Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Britannica Sources used in this answer

How did Timoja help Afonso de Albuquerque capture Goa?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Map highlighting the location of Goa on the western coast of India along the Arabian Sea, with its capital Panaji marked. Surrounding countries including Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives are shown in context.
Portuguese India

Timoja, an admiral of the Vijayanagar empire, played a pivotal role in the Portuguese conquest of Goa by providing strategic intelligence and military support to Afonso de Albuquerque.

His contributions included:

  • Strategic Intelligence: Timoja advised Albuquerque to attack Goa, reporting that the city was poorly defended and lacked sufficient troops. He also informed the Portuguese of the presence of hostile forces linked to the sultan of Egypt, who intended to use Goa as a base to expel the Portuguese from India.
  • Reconnaissance: After the initial Portuguese withdrawal from Goa, Timoja met with Albuquerque in Onor to report on the internal unrest within the city and the movements of the Adil Shahi sultanate forces, which encouraged Albuquerque to return and retake the territory.
  • Military Support: During the final successful assault in November 1510, Timoja provided his own troops to fight alongside the Portuguese forces to help secure the city.