat (Malik being the equivalent of Lord). At that time Gujarati were important middlemen in the trade with Red Sea
, Egypt
and Malacca
, and when the Portuguese
threatened this field, the Sultan put the defense in the hands of Meliqueaz. With the aim at expelling the Portuguese from the Arabian sea
, the sultan allied with the zamorin of Khozikode and asked the Mamluk sultanate of Cairo
for help. With Ottoman
support, the Mamluks prepared then a fleet in the Red Sea.
In March 1508, commanded by Mirocem (Amir Husain Al-Kurdi), the Mamluk fleet arrived at Chaul
were they surprised a Portuguese fleet. Joined by Meliqueaz they fought and won the Battle of Chaul against Lourenço de Almeida, son of the Portuguese viceroy who died there, having taken several prisoners.
Enraged at the death of his son, the Portuguese viceroy Francisco de Almeida
sought revenge. Aware of the danger facing his city, Meliqueaz prepared the defence and wrote to the viceroy, stating that he had the prisoners and how bravely his son had fought, adding a letter from the Portuguese prisoners stating that they were well treated. The viceroy then wrote to Meliqueaz, stating his intention of revenge and that they better join all forces and prepare to fight, or he would destroy Diu:
Put in a double bind, he faced the viceroy at the Battle of Diu (1509)
which ended in victory for the Portuguese, with terrible losses on the Gujarat-Mamluk-Khozikode side, after which Meliqueaz handed over the prisoners of Chaul
, dressed and well fed. To his surprise, Francisco de Almeida, who was ending his term as viceroy, refused his offer to allow a Portuguese fortress in Diu, an offer that the Portuguese soon sought ardently, and which he managed to stall for as long as he was governor of Diu. The fort would be built only in 1535-1536.
Gulf of Khambhat
The Gulf of Khambhat is an inlet of the Arabian Sea along the west coast of India, in the state of Gujarat. It is about 80 miles in length, and divides the Kathiawar peninsula to the west from the eastern part of Gujarat state on the east. The Narmada and Tapti rivers empty into the Gulf...
(Cambay), circa 1507-1509 under the rule of Gujarat Sultanate
Gujarat Sultanate
The Gujarat Sultanate was an independent kingdom established in the early 15th century in Gujarat. The founder of the ruling Muzaffarid dynasty, Zafar Khan was appointed as governor of Gujarat by Nasir-ud-Din Muhammad bin Tughluq IV in 1391, the ruler of the principal state in north India at the...
. He was one of the most distinguished warriors of his time .
Meliqueaz was a mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
of Russian Christian origin, who had been imprisoned and converted Muslim. Taken to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
he distinguished at the service of the Sultan Mahmud Begada
Mahmud Begada
Sultan Abu'l Fath Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah I, popularly known as Mahmud Begada was the most prominent sultan of Gujarat. He was the great-grandson of Ahmad Shah I, the founder of the Muzaffarid dynasty, and of the city of Ahmedabad in the present-day state of Gujarat, India. He was known to be...
of Gujarat (Malik being the equivalent of Lord). At that time Gujarati were important middlemen in the trade with Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
, and when the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
threatened this field, the Sultan put the defense in the hands of Meliqueaz. With the aim at expelling the Portuguese from the Arabian sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
, the sultan allied with the zamorin of Khozikode and asked the Mamluk sultanate of Cairo
Mamluk Sultanate (Cairo)
The Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt was the final independent Egyptian state prior to the establishment of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty in 1805. It lasted from the overthrow of the Ayyubid Dynasty until the Ottoman conquest of Egypt in 1517. The sultanate's ruling caste was composed of Mamluks, Arabised...
for help. With Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
support, the Mamluks prepared then a fleet in the Red Sea.
In March 1508, commanded by Mirocem (Amir Husain Al-Kurdi), the Mamluk fleet arrived at Chaul
Chaul
Chaul is a former city of Portuguese India, now in ruins. It is located 60 km south of Mumbai, in Raigad District of Maharashtra state in western India....
were they surprised a Portuguese fleet. Joined by Meliqueaz they fought and won the Battle of Chaul against Lourenço de Almeida, son of the Portuguese viceroy who died there, having taken several prisoners.
Enraged at the death of his son, the Portuguese viceroy Francisco de Almeida
Francisco de Almeida
Dom Francisco de Almeida , also known as "the Great Dom Francisco" , 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...
sought revenge. Aware of the danger facing his city, Meliqueaz prepared the defence and wrote to the viceroy, stating that he had the prisoners and how bravely his son had fought, adding a letter from the Portuguese prisoners stating that they were well treated. The viceroy then wrote to Meliqueaz, stating his intention of revenge and that they better join all forces and prepare to fight, or he would destroy Diu:
Put in a double bind, he faced the viceroy at the Battle of Diu (1509)
Battle of Diu (1509)
The Battle of Diu sometimes referred as the Second Battle of Chaul was a naval battle fought on 3 February 1509 in the Arabian Sea, near the port of Diu, India, between the Portuguese Empire and a joint fleet of the Sultan of Gujarat, the Mamlûk Burji Sultanate of Egypt, the Zamorin of Kozhikode...
which ended in victory for the Portuguese, with terrible losses on the Gujarat-Mamluk-Khozikode side, after which Meliqueaz handed over the prisoners of Chaul
Chaul
Chaul is a former city of Portuguese India, now in ruins. It is located 60 km south of Mumbai, in Raigad District of Maharashtra state in western India....
, dressed and well fed. To his surprise, Francisco de Almeida, who was ending his term as viceroy, refused his offer to allow a Portuguese fortress in Diu, an offer that the Portuguese soon sought ardently, and which he managed to stall for as long as he was governor of Diu. The fort would be built only in 1535-1536.