Francisco de Almeida

From Freepedia

Francisco de Almeida, also known as Francis Almeida (Lisbon, c.1450 - March 1, 1510), was a Portuguese soldier and explorer.

Almeida distinguished himself in the wars against the Moors and in conquest of Granada in 1492. In 1505 king Manuel I of Portugal made him first viceroy of Portuguese India. With 21 ships Almeida left Lisbon on March 25 1505, rounded the Cape of Good Hope and took Kilwa. At Kilwa he constructed a fort, then destroyed Mombasa. After reaching India, Almeida taking up residence in Cochin.

In 1509, he became the first Portuguese to set sail in Bombay. Almeida defeated joint fleet of Arabs and Egyptians in naval Battle of Diu on February 3, 1509.

When Alfonso d'Albuquerque arrived at Cochin to supersede him, Almeida refused to recognize Albuquerque's credentials and cast him into prison. D'Albuquerque was released after three months' confinement, on the arrival of the grand-marshal of Portugal with a large fleet, in November 1509. Almeida sail for Portugal the next month. He was killed in a skirmish with the Khoikhoi at Table Bay, near the Cape of Good Hope.