Chap. VIII] GOA CAPTURED. 183
At this time, however, it v;i.s lo.st almost as easily a« it had been gained, ad. 1511. Yusnf Adil Shall having died, was succeeded by his son Ismael Adil JShah, who, abont four months after the hasty surrender of Goa, collected an army estimated ^oa takeu
nnd le-
at 60,000. Kumal Khan, the general to whom this army was intrusted, sud- taken. denly made his appearance, and conducted the siege with so iruich ability, that Albu(i[uerque, after twenty days, finding his communication with the fleet seriously threatened, was glad to evacuate the place. But he had no idea of finally abandoning so valuable a prize. In the course of the same year, having collected all his forces, including several additional ships which had arrived from Portugal, he set .sail from Cananore with a fleet of twenty-three ships, and 1500 righting men. After landing at Onore, to assist at the celebration of Timoja s marriage with the daughter of a native ([ueen, he h.ustened off to Goa, and, anchoring before it a second time, immediately prepared for the .issault. It took place before daybreak, and with such success, that the Portuguese entered the city along with those of the defenders who had been .stationed outside. For a time every inch of gi'ound within the city was disputed, and more especially at the palace the fight was furiously renewed, till the defenders, fearing that their retreat to the mainland might be cut off, ([uitted the place in the utmost confusion. The enemy lost 6000 ; the Portuguese only fifty. Not one Moor was left alive ; but the natives were ti eated with great moderation. Besides recovering theu' property, they had the satisfaction of being placed under the government of their countryman Timoja, who ruled more equitably than might have been anticipated from his predatory habits. Before departing, Albuquerque dechired his intention to make Goa the capital of Portuguese India.
The remaining exploits of Albuquerque, though they had not India for their Aibuqner- theatre, are so intimately connected with its history, that a short account of tion iigainst them is here subjoined. After returning to Cochin he began to prepare another ^^'^ armament, and gave out that it was destined to act against Aden, which was then, as it is now, the key to the navigation of the Red Sea. The importance of the object was sufficient to justify all the preparations which he was making; but while preteiuling to l(K)k to the west, his eye was fixed in an opposite direc- tion. The city of Malacca, situated on the peninsula of the same name, had long been the most important emporium of the rich countries lying further east than India. The Moors were still carrying on a lucrative traffic in that quarter ;
- ind by means of it were almo.st able to compensate themselves for all the losses
which they had sustjiined from the Portuguese. This consideration was of itself , sufficient to determine Albuquercpie to undertake the important expedition wiiich he was now meditating, though the direct benefits which his own country might expect to derive from it were of themselves a sufficient inducement.
On the 2d of May, 1511, Albuquerque set sail from Cochin with nineteen capture of ships and 1400 fighting men, Of these, however, 600 were natives of India. Malacca was at this time under the rrovemment of a king of the name of
