João de Castro | Timeline

Dom(*) João de Castro (7 February 1500 – 6 June 1548) was a Portuguese nobleman, scientist, writer, and the fourth viceroy of Portuguese India. He was called Castro Forte ("Stronghold" or "Strong Castle") by the poet Luís de Camões. De Castro was the second son of Álvaro de Castro, the civil governor of Lisbon. His wife was Leonor de Coutinho. (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

February 7, 1500 - Lisbon, Portugal - João de Castro is born

January(?) 1(?), 1518 - Tangier, Morocco - 18-year-old João de Castro embarks for the fortified city of Tangier at the age of 18, where he places himself at the service of the governor, D.Duarte de Meneses =(START)

January(?) 1(?), 1524 - Almada, Portugal - João de Castro returns to Portugal already armed as a knight and having participated in several battles. He marries his cousin D.Leonor Coutinho

January(?) 1(?), 1525 - Almada - First son, Álvaro de Castro, is born

October 25, 1527 - Almada - Letter from King John III in Coimbra summoning him

November 2, 1532 - Almada - The King favors him with an annual pension of 30,000 reais

May 1(?), 1534 - Safim (Safi, Morocco) - Commands a caravel with reinforcements, ammunition and supplies for Safim, who was besieged by the Moors

March 1(?), 1535 - Lisbon, Portugal - Arrives from Tangier

April 1(?), 1535 - Lisbon - António Saldanha's Portuguese squadron sails for Tunis, via Barcelona

April 8, 1535 - Barcelona - The Portuguese squadron arrives in Barcelona

June 2, 1535 - Barcelona - Sets sail for Tunis. Prince D.Luis embarks in Barcelona in Charles V's galley

June 12, 1535 - Tunis, Tunisia - Arrives at Tunis

June 14, 1535 - La Golleta, Tunis - La Goletta is taken

June 21, 1535 - Tunis - Tunis is taken

August 17, 1535 - Tunis - The portuguese fleet sets sail back to Lisbon

October 15, 1535 - Lisbon, Portugal - The portuguese fleet returns to Lisbon

January(?) 1(?), 1536 - Penha Verde, Sintra, Portugal - He returns to Portugal and retires to his house in Sintra Mountains

January 31, 1538 - Penha Verde - The king grants him the commandry of Salvaterra

April 6, 1538 - Belém, Lisbon, Portugal - Sails to India in the armada of D.Garcia de Noronha, commanding the ship "Grifo", to help Diu, who was threatened with siege by the Turks. Starts writing his "roteiro" (Logbook) from Lisbon to Goa

April 10, 1538 - Off Porto Santo Island, Madeira, Portugal - Porto Santo Island is sighted

April 13, 1538 - Off La Palma Island, Canary Islands - D.João de Castro begins experiments with a "special instrument of shadows, in ivory" offered by Prince D.Luis, in which he makes the first determinations of latitude by extrameridian heights of the Sun, at Sea

April 22, 1538 - Off Cape Verde Islands - The fleet reaches the Cape Verde Islands

June 27, 1538 - Cape Agulhas, South Africa - Reaches Cape Agulhas without seeing Cape of Good Hope

July 2, 1538 - Coast of Natal, South Africa - Sailing by the coast of Natal

July 25, 1538 - Primeiras Islands, near Angoche, Mozambique - Reaches the Primeiras Islands

July 28, 1538 - Island of Mozambique - Reaches the Island of Mozambique

August 5, 1538 - Island of Mozambique - Letter to King John III. He notes the deviation of his magnetic needle 128 years before Guillaume Dennis (1666)

August 11, 1538 - Island of Mozambique - Weighs anchor and sails to Goa

August 14, 1538 - Comoros Island - Comoros Island is sighted

September 11, 1538 - Goa, India - The armada of D.Garcia de Noronha arrives in Goa

November 21, 1538 - Goa - Sails for Diu

December 6, 1538 - Chaul - Stopover of four days in Chaul

December 19, 1538 - Baçaim (Vasai, near Mumbai) - Stopover in Baçaim

December 22, 1538 - near Baçaim - Observes another magnetic phenomenon with his new instrument

January 3, 1539 - Dabul (Dabhol, India) - Stopover of four days in Dabul

January 16, 1539 - Danda - Arrives at Danda

January 24, 1539 - Chaul - Stopover of seven days in Chaul

March 11, 1539 - Diu - Arrives in Diu (staying until March 24th)

March 29, 1539 - Goa - Returns to Goa (from Diu)

October 29, 1539 - Goa - Letter to Prince D. Luis

April 3, 1540 - Goa - Viceroy D.Garcia de Noronha dies

October 30, 1540 - Goa - Letter to Prince D.Luis

December 31, 1540 - Goa - Expedition to the Suez with Estêvão da Gama, in command of the "Coulão Novo". Begins writing a new "roteiro" (logbook)

January 13, 1541 - Off Island of Socotra - The Island of Socotra is sighted

January 20, 1541 - Qalansiyah (Calecea, Island of Socotra) - The fleet anchors at Qalansiyah and sails to the Red Sea on the next day

January 22, 1541 - Abd Al Kuri Island - Abd Al Kuri Island is sighted

January 27, 1541 - Off Aden - Sailing off Aden

January 28, 1541 - Bab al-Mandab Strait, Red Sea - The fleet enters the Red Sea

January 31, 1541 - Sarbo Island, Howakil Bay, Eritrea - Reaches Sarbo Island and goes ashore on the next morning

February 8, 1541 - Dahlak Islands, Eritrea - Reaches the Dahlak Islands

February 14, 1541 - Massawa, Eritrea - Arrival in Massawa

February 18, 1541 - Massawa - Continues voyage

February 22, 1541 - Amarat Islands (Aqiq Kabir, Sudan) - Anchors off Amarat Islands

February 28, 1541 - Suakin, Sudan - Anchors in the harbour of Suakin

March 10, 1541 - Suakin - Continues voyage

March 17, 1541 - Port Sudan - Reaches Port Sudan after a week of contrary winds

April 10, 1541 - Mukawwar Island, Sudan - Reaches Mukawwar Island

April 27, 1541 - Suez - Reaches Suez and observes the turkish fleet at anchor - 9 big ships and 41 royal galleys. From a tower the turks fire upon the portuguese

April 28, 1541 - Suez - Sets sail back to Massawa

May 14, 1541 - Port Sudan - Returns to Port Sudan

May 22, 1541 - Massawa, Eritrea - Anchors in Massawa harbour

July 9, 1541 - Massawa - After a long wait during a month and a half of rain and thunderstorms, the fleet sets sail to Goa

August 9, 1541 - Angediva Island, India - Anchors in the port of Angediva and stays until August 21st

August 21, 1541 - Goa - Returns to Goa

October 25, 1541 - Goa - Letter to King John III

January 1(?), 1542 - Goa - Sails for Lisbon on board the "São Tomé"

July 1(?), 1542 - Lisbon, Portugal - Arrives in Lisbon

September 25, 1542 - Penha Verde, Sintra, Portugal - The King summons him again

October(?) 1(?), 1542 - Sintra, Portugal - D.João de Castro is appointed captain-major of a coastguard fleet

December 1, 1542 - Sintra - Once the coastguard mission ends, the king again appoints him to command a fleet that was to join the Spanish fleet of D.Álvaro de Bazán in Cádiz, and which was to oppose the passage of the Turkish fleet, commanded by Barbarossa, who intended to occupy Ceuta

May 25, 1543 - Cádiz, Spain(?) - He sends his son to Lisbon on the "São João" galleon

June(?) 1(?), 1543 - Cascais, Portugal - Arrives in Cascais and causes a sensation by bringing a French pirate ship in tow

June 16, 1543 - Cascais - Letter from King John III congratulating him for taking a french pirate's ship

August 3, 1543 - Penha Verde, Sintra - Letter from King John III inviting him to dinner at Sintra and have a conversation

August 9, 1543 - Lisbon - Appointed captain-major of the coastguard fleet about to sail to Ceuta to face the Turks

August 13, 1543 - Lisbon - Sails for Gibraltar

December 16, 1543 - Off Cape St.Vincent, Portugal - Naval combat with 7 French pirate ships

December 24, 1543 - Lisbon - Returns to Lisbon after sinking two of the pirate ships off Cape St.Vincent

December 28, 1543 - Lisbon - Departs in a coastguarding mission again

February 8, 1544 - Sintra, Portugal - Returns to Lisbon and withdraws to Sintra

February 28, 1545 - Sintra, Portugal - D. João de Castro is appointed Governor of India

March 19, 1545 - Lisbon - Signs his Last will and Testament

March 22, 1545 - Lisbon - Letter from King John III

March 28, 1545 - Lisbon - Sails to Goa with 6 ships: "São Tomé, São Pedro, Santo Espírito, São Mateus, Santa Cruz, Salvador"

August 7, 1545 - Island of Mozambique - Sails to Goa

September 2, 1545 - Goa - Arrival in Goa. Martim Afonso de Sousa hands over the government of Portuguese India to D.João de Castro

October 6, 1545 - Goa - Letter to the Hidalcão (Ibrahim Adil Shah I, Sultan of Bijapur) about Meale (or Mealecão), a runaway Prince of Bijapur

October 16, 1545 - Goa - Letter to the Hidalcão (Ibrahim Adil Shah I, Sultan of Bijapur) about Meale (or Mealecão)

October 17, 1545 - Goa - Letter to the Ouvidor (magistrate) of Cochin

December 15(?), 1545 - Goa - The stir between D.João de Castro and Martim Afonso de Sousa increases and the former governor decides to depart for Lisbon

December 25, 1545 - Goa - Letter to King John III

January 1(?), 1546 - Goa - Hostilities begin with the Hidalcão (Ibrahim Adil Shah I, Sultan of Bijapur)

January 30, 1546 - Goa - News arrive about Turkish activities on the Euphrates River

February 2, 1546 - Goa - Peace is signed (with Hidalcão) that assures Portugal the possession of Bardez (North Goa) and Salsette Island (Mumbai)

March 8, 1546 - Goa - Letter from King John III

March 24, 1546 - Goa - Letter from the Bishop of Angra (Azores), from Lisbon

April 1, 1546 - While in Goa - Coge Sofar (Khoja Zufar) writes to D.João de Mascarenhas (Governor of Diu) announcing his appointment as governor of the city of Diu

April 8, 1546 - Goa - Letter from King John III. Arrival in Diu of the forces of Cambay (Gujarat)

April 14, 1546 - Goa - Receives news about the arrival of the forces of Cambay in Diu

April 20, 1546 - While in Goa - His brother D.Fernando arrives in Baçaim

April 22, 1546 - Baçaim (Vasai, near Mumbai) - Sails from Baçaim

Diu (fortress on the left)

April 30, 1546 - Diu - Arrives in Diu

May 5, 1546 - Diu - Letter to his brother D.Álvaro

June 24, 1546 - Diu - While supervising the trenches during the siege of Diu, Coge Sofar is killed by a cannonball fired from the portuguese fortress

July 1, 1546 - While in Diu - Letter from his brother D.Fernando

July 2, 1546 - While in Diu - Mascarenhas asks for help

July 19, 1546 - Goa - The letters arrive in Goa

July 24, 1546 - While in Goa - D.Álvaro is sent to Diu with relief forces

July 27, 1546 - Chaul - Arrives in Chaul

July 29, 1546 - Chaul - Departs Chaul

August 10, 1546 - While in Goa(?) - Death of his brother D.Fernando

August 28, 1546 - While in Goa(?) - Arrival of D.Álvaro in Diu

September 4, 1546 - Goa - Receives the news of the death of his brother D.Fernando

September 12, 1546 - Goa - An armada from Portugal arrives

September 25, 1546 - Goa - Departs Goa for Baçaim and en route spreads terror along the coast of Cambay, ordering villages to be set on fire and to kill as many people as could be found

October 27, 1546 - Baçaim (Vasai, near Mumbai) - Sails for Diu

November 7, 1546 - Diu - João de Castro arrives with 35 Fustas, caturs, 3 galeons, naus andgales, with 3,000 Portuguese and 300 Indian men

November 10, 1546 - Diu - Defeats the Ottomans and others. Stays in Diu to oversee the rebuilding of the fortress

November 24, 1546 - Diu - Rebuilding of Diu fortress begins

December 16, 1546 - Diu - Letter to King John III

January 8, 1547 - Diu - Letter to the Hidalcão (Ibrahim Adil Shah I, Sultan of Bijapur)

March 16, 1547 - Diu - Letter from Prince D.Luís from Almeirim

March 18, 1547 - Diu - Letter from Catherine of Austria, Queen of Portugal

April 19, 1547 - Goa - D.João de Castro's triumphant arrival in Goa

September 3, 1547 - Goa - Arrival of an armada from Portugal

September 10(?), 1547 - Ponda, N. of Goa - Incursion into the lands of Hidalcão to Ponda

September 24, 1547 - While in Goa - In Lisbon, the King signs the appointment of D.João de Castro as Viceroy of India

October 1(?), 1547 - Goa - Departs for Cambay

November 7, 1547 - Baroche (Bharuch, Gujarat) - Meeting with the army of the King of Cambay in Baroche

November 25, 1547 - While on his way to Baçaim - Diu Governor Mascarenhas arrives in Goa

November 30(?), 1547 - Baçaim (Vasai, near Mumbai) - Returns to Baçaim

December 30(?), 1547 - Salsete, Goa - New incursions in the lands of the Hidalcão and battle of Salsete

January 1, 1548 - Baçaim (Vasai, near Mumbai) - Returns to Baçaim. Negotiations with Cambay begin

March 30(?), 1548 - Baçaim - Francis Xavier joins Viceroy D.João de Castro in Baçaim

April 15(?), 1548 - Goa - D.João de Castro returns sick to Goa

May 15, 1548 - Goa - A letter from King John III arrives, appointing him to another period of 3 years in the government of India and elevating him to the dignity of Viceroy

June 6, 1548 - Goa - D.João de Castro dies at the arms of St.Francis Xavier, aged 48 =(END)

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)