一六世紀前半のグジャラー卜とポルトガル : 港市ディーウをめぐる諸關係

Abstract

Following the conflict in 1508 between the allied forces of the port city of Diw in Gujarat and the Mamluk dynasty, on the one hand, and forces of the Portuguese fleet off Chawl, on the other, a Portuguese fort was established at Diw in 1536. My purpose in this paper is first, to confirm and describe the train of events leading to the extension of the Portuguese in Gujarat, with particular emphasis on a political, rather than economic or cultural interpretation. Second, through a description of these events, I hope to clarify the structure and nature of the relations that pertained between Gujarat and the Portuguese. In this paper, I will focus in particular on the period from 1520-1536. My conclusions from a discussion of these events are as follows. Relations between either Diw or the Ahmad-Shahi dynasty and the Portuguese had been characterized by conflict involving military force since 1520. Particularly after his occupation of Diw (1526), Ahmad-Shahi Sultan Bahadur assumed a position of distinct rivalry against the Portuguese. The events of this era were interpreted as a game played on both sides for possession of Diw. However, what made Portuguese extension possible was not military victories in this contest. Within the series of battles that characterized this conflict, there exists no basis for the common assumption of the overwhelming superiority of Portuguese military force. Portuguese extension could not have succeeded until the internal conditions and diplomatic relations of Gujarat allowed for this. Moreover, there also existed political and military interests through which Portuguese extension created conditions advantageous to Gujarat.