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Afonso of Albuquerque

(Alhandra, 1462 - Goa, 1515)

Military and Portuguese politician. It is, doubtless, the figure more emblemática of the Portuguese expansion in the East. Arising from of a noble family, is created in the cut of D. Afonso V, serves in plazas-strong Portugueses of Morocco and integrates to personal guard of D. João II. Between 1503 and 1505 D. Manuel trusted-him to its first mission in the India. Case the fortitude of Cochim and locks battle with the Turks and with Moslem troops of the kingdom of Calecut. In 1506 return to the India, bearer of a secret letter of the king in the which governor nominate him, in substitution of D. Francisco of Almeida when this, in 1508, I concluded the three years of his mandate. Still before of it initiate his functions, assaults and takes the ports of Oman and of Ormuz; finishes repeled of this last plaza.

His strategic plan is the of install a line of fortitudes that can control the navigation in the Red sea, the domain of a vast territorial area and the expulsion of the forces of the Ottoman Empire. In that sense, submits Goa in 1510, conquest Malaca in 1511 and dominates Ormuz, this time of consistent form, in 1515. However, to his victorious action and the ambitious and wide vision that has of the paper of Portugal in the East won him many enemies in the cut. For him it replace is nominated Lopo you Will Sound of Would House, one of the your main enemy.

Early it aged, sick, Afonso of Albuquerque, when returns of Ormuz, dies in view of Goa, conscious of that is the king that order to its substitution. It is in that height that utters to famous phrase: "Bad with el-king for the sake of the men, bad with the men for the sake of el-king."