at once sent off three ships to Malacca, with whose help
another great victory was won, and eventually he appointed his
cousin, Jorge de Albuquerque, to be Captain of Malacca. This officer
showed himself worthy of the confidence bestowed upon him; he
defeated some insurgents who had risen against the King of Pacem, a
native monarch in the island of Sumatra, which victory finally
established the Portuguese influence in those quarters. Ruy de Brito
returned to India, and under the government of Jorge de Albuquerque
the Portuguese settlement in the Malay Peninsula remained in peace
and tranquillity for some years.

A matter which occupied much of Albuquerque's attention was the
establishment of the Portuguese power at Ormuz. He had never
forgotten nor forgiven the slights which had been put upon him during
the year 1508, and had long desired to complete the fortress which he
had commenced, and carry out his vow of vengeance. The state of
affairs in Persia increased his wish to act with promptitude. On his
return from the Red Sea, he had been informed that the old King of
Ormuz and his wily minister, Cogeatar (Khojah Atar), were dead, and
what was of more significance, that the new king had acknowledged the
supremacy and the form of religion of Ismail Shah. It was obvious
that if the Portuguese did not strike {135} quickly they would have
to contend with the powerful Shah of Persia for the possession of
Ormuz. Albuquerque had found an ambassador from Ismail waiting for
him in India, to whom he exhibited the wealth and strength of the
Portuguese establishments, before sending him back to Persia
accompanied by an envoy from himself. It will be remembered that he
had nominated Ruy Gomes as ambassador in 1510, and that that
gentleman had been poisoned at Ormuz on the way. He now selected
Miguel Ferreira for the office, with similar instructions to those
given to Ruy Gomes. The Governor himself greatly impressed the Shah's
ambassador, and it is recorded

'That he was so struck with the personal appearance of Affonso de
Albuquerque, that he desired a life-size portrait of him to be
painted, which could be carried to Shah Ismail.'[5]

[Footnote 5: Albuquerque's _Commentaries_, vol. iv. p. 81.]

Ferreira was more fortunate than Ruy Gomes, and reached the Court of
the Shah of Persia in safety. He was received with the greatest
honour; so much so that the ambassador of the King of Bijapur was
much offended that a better re