lour and constancy in war as in the days of
Albuquerque, they were now too apt to prefer private advantage to the
good of the State. Dom Joao de Castro took out with him a powerful
fleet and 2000 soldiers, and he was accompanied by two young sons,
Dom Alvaro and Dom Fernao, who rivalled in the East the glory of the
youthful Dom Lourenco de Almeida and of Albuquerque's young nephew
Dom Antonio de Noronha.

Dom Joao de Castro reached Goa on September 10, 1545, and at once
took over the charge of the government. He found himself face to face
with two serious dangers; Ibrahim Adil Shah of Bijapur was preparing
to attack Goa, and Muhammad III of Gujarat was again besieging Diu.
These were but symptoms of a general league which was in act of
formation between all the sovereigns of the West of India against the
Portuguese. In spite of the expostulation of the officials Joao de
Castro refused to carry out the engagement made with the King of
Bijapur by his predecessor. He declared that Mir Ali Khan had come to
seek refuge at Goa, and that it would be a most dishonourable act to
surrender him. The King of Bijapur at once sent an army to recover
the {186} provinces of Bardes and Salsette, which he had handed over,
but Dom Joao de Castro marched out and inflicted a severe defeat on
the Bijapur forces.

The situation at Diu was more threatening. A renegade Albanian,
called by the Portuguese Coge Cofar (Khoja Zufar), had attained
supreme influence at the Court of Muhammad III of Gujarat. He
persuaded the King that it was most disgraceful for him to fail in
capturing Diu. He collected the whole force of the kingdom and
commenced the siege of the Portuguese fortress, with the declaration
that he would die sooner than return unsuccessful. The Captain of
Diu, Dom Joao Mascarenhas, showed the same constancy and valour as
Antonio da Silveira. The garrison consisted of nearly the same
soldiers, and the women once more distinguished themselves in the
defence. The Governor made every effort to relieve the fortress. He
first sent his son, Dom Fernao, who was killed, then his other son,
Dom Alvaro, and eventually brought up all the forces he could collect
in person. Coge Cofar was slain by a cannon-ball, and his successor,
Rumecao, did not press the siege with the same vigour.

After repulsing all assaults, Dom Joao de Castro marched out at the
head of his army and utterly defeated the enemy in a pitched battle.
The slaughter among the Muh