https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Battle_of_BharuchBattle of Bharuch - Revision history2026-10-25T10:00:03ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Bharuch&diff=404455&oldid=prevAjay Kumar: Created a new article2023-08-09T18:06:22Z<p>Created a new article</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Historycal conflict in Gujarat, India}}<br />
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{{Infobox military conflict<br />
| conflict = Battle of Bharuch<br />
| partof = [[Gujarati-Portuguese conflicts]]<br />
| image = File:Brotsch int ryck vanden Grooten Mogol en Indien - Peeters Jacob - 1690.jpg<br />
| image_size = 300<br />
| caption = Broach in an English engraving<br />
| date = 1547<br />
| place = [[Bharuch]], [[India]]<br />
| result = Portuguese victory<br />
| combatant1 = {{flagicon|Kingdom of Portugal|1521}} [[Portuguese Empire]]<br />
| combatant2 = [[Gujarat Sultanate|Sultanate of Gujarat]]<br />
| commander1 = {{flagicon|Kingdom of Portugal|1521}} [[Jorge de Meneses Baroche]]<br />
| commander2 = Madre Maluco<br />
| strength1 = 600 men.<ref name=danvers>Frederick Charles Danvers: ''The Portuguese in India'' volume I, A.D. 1481-1571, .H. Allen & Company, limited, 1894, pp. 478-479.</ref><br>10 oarships.<ref name=danvers/><br />
| strength2 = 5000 horse.<ref name=machado/><br />
| casualties1 = Few<br />
| casualties2 = Heavy<br />
}}<br />
{{Portuguese colonial campaigns}}<br />
{{Portuguese battles in the Indian Ocean}}<br />
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The '''Battle of Bharuch''' was a night-time attack of [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] forces under the command of Jorge de Meneses Baroche against the city of [[Bharuch]], belonging to the [[Gujarat Sultanate|Sultanate of Gujarat]], in India. The Portuguese were victorious.<br />
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==The battle==<br />
The Sultanate of Gujarat was at war with the [[Portuguese Empire]] ever since the second [[Siege of Diu (1546)|siege of Diu]] the previous year. The Portuguese governor of India Dom [[João de Castro]] routed the attacking army and detached a fleet under the command of [[Jorge de Meneses Baroche|Jorge de Meneses]] to patrol the coast of Gujarat and capture any vessels transporting supplies and merchandise.<ref name=danvers/><ref name=machado>Ignacio Barbosa Machado: ''Fastos Políticos e Militares da Antigua e Nova Lusitânia'', 1745, pp. 617-618.</ref><br />
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Meneses left [[Fort Vasai|Bassein]] with 10 oarships and a mixed force of 600 men in September 1547.<ref name=danvers/> Having collected information from the fishermen of two captured Gujarati vessels that the prosperous city of Bharuch was poorly defended, Meneses determined to sack the city via a daring night-time raid.<ref name=danvers/><ref name="couto">Diogo do Couto: ''Décadas da Ásia'', 1736 ed. book IV, pp. 715-716.</ref> Its lord was identified by the Portuguese as "Madre Maluco", son-in-law of Khoja Zufar, who had left the city the previous day with the garrison.<ref name=machado/><ref name="couto"/><br />
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The Portuguese managed to sail up the river leading to Broach undected and land divided in three squadrons.<ref name=danvers/> The city was then assaulted, sacked and torched. Most inhabitants were killed by the Portuguese or died in the fire, while others fled to the surrounding fields.<ref name=machado/> The cannon which the Portuguese could not be carry away were rendered useless.<ref name=danvers/> Upon hearing of the attack, Madre Maluco who was in the region with 5000 horse rushed to the city though to no avail.<ref name=machado/><br />
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==Aftermath==<br />
Meneses and his men captured ample spoil and afterwards attacked the neighbouring towns and coastal populations.<ref name="couto"/> They were received at Goa with celebrations.<ref name=machado/> In honor of the exploit, he adopted the surname ''Baroche''.<ref name=danvers/><ref name="couto"/><br />
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Sultan [[Mahmud Shah III of Gujarat]] later camped his army of 150,000 men and 80 cannon in the vicinity of Broach to prevent any further Portuguese incursions on the region.<ref name=danvers/> Nevertheless, the Portuguese governor of India defiantly landed a force of 3000 men at Broach seeking battle, but following the advice of his officers reembarked upon realizing the Gujaratis unwillingness to fight.<ref name=danvers/><br />
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Broach lost its significance after the Portuguese attack.<br />
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==See also==<br />
*[[Portuguese India]]<br />
*[[Portuguese military history]]<br />
*[[Fort Diu]]<br />
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==References==<br />
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{{coord missing|India}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bharuch, Battle}}<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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[[Category:1547 in the Portuguese Empire]]<br />
[[Category:Battles involving Portugal]]<br />
[[Category:Amphibious operations]]<br />
[[Category:Portuguese India]]<br />
[[Category:History of Gujarat]]<br />
[[Category:Battles involving Portuguese India]]</div>Ajay Kumar