Francisco de Almeida | Timeline

Dom Francisco de Almeida(*), also known as the Great Dom Francisco (c. 1450 – 1 March 1510), 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 1505 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 with his victory at the naval Battle of Diu in 1509. Before Almeida returned to Portugal he lost his life in a conflict with indigenous people at the Cape of Good Hope in 1510. His only son Lourenço de Almeida had previously been killed in the Battle of Chaul. (Intro from Wikipedia)

(*) Dom - a title today almost extinct due to the implementation of the Republic in Portugal in 1910, is similar to the "Sir" title in Britain

January(?) 1(?), 1450 - Lisbon, Portugal - Francisco de Almeida is born

March 2, 1476 - Toro, Castile and León - Battle of Toro =(START)

January(?) 1(?), 1482(?) - Granada - Involved in the campaigns of the Granada War 1481-1492 (we'll complete this section when more details are researched or a contribution from a reader comes in)

February 27, 1505 - Lisbon - King Manuel I gives Francisco de Almeida the "letter of power" as Viceroy of India =(1495flag)

March 25, 1505 - Lisbon - Ferdinand Magellan departs for India in a fleet of 22 ships sent to

Armada of 1505 to India

host D. Francisco de Almeida as the first viceroy of Portuguese India =(1495flag)

March 29, 1505 - Off Madeira Island - The fleet sails off Madeira Island

April 6, 1505 - Cape Verde Islands - The Armada sails through the Cape Verde Islands

April 9, 1505 - Porto de Ale (Petite-Côte, SE Dakar) - The Armada makes a brief stop at Porto de Ale to resupply

April 15, 1505 - Porto de Ale - Francisco de Almeida resumes voyage and divides his Armada in two squadrons

April 20, 1505 - Line of the Equator - The fleet crosses the Line of the Equator

May 5, 1505 - South Atlantic Ocean - One of the ships in Almeida's squadron, the "Bella", springs a leak and begins to founder. The crew and cargo are distributed among other ships. After Almeida sends the faster squadron ahead, his slower squadron is now reduced to 12 ships

May 18, 1505 - While sailing in the South Atlantic Ocean - In Lisbon, six ships under Pêro de Anaia, considered a third squadron, set out to Sofala

June 26, 1505 - Cape of Good Hope - Francisco de Almeida's squadron doubles the Cape of Good Hope with some difficulty, meeting a violent storm on the other side, during which some ships are separated

July 3(?), 1505 - Primeiras Islands, SW Angoche, Mozambique - Almeida arrives to the Primeiras Islands and waits for the remaining ships

July 18, 1505 - Primeiras Islands - Almeida's squadron is reassembled. Of the 12 ships in his squadron, Almeida finds himself missing only two ships. Hearing nothing about the other squadron, Almeida decides to press on and sets sail north to Quiloa

July 23, 1505 - Quiloa (Kilwa Kisiwani, Tanzania) - Almeida arrives on the island-state of Quiloa with 8 ships. Without receiving the annual tribute owed to the King of Portugal, he lands 500 soldiers and takes Quiloa without opposition. A Fortress is built

August 8, 1505 - Quiloa - One of the missing ships of Almeida's squadron, the "Botafogo", arrives in Quiloa harbour and rejoins the others. He leaves instructions behind for the other squadron and departs from Quiloa, wary of the monsoon timing

August 13, 1505 - Mombasa - Almeida's fleet menacingly anchors before the island-city of Mombasa. Almeida sends out an ultimatum to Mombasa, offering peace in return for vassalship and tribute to Portugal.

August 14, 1505 - Mombasa - After the offer is rejected, the portuguese bombard and sack the city, taking 200 women slaves

August 27, 1505 - Mombasa - After sending news and his respects to the city of Mailindi, Almeida sets sail for India with 14 ships

September 13, 1505 - Angediva Island, India - Almeida alights on the Indian coast at the island of Anjediva. As per the orders received in Lisbon, Almeida immediately begins the construction of a Portuguese fortress on the island – Fort São Miguel of Angediva. He also erects the Church of Our Lady of Springs (Nossa Senhora das Brotas) 

October 16, 1505 - Angediva Island - Almeida departs for Honnavar (Rio de Onor), the homebase of the Hindu corsair known as Timoja (or Timaya), who had caused some trouble to earlier armadas, and whom Almeida feared might yet cause trouble for Anjediva

October 18, 1505 - Rio de Onor (Honnavar, India) - Almeida believes his suspicious are confirmed when he sees a significant number of Arab ships, alongside Timoja's own, in Onor harbour. Almeida accuses Onor's rulers of breaking the proferred truce and orders an attack on the port city. Resistance is fierce, but the Portuguese manage to sack and burn the harbour and break into the city. As they approach the palace, the governor pleads for peace. Almeida, who had been wounded in the process, suspends the fighting. In the aftermath, the corsair Timoja and the governor of Onor agree to swear an oath of vassalage and promise not to molest the Portuguese in Anjediva

October 24, 1505 - Rio de Onor (Honnavar, India) - Almeida sails south to Cannanore

October 27(?), 1505 - Cannanore - Arrival at Cannanore. Almeida visits the portuguese factory there and secures permission from the Kolathiri Raja of Cannanore to build a portuguese fort in the city

October 30, 1505 - Cannanore - Almeida sets sail to Cochin

November 1, 1505 - Cochin - Francisco de Almeida (and Ferdinand Magellan) arrive in Cochin

December 1, 1505 - Cochin - Almeida is informed that the portuguese in Quilon (Kollam) were massacred. He sends his son Lourenço de Almeida with 6 ships there,  reinforces Fort Manuel at Cochin and delivers a golden crown as a gift from King Manuel I of Portugal to the King of Cochin

December 16, 1505 - Cochin - Letter to King Manuel I

December 27, 1505 - Cochin - Letter to King Manuel I

March 10, 1508 - Cannanore - Letter to the King of Hormuz telling him "that from four captains of those there with Afonso de Albuquerque who had arrived in India, he had learned that, through his fault, war had broken out again with Ormuz, and that he therefore called him so that he received the punishment his faults deserved"

March 20(?), 1508 - While in Cannanore(?) - His son Lourenço de Almeida is surprised and killed at the Battle of Chaul

November 25, 1508 - Cochin - Sets sail to Diu, via Cannanore (again with Magellan)

December 4, 1508 - Cannanore - Arrival at Cannanore. Afonso de Albuquerque's ships are greeted by the Viceroy aboard the "Frol de la Mar" and other vessels

December 9, 1508 - Cannanore - Sails for Diu

On his way to Diu, Francisco de Almeida defeats a combined fleet of the Kingdom of Cambay. December 29, 1508 - Dabul (Dabhol) - After bombarding Dabul, portuguese soldiers land, slaughter and burn everyone in the town, in the bloodiest episode in Portuguese India (together with Vasco da Gama's destruction of a hajj pilgrim ship)

January 5, 1509 - Dabul - Francisco de Almeida sails for Diu, taking the "Frol de la Mar"

Battle of Diu, 1509

February 3, 1509 - Diu - Great Battle of Diu - Decisive portuguese victory over an alliance of ottoman turks, mamelukes, gujaratis, venetians and ragusans

March 8, 1509 - Cochin - Francisco de Almeida returns triumphant to Cochin

November 5, 1509 - Cochin - Afonso de Albuquerque becomes the second Governor of India. The former Governor (and Viceroy), D.Francisco de Almeida, embarks on board the "Garça" to Portugal

November 19, 1509 - Cochin - Sails for Cannanore

December 1, 1509 - Cannanore - D.Francisco de Almeida sets sail to Portugal with 3 ships

February 27(?), 1510 - Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa - Francisco de Almeida anchors at Table Bay to replenish water

March 2, 1510 - Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa - At the watering point, the portuguese are attacked by the khoikhoi people. Almeida (aged 59-60) and 64 of his men are killed (including António do Campo and other 10 of his captains) =(END)