Portuguese presence in the Persian Gulf in the sixteenth century: causes and consequences

Abstract

Portugal was the first European country that was able to reach the Arabian Gulf region via its route to the Indian subcontinent and East Asia. This granted it the opportunity to emerge as a colonial power in the sixteenth century and vie for colonies with other European powers. Its colonial activities began by sending missions under the guise of trade in order to extend its control and influence in the world, as it set its sights on the American continents to the west and Africa and Asia to the east. Portugal was the first European country to covet the bounties of the East by sending its naval fleets to India to monopolize the spice trade and plunder the wealth of the East. The Portuguese colonial presence in the East had led to the establishment of the Portuguese East India Company, accompanied by a modern and heavy military presence, using violence and torture to monopolize the spice trade and the products of Asian countries in general. It then made significant inroads into Arabian Gulf territory between Basra in the north, and Muscat in the south. The colonization of these areas was driven by political, religious, and economic reasons. The abhorrent colonization of the Arabian Gulf region (Yemen, Oman Hormuz, Bahrain) under Portuguese military commander Alfonso Albuquerque, leadership aimed to plunder the region resources and deprive its peoples of them Nevertheless, it ran into serious political and security problems, notably the awakening of the Arab nationalist consciousness in people and the intense rivalry with other colonial powers such as Britain and the Netherlands. These problems were further compounded by issues arising in the management of East India Company, which was running Portuguese commercial transactions, culminating in Portugal’s withdrawal from the scene, hence the loss of spheres of influence.