Arabia and Persian Gulf. List of Portuguese colonial forts and possessions

Written by Marco Ramerini. English text revision by Dietrich Köster.

YEMEN:

Soko (Socotra): Fortaleza de São Miguel

Portuguese: Apr./May 1507 fort – 1511 abandoned and dismantled

Source: Pereira da Costa “Socotra e o domínio português no Oriente”

Kamaran: 

Kamaran is an island in west Yemen. In the 16th Century, portuguese established there an outpost.

Source: wikipedia

Written by Zé MIguel Silva Lopes

OMAN:

Matara (Matrah): (23°38’N – 58°30’E) fort built (rebuilt ?) by Rui Freire ??.

Portuguese: 1588 fort – 1648

Danvers “Portuguese in India”

Mascate (Muscat): (23°38’N – 58°33’E) Forte de São João (Jalali), Forte Mirani

Portuguese: 1507 conquered and sacked

Portuguese: after the conquest of Ormuz ? – 1522 revolted

Portuguese: 1523 – ? revolted

Portuguese: 1526 – ?

Portuguese: ? – 1550/51

to the Turks

Portuguese: 1551/52 the fort was built

1581: destroyed by the Turks

Portuguese: 1588: fort rebuilt by the Portuguese – 26 Jan. 1650

to Oman

Danvers “Portuguese in India”

Curiate (Kuriyat): rectangular fortress built by the Arabs and conquered by the Portuguese

Portuguese: 1507 conquered and sacked after the conquest of Ormuz ? – 1522 revolted

Portuguese: Rebuilt last quarter 16th century ? – end 1607

Portuguese: ? – 1648

Danvers “Portuguese in India” 

Calayate (Qalhat or Kalhat): (22°42’N – 59°22’E)

Portuguese: 1507 tributary, 1508 conquered and sacked

Portuguese: after the conquest of Ormuz ? – rebellion

Portuguese: 1526 – ?

Danvers “Portuguese in India”

Sibo (As Sib): (23°40’N – 58°12’E) triangular fortress with bastions in the angles

Portuguese: conquered by Rui Freire

Borca (Barkah or Al Batha ?): (23°46’N – 57°46’E) ? triangular fortress with bastions in the angles

Portuguese: ? – ?

Caçapo or Cassapo (Khasab): (26°12’N – 56°15’E)

Portuguese: 1623 ? fort – ?

Soar (Suhar): (24°21’N – 56°43’E) square fortress with bastions and surrounded by walls

Portuguese: 1507 tributary – 1522 revolted

Portuguese: 1523 – ?

Portuguese: 1616 conquered by the Portuguese – 1622 ?

Portuguese: 1623 – 7 Nov. 1643

to the Imaum

Danvers “Portuguese in India”

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:

Corfação (Khor Fakkan): (25°20’N – 56°22’E) triangular fortress with triangular bastions and a round tower in the center. In the log book of the Dutch vessel the Meerkat (1666) we read: “Gorfacan is a place on a small bay, which has about 200 small houses all built from date branches, near the beach. It had on the northern side a triangular Portuguese fortress, of which the desolate ruins can still be seen. On the southern coast of the bay in a corner there is another fortress on a hill, but there is no garrison nor artillery on it, and it is also in ruins.”

Portuguese: 1507 conquered and sacked

Portuguese: 1620 fort built – ?

Libedia (Bidyah): (25°26’N – 56°21’E) square fortress

Portuguese: 1623 – ?

Quelba (Kalba): (25°04’N – 56°21’E) square fortress

Portuguese: Mar 1624 – ?

Doba (Diba al Hisn): (25°36’N – 56°17’E) square fortress with round bastions and a tower in the center

Portuguese: 1624 – 1648

Danvers “Portuguese in India”

Mada (Mahdah): square fortress with bastions

Portuguese: May 1624 – ?

Julfa or Julfar: (a few Km North of Ras al Khaimah = Portuguese: Recoima)

Portuguese: 1515 – 1622

Portuguese: 1623 (customs house), 1631 (fort) – 1633 ?

Leite “Comentários do Grande Capitão Rui Freire de Andrada” Danvers “Portuguese in India”

SAUDI ARABIA:

Tarut island (near Al Qatif): (26°35’N – 50°05’E)

Portuguese fortress

Catifa (Al Qatif): (26°34’N – 50°00’E)

Portuguese: 1521-1529 ?

Portuguese: 1550/51 – shortly after abandoned and destroyed

Danvers “Portuguese in India”

BAHARAIN:

Al Muharraq: (26°15’N – 50°37’E)

Portuguese:

Barem (Manama – Bahrain): (26°13’N – 50°35’E)

Portuguese: Jul./Ago. 1521 – Nov./Dec. 1521

Portuguese: 1523 – 1529

Portuguese: 1540 – 1545 tributary

Portuguese: ? – 1602

to Persia

Kervran “Bahrain in the 16th. century an impregnable island”

IRAQ:

Bussora or Bassora (Basra or Al-Basrah): (30°31’N – 47°50’E)

Portuguese: 1623 feitoria – ?

Danvers “Portuguese in India”

IRAN:

Ormuz (Hormuz): (27°06’N – 56°27’E) Fort Nossa Senhora da Victória (1507) later named Nossa Senhora da Conceiçao (1515)

Portuguese: 24 Oct. 1507 fort – Jan. 1508

to Arabs (Jan. 1508 – 1 Apr. 1515)

Portuguese: 1 Apr. 1515 fort – 3 May 1622* conquered by Persia with the help of the British.

* according to Leite “Comentários do Capitão Rui Freire de Andrada” ** 15 May 1622 according to Oceanos N° 28 *** 22 May 1622 according to Danvers “Portuguese in India”

Comorão or Armão (or Bandel ?) (Goombron – Bandar Abbas): (27°11’N – 56°16’E)

Portuguese: fort ? – 22 Sep. 1615*

to Persia

Leite “Comentários do Capitão Rui Freire de Andrada” Danvers “Portuguese in India” *1614 according to “Oceanos 28” 

Queixome (Qeshm): (26°58’N – 56°16’E) Fortaleza de Queixome

Portuguese: 1523 feitoria – ?

Portuguese: 8 May 1621 fort built by Rui Freire – 11 Feb. 1622

to Persia

Leite “Comentários do Capitão Rui Freire de Andrada” Danvers “Portuguese in India”

Congo (or Bandel ?)(Bandar-e Kong): (26°36’N – 54°56’E)

Portuguese: 1624/25 alfândega, feitoria and fort ? – 18th century

Leite “Comentários do Capitão Rui Freire de Andrada”