imoja, and
stormed the fortress of Panjim, which is situated at the entrance to
the harbour. The ships then entered, and on the 3rd of March the city
of Goa surrendered without making any defence.[7] The Governor for
the Muhammadan King and his soldiers had fled with such haste that
many fugitives were drowned in crossing the rivers. Albuquerque
entered the city in triumph, and proceeded to the palace of Yusaf
Adil Shah, where his first measure was to appoint Dom Antonio de
Noronha to be Captain of the city. He was hailed with shouts of
welcome by the people, who showered on him flowers made of gold and
silver. The Governor at once prepared to strengthen the defences of
the city; the ships' crews were brought ashore, and both Portuguese
and natives were set to work to build a strong wall round the city,
and a citadel.

[Footnote 7: The dates of the first capture of Goa are given
differently. The _Commentaries_ of Albuquerque gives March 3, vol.
ii. pp. 88-92; Correa, _Lendas da India_, vol. ii p. 59, says March
1. Barros, Decade II, Book V, chapter 3, ed. of 1777, pp. 464, 465;
Castanheda, vol. iii. ed. of 1833, p. 30; and Faria e Sousa, _Asia
Portugueza_, ed. of 1666, vol. i. p. 137, all fix February 17.]

Albuquerque was well aware of the effect his {77} conquest would have
upon the minds of other native sovereigns. He received ambassadors
from the Raja of Vijayanagar, who plainly hinted that their master
expected Goa would be made over to him. He also received ambassadors
from the King of Ormuz and from Shah Ismail of Persia. These
Muhammadan potentates had despatched their ambassadors to the King of
Bijapur to incite him to join in a general war against the
Portuguese. But when they found Albuquerque in possession of the city
of Goa, they adroitly changed the purpose of their missions, and made
overtures to him instead. Albuquerque received them with fair words.
He had not abandoned his schemes against Ormuz, but he desired to
stand well with Ismail Shah. He thoroughly understood the exact
position of Ismail, the greatest of the Sufi Shahs of Persia, whom
the Portuguese always called the Sophy, and that Ismail belonged to
the Shiah sect of Muhammadans, and as such was the enemy of the
Turks, who were orthodox Muhammadans.

Albuquerque nominated Ruy Gomes as ambassador to Ismail Shah, and the
instructions which he took with him are very significant of
Albuquerque's wide range of policy. Ruy Gomes never reached th