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{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Capture of Qeshm
| partof = [[Safavid–Portuguese conflicts]]
| image = File:Qeshm Portuguese Castle.jpg
| image_size = 300
| caption = Portuguese fortress of Qeshm
| date = June 1621 — February 1622
| place = [[Qeshm Island]]
| result = Anglo-Persian victory
| territory = Qeshm annexed to Persia
| combatant1 = {{flagicon image|Safavid Flag.svg}} [[Safavid Iran|Safavid Persia]] {{flagicon image|British East India Company flag.svg}} [[East India Company]]
| combatant2 = {{flagicon image|Flag Portugal (1578).svg}} [[Kingdom of Portugal|Portugal]]
| commander1 = {{flagicon image|Safavid Flag.svg}} [[Imam Quli Khan (governor)|Imam Quli Khan]] {{flagicon image|Safavid Flag.svg}} Abdullah Hussain Khan {{flagicon image|British East India Company flag.svg}} Edward Monnox {{flagicon image|British East India Company flag.svg}} [[William Baffin]] {{KIA}}
| commander2 = {{flagicon image|Flag Portugal (1578).svg}} Rui Freire de Andrade
| strength1 = 25,000 Persians 400 boats 9 English ships
| strength2 = 3,000 men
| casualties1 = Heavy
| casualties2 = Heavy
}}
{{Portuguese battles in the Indian Ocean}}

The '''Capture of Qeshm''' was a combined Anglo-Persian expedition that successfully captured the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] garrison at [[Qeshm Island]] after months of siege.

==Background==
[[Philip III of Spain]] took measures to maintain the Iberian supremacy of [[Persian Gulf]].<ref>Mohammed Hameed Salman, p. 227</ref> In January 1619,<ref>Encyclopaedia Iranica</ref> he dispatched two naval squadrons to the region; one of them, led by Rui Freire de Andrade, left Lisbon with clear orders to drive the English off and secure [[Hormuz Island]] from a possible Persian attack. The force under Rui consisted of two galleons and three small vessels carrying 2,000 soldiers and 178 guns. He reached Hormuz in June 1620.<ref>Mohammed Hameed Salman, p. 227</ref>

In December 1620, [[Abbas the Great|Shah Abbas]] tried to reassure the Portuguese about his dealings with the English, but the Portuguese in Goa realized that the English would not abandon their trade in the Persian Gulf region. A battle broke out on January 7, 1621, off [[Jask]] between Rui and an English fleet of four vessels, in which the English had the upper hand. After this defeat, Rui turned to his second objective, securing Hormuz from Persian invasion.<ref>Mohammed Hameed Salman, p. 227-8</ref>

In this respect, Rui had to build a fortress on [[Qeshm Island]] to secure the water supply to Hormuz. This project came at an unfortunate moment; the construction of a Portuguese fort in Qeshm provided an excuse for the Persians to attack the Portuguese. Shah Abbas protested against such action at Hormuz. Rui was warned of such action by Fernao de Albuquerque, the governor of India, or by Luis de Sousa, the captain of Hormuz. However, Rui ignored the warnings and insisted on building a fort, proving this to be his first mistake.<ref>Mohammed Hameed Salman, p. 228-9</ref>

==Prelude==
On May 7, 1621,<ref>Encyclopaedia Iranica</ref> a Portuguese force of 2,000 men supported by 1,000 Hormuzi defeated the Persians there who attempted to oppose them.<ref>Encyclopaedia Iranica</ref> The Persians then assembled an army of 25,000 men, reinforced by 400 Arab boats, on the Persian coastlines. The Persians were led by Abdullah Hussain Khan, who was sent by [[Imam Quli Khan (governor)|Imam Quli Khan]] who had been placed in charge of the campaign by Shah Abbas. While Rui was working on the construction, two galleons from Goa arrived to his assistance, commanded by Manuel de Azevedo and John de Silveira, who were rivals with Rui and brought instructions to curb his power. Later, these two captains left the island.<ref>Mohammed Hameed Salman, p. 229-30</ref>

After that, Rui began raiding and sacking coastal cities such as [[Kong, Iran|Kong]], [[Jask]], and [[Ras Al Khaimah|Julfar]] committing atrocities that caused outrage among the coastal tribes on Persian and Arabian shores instead of gaining the support of these inhabitants.<ref>Mohammed Hameed Salman, p. 230</ref><ref>Salim Abdul Ali al-'Areedh, p. 41</ref>

==Capture==
[[Image:Imam Quli Khan's soldiers in boats repulsed by the Portuguese at Hurmuz.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Persian depiction of a battle scene between Persians and Portuguese]]
The Persian besieged Qeshm for about nine months from June 1621 until February 1622, they sustained heavy casualties in several assaults and all of their efforts proved vain, the Persian commanders realized the fort won't fall unless they controlled the surrounding sea lanes,<ref>Mohammed Hameed Salman, p. 230</ref> they decided to ask the English to assist them in the siege, a nine English vessels arrived at Jask from [[Surat]] on 26 December 1621, Imam Quli Khan used this opportunity to exert pressure on the English, demanding them for help in exchange for rewards but threating to withdraw all trading privileges in Persia, Rui ordered a Portuguese attack on Jask that destroyed English factory, this proved to be his second mistake, as it increased English hostility against them.<ref>Mohammed Hameed Salman, p. 230-1</ref><ref>Encyclopaedia Iranica</ref><ref>Salim Abdul Ali al-'Areedh, p. 41</ref>

In spite of all this, the English agent in Perisan, Edward Monnox, agreed to help. The English joined the siege of Qeshm in January 1622. Negotiations were held between Edward and Rui, and Rui reminded him that he was giving support to the Moors against Christian forces. Edward replied by mentioning the destruction of the English factory at Jask. These talks brought no solution; Rui refused to surrender, and the fortress was bombarded with little effect. The garrison, however, rebelled against their leader with the encouragement of the priests and surrendered the fort in February 1622.<ref>Mohammed Hameed Salman, p. 232-3</ref><ref>Salim Abdul Ali al-'Areedh, p. 41</ref>

Rui was sent with his men to Surat as a prisoner; however, he managed to escape to [[Muscat]]. The Lascarins' auxiliaries' fates were unfortunate; the Persians first promised them safety, but the Khan massacred them like "a folk of sheep." Both sides broke the terms of surrender.<ref>Mohammed Hameed Salman, p. 233</ref><ref>Salim Abdul Ali al-'Areedh, p. 41-2</ref>

==Aftermath==
The fall of Qishm to the English-Persian alliance was important because of its role as a storehouse of products to supply Hormuz. In addition, its fall was the first step toward precipitating a crisis in Hormuz because it deprived the garrison and inhabitants of Hormuz of one of their sources of water.<ref>Mohammed Hameed Salman, p. 233</ref>

==Bibilography==
*Mohammed Hameed Salman, Aspects Of Portuguese Rule In The Arabian Gulf, 1521–1622.[https://archive.org/details/aspects-of-portuguese-rule-in-the-arabian-gulf-152-1-1622/page/227/mode/1up]
*Salim Abdul Ali al-'Areedh, Islamic rulings and their practical applications in British India and the Arabian Gulf.[https://books.google.com/books?id=dqxEDAAAQBAJ&dq=Qeshm+1622&pg=PA41]
*[https://iranicaonline.org/articles/qeshm-island QESHM ISLAND, Encyclopaedia Iranica]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{coord missing|India}}

[[Category:Battles involving the British East India Company]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1621]]
[[Category:17th century in Iran]]
[[Category:Military history of England]]
[[Category:Battles involving Portugal]]
[[Category:Iran–Portugal military relations]]
[[Category:Iran–United Kingdom relations]]
[[Category:Portuguese Empire]]
[[Category:1621 in Asia]]
[[Category:Battles involving Safavid Iran]]

Anglo-Persian capture of Qeshm - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article