Zamorin: Difference between revisions

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The '''Samoothiri''' (Anglicised as '''Zamorin'''; [[Malayalam]]: {{transliteration|ml|ISO|Sāmūtiri}}, [[Arabic language|Arabic]]: ''Sāmuri'',<ref name="Samuri">{{cite book

}}</ref> [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]: ''Samorim'', [[Dutch language|Dutch]]: ''Samorijn'', [[Chinese language|Chinese]]: ''Shamitihsi''<ref name=MaHuan>Ma Huan's Ying-yai Sheng-lan: 'The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores' [1433]. Translated and Edited by J. V. G. Mills. Cambridge University Press for the Hakluyt Society (1970).</ref>) was the hereditary monarch of the kingdom of [[Kozhikode]] (Calicut) on the [[South Malabar]] region of India. Calicut was one of the important trading ports on the south-western coast of India. At the peak of their reign, the Zamorins ruled over a region from Kollam ([[Quilon]]) to Panthalayini Kollam ([[Koyilandy]]).<ref name="Varier">Varier, M. R. Raghava. "Documents of Investiture Ceremonies" in K. K. N. Kurup, Edit., "India's Naval Traditions". Northern Book Centre, New Delhi, 1997</ref><ref name="KrishnaIyer2">K. V. Krishna Iyer, ''Zamorins of Calicut: From the earliest times to AD 1806''. Calicut: Norman Printing Bureau, 1938.</ref>

It was after the dissolution of the kingdom of [[Chera]]s of [[Kodungallur]] in the early 12th century, the Samanthan Nair [[Eradi]]s of [[Nediyiruppu]] (originally autonomous chiefs of [[Eranad (tehsil)|Eranadu]]) demonstrated their political independence under the title of ''Zamorin''.<ref name="Krishna Iyer 1938">{{cite book|last=Krishna Iyer|first=K. V.|url=https://archive.org/details/TheZamorinsOfCalicut|title=The Zamorins of Calicut|date=1938}}</ref> The Zamorins maintained elaborate trade relations with the Muslim Middle-Eastern sailors in the Indian Ocean, the primary spice traders on the Malabar Coast in the Middle Ages. Calicut was then an important entrepôt in south-western India where Chinese and West Asian trade met.<ref name=Narayanan />

The port at [[Kozhikode]] held the superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while [[Kannur]], [[Kollam]], and [[Kochi]], were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather.<ref name="Malekandathil">''The Portuguese, Indian Ocean and European Bridgeheads 1500–1800''. Festschrift in Honour of Prof. K. S. Mathew (2001). Edited by: Pius Malekandathil and T. Jamal Mohammed. Fundacoa Oriente. Institute for Research in Social Sciences and Humanities of MESHAR (Kerala)</ref> The Portuguese navigator [[Vasco da Gama]] visited [[Quilandy]] in 1498, opening the sailing route directly from Europe to [[South Asia]].<ref name="CampbellFernandez">Eila M.J. Campbell, Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, "Vasco da Gama." Encyclopædia Britannica Online [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vasco-da-Gama]</ref> The port at Kozhikode acted as the gateway to medieval [[South India]]n coast for the [[Arab]]s, the [[Chinese people|Chinese]], the [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]], the [[Dutch East India Company|Dutch]], and finally the [[East India Company|British]].<ref name="askh" /> The Portuguese efforts to lay the foundations to Estado da Índia, and to take complete control over the commerce was repeatedly hampered by the forces of Zamorin of Calicut. The Kunjali Marakkars, the famous Muslim warriors, were the [[admiral of the fleet]] of Calicut. By the end of the 16th century the Portuguese – now commanding the spice traffic on the Malabar Coast – had succeeded in replacing the Muslim merchants in the Arabian Sea. The Dutch supplanted the Portuguese in the 17th century, who in turn were supplanted by the British.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Kerala|title=Kerala &#124; History, Map, Capital, & Facts|website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref>

[[Travancore]] became the most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the powerful Zamorin of [[History of Kozhikode|Kozhikode]] in the battle of [[Purakkad]] in 1755.<ref name="AHoT 162">{{cite book|last1=Shungoony Menon|first1=P.|title=A History of Travancore from the Earliest Times|date=1878|publisher=Higgin Botham & Co.|location=Madras|pages=[https://archive.org/details/ahistorytravanc00menogoog/page/n212 162]–164|url=https://archive.org/details/ahistorytravanc00menogoog|access-date=5 May 2016|language=en}}</ref> In 1766, [[Hyder Ali|Haider Ali]] of [[Kingdom of Mysore|Mysore]] defeated the Zamorin of Calicut and absorbed Calicut to his state.<ref name="KrishnaIyer2" /><ref>World States Men: Indian Princes [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_princes_K-W.html Princely states of India]</ref> After the [[Third Mysore War|Third Anglo-Mysore War]] (1790–1792), [[Malabar District]] including Zamorin's former territories were placed under the control of the [[East India Company]]. Eventually, the status of the Zamorin was reduced to that of a pensioner of the company (1806).<ref name="KrishnaIyer2" /><ref name="VVHaridas">V. V., Haridas. ''"King court and culture in medieval Kerala – The Zamorins of Calicut (AD 1200 to AD 1767)"''. [http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/131929] Unpublished PhD Thesis. Mangalore University</ref>

The title zamorin first appears in the writings of [[Ibn Battuta]] in 1342.<ref name=Ayyar>[[K. V. Krishna Iyer]], "The Importance of the Zamorins of Calicut", ''Proceedings of the Indian History Congress'', '''37''' (1976), pp. 252–259.</ref> In the Portuguese ''[[Duarte Barbosa|Book of Duarte Barbosa]]'' (c. 1516), the title of the ruler of Calicut is given as ''çamidre'' or ''zomodri'', derived from the local Malayalam ''sāmūtiri''. In ''[[Tuhfat Ul Mujahideen]]'' written by [[Zainuddin Makhdoom II]] in 16th century CE, the word is pronounced as ''Sāmuri''.<ref name="Samuri" /> This was once thought to be derived from [[Sanskrit]] ''samudra'' ("sea") and have the meaning "lord of the sea". In fact, the term derives from Sanskrit ''[[Swami|svami]]'' and ''[[sri]]'' (which in combined form becomes ''tiri''),<ref>J. A. Thorne, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.201185/page/n297 "Appendix II (c). Royal Titles in Malabar"], in Mansel Longworth Dames (ed.), ''The Book of Duarte Barbosa'', Volume 2 (Asian Educational Services, 1989), pp. 260–262.</ref> which [[K. V. Krishna Ayyar|Krishna Iyer]] glosses as "emperor". He gives the complete title as ''Svami Tiri Tirumulapad'' ("august emperor").<ref name=Ayyar />

According to K. V. Krishna Iyer, the court historian in Calicut, the members of the royal house of Zamorin belonged the [[Eradi]] sub caste of [[Nair]] aristocracy.<ref>{{cite book|last=Fuller|first=C. J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yQM4AAAAIAAJ&q=zamorin|title=The Nayars Today|year=1976|publisher=CUP Archive|isbn=978-0-521-29091-3|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Krishna Iyer 1938"/> The Samantas claimed a status higher than the rest of the Nairs.<ref name="KrishnaIyer2" /> The Hindu theological formula that the rulers must be of [[Kshatriya]] [[Varna (Hinduism)|varna]] may have been a complication for the Samantas of the Kodungallur Chera monarch. So the Samantas – already crystallized as a distinctive social group, something of a "sub-caste" – began to style themselves as "Samanta Kshatriyas".<ref name=VVHaridas /> The Samantas have birth, marriage and death customs identical to other Nair community.''<ref name=":0" />''

''There were two brothers belonging to the Eradi ruling family at [[Nediyiruppu]]. The brothers Manichan and Vikraman were the most trusted warriors in the militia of the Kodungallur [[Chera Kingdom|Cheras]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kerala.gov.in/history&culture/intrusion.htm |title=officialwebsite of |publisher=Kerala.gov.in |access-date=30 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Kerala Sanchaaram |last=Divakaran |first=Kattakada |year=2005 |publisher=Z Library |location=Thiruvananthapuram}}</ref> They distinguished themselves in the battles against the foreigners. However, during the partition of Chera kingdom, the Chera monarch failed to allocate any land to Nediyiruppu. Filled with guilt, the king later gave an unwanted piece of marshy tract of land called Kozhikode to the younger brother Vikraman (the elder brother died in the battle). The king also gifted his personal sword and his favourite prayer [[Shankha|conch]] – both broken – to him and told him to occupy as much as land as he could with all his might. So the Eradis conquered neighbouring kingdoms and created a large state for themselves. As a token of their respect to the Chera king, they adopted the logo of two crossed swords, with a broken [[Shankha|conch]] in the middle and a lighted lamp above it.<ref name="KrishnaIyer2" /><ref name=":0" />''

Calicut subjugated large parts of the state of Kochi in the subsequent years. The family feud between the elder and younger branches of the ruling family of Kochi was exploited by the Zamorin of Calicut. The intervention was initiated as Calicut’s help was sought against the ruling younger branch. The rulers of Kodungallur, Idappalli, Airur, Sarkkara, Patinjattedam [Thrissur] and Chittur supported or joined Calicut forces in this occupation of Kochi. Some of these were the vassals of Kochi. The Kochi chief was defeated in a battle at Thrissur and his palace was occupied. But, the defeated chief escaped to further south. Pursuing the chief to south, the Calicut forces under Zamorin penetrated and occupied the town of Kochi. Unable to withstand the attacks, Kochi finally accepted Calicut's rule. The prince from the elder branch was installed on the throne of Kochi as vassal.<ref name="KrishnaIyer2" />

[[Zheng He]] (Cheng Ho), the renowned Ming Chinese admiral, [[Ming treasure voyages|visited Calicut several times]] in the early 15th century.<ref name="Subrairath" /> Zheng most probably died at Calicut in 1433 during his seventh voyage to the West.<ref name=":5">Jung-pang Lo. "[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zheng-He Zheng He]". Encyclopædia Britannica Online</ref><ref name=":6" />

A major objective of the first Ming expedition (1405–1407) was the kingdom of Calicut. Historians presume that the fleet stayed from December 1406 to April 1407 at Calicut. Ambassadors from Calicut, among envoys from other states, accompanied the returning (first expedition) fleet bringing articles of "tribute" to [[Nanking]] in 1407. On the second expedition, in 1408–09, Zheng He again visited Calicut – stopping as well in "Chochin" (Kochi). The envoys in the second expedition (1408–1409) carried out the formal "investiture" of the Zamorin of Calicut "Mana Piehchialaman". A memorial inscription was erected in Calicut to commemorate the investiture. The Chinese titles and gifts (brocades and gauzes) were given to the Zamorin and his retinue by the Chinese envoys. Presumably a stay of about four months was made at Calicut, possibly from December 1408 to April 1409. The third expedition (1409–1411) – the first one to sail to beyond India – also visited Calicut. The fleet sailed on from Calicut to Sri Lanka in 1411. The fourth (1413–1415), fifth (1417–1419), sixth (1421–22) and seventh (1431–33) fleets also visited Calicut.<ref name="Cambridge">John King Fairbank, Denis Crispin Twitchett, Frederick W. Mote. ''The Cambridge History of China'', Volume 7, Part 1. Cambridge University Press, 1978. pp. 233–236.</ref><ref name="MaHuan" /> A number of tribute delegations – in 1421, 1423, and 1433, among others – were dispatched by the Calicut rulers to [[Nanking]] and [[Peking]]. Presents from Calicut included horses and black pepper.<ref name="Subrairath" /> Brocades of several types were presented to the some of the Calicut envoys.<ref name="Sen">Tansen Sen. ''India, China, and the World: A Connected History''. Rowman & Littlefield (2017)</ref> [[Ma Huan]] visited Calicut several times, and describes the trade in the region. [[Fei Xin|Fei-Hsin]] also notices the brisk trade at Calicut.<ref name="Subrairath" /><ref name="Keevak">Michael Keevak. ''Embassies to China: Diplomacy and Cultural Encounters Before the Opium Wars''. Springer (2017)</ref><ref>Chan, Hok-lam (1998). "The Chien-wen, Yung-lo, Hung-hsi, and Hsüan-te reigns, 1399–1435". ''The Cambridge History of China'', Volume 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368–1644, Part 1. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last=Duyvendak | first=J.J.L. | title=The True Dates of the Chinese Maritime Expeditions in the Early Fifteenth Century | journal=T'oung Pao | year=1938 | volume=34 | issue=5 | pages=341–413 | author-link=J.J.L. Duyvendak | jstor=4527170 | doi=10.1163/156853238X00171}}</ref><ref>Levathes, Louise (1996). ''When China Ruled the Seas: The Treasure Fleet of the Dragon Throne, 1405–1433''. New York: Oxford University Press.

[[File:Vasco Da Gama welcomed by the Zamorin.jpg|thumb|left|Vasco Da Gama welcomed by the Zamorin.jpg]]

{{Quote box |quote= "No one has tried to clear that misconception [that Vasco da Gama landed at Kappad]. The government has even installed a memorial stone at the Kappad beach. Actually [Vasco da] Gama landed at Panthalayini ([[Koyilandy]]) in the [Kozhikode] district because there was a port there and Kozhikode did not have one. It does not have a port even now."<ref>"Vasco da Gama never landed at Kappad: M G S" [http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/Vasco-da-Gama-never-landed-at-Kappad-MGS/article17198107.ece] ''The Hindu''  6 February 2017</ref> |source='''M. G. S. Narayanan''' |align=right |salign=right |width=39%}}

The landing of [[Vasco da Gama]] in Calicut in 1498 has often been considered as the beginning of a new phase in Asian history during which the control of the Indian Ocean spice trade passed into the hands of the Europeans from Middle Eastern Muslims. The strong colony of foreign merchants settled in Calicut was hostile, but Zamorin welcomed the Portuguese and allowed them to take spices on board. In Portugal, the goods brought by da Gama from India were computed at "sixty times the cost of the entire Asia expedition".<ref name="PercivalSpear">T. G. Percival Spear. "European activity in India, 1498 – c. 1760" Encyclopædia Britannica Online [https://www.britannica.com/place/India/Rajasthan-in-the-18th-century#toc47001]</ref>

The Portuguese initially entered into hostile conflicts with the Zamorin of Calicut and the Middle Eastern (Paradesi) merchants in Calicut. Within the next few decades, the Estado da Índia also found themselves fighting with several leading Mappila trading families of Kerala (esp. the Kannur Mappilas, led by Mammali and the Marakkars of the Pearl Fishery Coast). Kingdom of Calicut, whose shipping was increasingly looted by the Portuguese, evolved into a centre of resistance.<ref name=":32">Prange, Sebastian R. ''Monsoon Islam: Trade and Faith on the Medieval Malabar Coast''. Cambridge University Press, 2018.</ref> The Portuguese maintained patrolling squadrons off the Kerala ports and continued their raids on departing native fleets.<ref name="Subrahmanyam25">Subrahmanyam, Sanjay."The Political Economy of Commerce: Southern India 1500–1650" Cambridge University Press, (2002)</ref> Mappila and Marakkar traders actively worked in the kingdoms of Malabar Coast and Ceylon to oppose the Portuguese.<ref name="SanjaySubrahmanyam2">Sanjay Subrahmanyam. "The Political Economy of Commerce: Southern India 1500–1650". Cambridge University Press, 2002</ref> Naval battles broke out across Konkan, Malabar Coast, southern Tamil Nadu, and western Sri Lanka. Marakkars transformed as the admirals of Calicut and organised an effective collection of vessels to fight the Portuguese.<ref name="Livemore">Harold V. Livermore. "Afonso de Albuquerque". [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Afonso-de-Albuquerque] Encyclopædia Britannica Online</ref>

The [[Kunjali Marakkar]]s are credited with organizing the first naval defense of the Indian coast.<ref>{{cite news |last=Singh |first=Arun Kumar |title=Give Indian Navy its due |url=https://www.asianage.com/opinion/columnists/110217/give-indian-navy-its-due.html |access-date=23 January 2021 |work=[[The Asian Age]] |date=11 February 2017}}</ref> ''[[Tuhfat Ul Mujahideen]]'' written by [[Zainuddin Makhdoom II]] (born around 1532) of [[Ponnani]] in 16th-century is the first-ever known book fully based on the history of Kerala to be authored by a Keralite.<ref name="A. Sreedhara Menon 2011">A. Sreedhara Menon. ''Kerala History and its Makers''. D C Books (2011)</ref><ref name="frontline.in">[http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2704/stories/20100226270407900.htm A G Noorani. Islam in Kerala. Books]</ref><ref name="ReferenceB">Roland E. Miller. ''Mappila Muslim Culture'' SUNY Press, 2015</ref> It is written in [[Arabic]] and contains pieces of information about the resistance put up by the navy of [[Kunjali Marakkar]] alongside the Zamorin of Calicut from 1498 to 1583 against Portuguese attempts to colonize [[Malabar coast]]. It was first printed and published in [[Lisbon]]. A copy of this edition has been preserved in the library of [[Al-Azhar University]], [[Cairo]].

| September 1500|| [[Pedro Alvares Cabral]] reaches Calicut, rich presents were exchanged, and a treaty of friendship, "as long as the sun and moon should endure", was entered upon. The Zamorin was pleased with return of the Mukkuvas whom da Gama had taken to Portugal.<ref name=Logan /><ref name="Calmon" /> Cabral manages to obtain the permission to construct a trading post in Calicut.<ref name="Logan" /><ref name="Calmon" /> The Zamorin nominates a Mappila named Koya Pakki as the Portuguese broker in Calicut.<ref name="KrishnaIyer2" /> At the request of the Zamorin, Cabral captures a Kochi vessel passing the port Calicut. The vessel is subsequently restored to the chief of Kochi.<ref name="Logan" /><ref name="Calmon">{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pedro-Alvares-Cabral|title=Pedro Alvares Cabral &#124; Accomplishments, Route, & Facts|website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref>

| March 1505 || A large Muslim fleet at Pantalayini Kollam in the kingdom of Calicut is destroyed. It had assembled there to take back a large number of Muslims to Arabia and Egypt, who were leaving the kingdom of Calicut disappointed at the trade losses caused to them recently. De Menezes captures 17 vessels and kills 2,000 men.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nalanda.nitc.ac.in/resources/english/etext-project/history/vijayanagar/book1.chapter10.html | title=A Forgotten Empire: Vijayanagar | author=Robert Swell}}, Book 1, Chapter 10.</ref><ref name=Logan />

De Almeyda counter-attacks and defeats the Egyptian navy, which is assisted by Calicut forces, at the [[Battle of Diu (1509)|Battle of Diu]].<ref name=Logan /> The defeat off Diu is a major blow to the Muslims.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Portugal/Control-of-the-sea-trade#toc23769|title=Portugal – History, People, & Points of Interest – Control of the sea trade|website=britannica.com|access-date=13 March 2018}}</ref> Amir Hussain, though wounded, flees to the Gujarat capital. He eventually reaches Cairo in December 1512.<ref name=AlamSubrahmanyam />

| 1557–1559 || Muslims of North Malabar begin hostilities, and then make the usual submission and agree to take out the "passes". The Muslim sailors come under enormous pressure under these stringent measures. The Muslims organise in small fleets of boats to engange with the Portuguese shipping. The Portuguese continue hostilities against the Zamorin and the Malabarians.<ref name=Logan />

The arrival of [[East India Company|British]] in [[Kerala]] can be traced back to the year 1615, when a group under the leadership of Captain [[William Keeling]] arrived at Kozhikode, using three ships.<ref name="askh">{{cite book |last1=Sreedhara Menon |first1=A. |title=''Kerala Charitram'' |year=2007 |publisher=DC Books |location=Kottayam |isbn=978-81-264-1588-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FAlXPgAACAAJ&q=%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%87%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%B3+%E0%B4%9A%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%BF%E0%B4%A4%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%82 |access-date=19 July 2020}}</ref> It was in these ships that Sir [[Thomas Roe]] went to visit [[Jahangir]], the fourth [[Mughal emperors|Mughal emperor]], as [[British Empire|British envoy]].<ref name="askh" /> The British concluded a treaty of trade (1616) under which, among others, the English were to assist Calicut in expelling the Portuguese from [[Fort Emmanuel|Fort Kochi]] and [[Cranganore Fort|Fort Cranganore]]. The English set up a factory at Calicut, and a factor, George Woolman, is sent there with a stock of presents. But the Zamorin soon found the English as unreliable as the Dutch where military aid was concerned. The factory was wound up in March, 1617.<ref name="ReferenceA" /><ref name="SanjaySubrahmanyam2" />

In 1766, 12,000 [[Kingdom of Mysore|Mysore]] forces under [[Hyder Ali]] marched to Malabar from [[Mangalore]]. Mysore's intentions were made easy by the help they received from the Muslims in Malabar. Ali Raja of [[Cannanore|Kannur]], a Muslim ruler in northern Kerala, also helped the invading forces. The Mysore army conquered northern Kerala up to [[Kochi]] with relative ease. Hyder Ali inflicted a major setback on the Calicut warriors at Perinkolam Ferry on the Kotta River.<ref name="KrishnaIyer2" /> As Mysore edged closer to the outer reaches of the city of Calicut, the Zamorin sent most of his relatives to safe haven in Ponnani, and from there to Travancore, and to avoid the humiliation of surrender committed self-immolation by setting fire to his palace at Mananchira (27 April). Hyder Ali absorbed Malabar district to his state.<ref>Logan, William. ''Malabar''. Asian Educational Services, 1887.</ref><ref name=VVHaridas />

But as soon as the Haider Ali marched to Coimbatore, Nair rebellions broke out in Malabar. Some members of the Zamorin family rebelled against the Muslim occupiers. This included the Eralpadu [[Krishna Varma]] with his nephew [[Ravi Varma of Padinjare Kovilakam|Ravi Varma]]. The princes were aided by the British [[East India Company]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voiceofdharma.com/books/tipu/ |title=Tipu Sultan&nbsp;— Villain Or Hero? |publisher=Voiceofdharma.com |access-date=30 March 2010}}</ref> In 1768 the Zamorin prince was restored in Calicut, agreeing to pay an annual tribute to Mysore. For nearly six years till 1774 nothing was heard about Hyder Ali.<ref name="KrishnaIyer2" /> In 1774, Mysore forces under Srinivasa Rao occupied the city of Calicut. The prince retired to Travancore in a native vessel. The baton of resistance now passed to his nephew [[Ravi Varma of Padinjare Kovilakam|Ravi Varma]]. Ravi Varma helped the Company occupy Calicut in 1782.<ref name="KrishnaIyer2" /> By the Treaty of Mangalore, concluded in 1784, Malabar was restored to Mysore. In 1785 the oppression of revenue officers led to a rebellion by the Mappilas of [[Manjeri]]. As a reward for aiding to put down the rebels, and partly as an incentive, [[Tipu Sultan]] settled upon Ravi Varma a pension and a ''jaghir'' in 1786. The peace was soon broken and Tipu sent 6,000 troops under Mon. Lally to Kerala.<ref name="KrishnaIyer2" />

Calicut forces consisted mainly of feudal levies, brought by the vassal rulers and chiefs. The former were divided into five classes (Commanders of the Five Thousand, of the Thousand, of the Five Hundred, of the Three Hundred, and of the Hundred). Standing armies were kept at strategic locations like Calicut, [[Ponnani]], [[Chavakkad]], Chunganadu etc. Dharmottu Panikkar – the instructor in arms – commanded the warriors. The nominal cavalry was commanded by the Kuthiravattattu Nair. Nair militia was slow moving as compared to the cavalry, and always fought on foot.<ref name="KrishnaIyer2" />

It was the commercial Interests of the Portuguese private traders in Cochin that came into the conflict with Mappilas and the (Tamil) Maraikkayar traders.<ref name=":2"/> By the 1520s, open confrontations between the Portuguese and the Mappilas, in southern India and in western Sri Lanka, became a common occurrence.<ref name="MorseStephens1897">{{cite book|url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/31226/31226-h/31226-h.htm|title=Albuquerque|author=Henry Morse Stephens|publisher=Asian Educational Services|year=1897|isbn=978-81-206-1524-3|series=[[Rulers of India series]]|chapter=Chapter 1}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref name="Subrahmanyam25" /> After a series of naval battles, the once powerful Chinna Kutti Ali was forced to sue for peace with the Portuguese in 1540. The peace was soon broken, with the assassination of the Muslim judge of Kannur Abu Bakr Ali (1545), and the Portuguese again came down hard on the Mappilas.<ref name=":2"/><ref name="Subrahmanyam25" /> By the end of the 16th century, the Portuguese were finally able to deal with the "Mappila challenge". Kunjali Marakkar IV was defeated and killed, with the help of the Zamorin, in c. 1600.<ref name=":2"/> Even after the execution of Marakkar IV, the title of the Kunjali Marakkar continued to exist for almost century.<ref name="Kurup3" />

| 111 || ''Bharani Tirunal'' Mana Vikrama<ref name="worldstate">{{cite web|author=Ben Cahoon |url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_princes_K-W.html |title=Indian Princely States K-Z |publisher=Worldstatesmen.org |access-date=23 December 2015}}</ref> || 1684–1705 || The terror of the Dutch. Two Mamankams (1694 and 1695)

| 113 || Vira Raya<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Haridas|first=Dr. V. V|date=December 2020|title=Ramayanam Kuttu and Kudiyattam|url=http://journalstd.com/gallery/8-dec2020.pdf|journal=Science, Technology and Develpoment|volume=9|pages=59}}</ref>|| 1711–1729 || The Dutch War (1715–1718)

{{Quote box |quote="Kerala had many royal families which together may have more than 10,000 descendants. The Kochi family alone has more than 600. All these families had properties taken over by governments without compensation. Many of them are living in penury now. Shouldn't the state pay pensions to all of them then?"<ref name="IndiaToday">M. G. Radhakrishnan. "The inheritance of loss". ''India Today'' [http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/govt-monthly-pension-zamorin-royal-dynasty-once-ruled-calicut/1/296457.html] 26 July 2013</ref> |source='''K. K. N. Kurup''' |align=right |salign=right |width=39%}}

At present the Zamorin of Calicut is trustee to 46 Hindu temples (under [[Malabar Devaswom Board]], as Madras H. R & C. E Act 1956) in northern Kerala, including five special grade temples, which generate a substantial revenue. The Zamorin also has a permanent seat on the [[Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple]]'s managing committee. Zamorin’s high school – situated overlooking the [[Tali temple]] – was established in 1877 and the family manages the [[Zamorin’s Guruvayurappan College]].<ref>Krishnadas Rajagopal. "Zamorin of Calicut passes away". [http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/zamorin-of-calicut-passes-away/article4553946.ece] ''The Hindu'' 28 March 2013</ref><ref name="deccanchronicle.com">Hari Govind. "Zamorin opposes temples' takeover". [http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/080917/zamorin-opposes-temples-takeover.html] ''Deccan Chronicle'' 8 September 2017</ref>

The family has sought the government's help to preserve the artefacts in their private collection. This collection include palm leaf manuscripts, swords, shields and other valuables.<ref>"Zamorin’s family seeks govt. help to preserve rare artefacts". ''The Hindu'' [http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/zamorins-family-seeks-govt-help-to-preserve-rare-artefacts/article18478702.ece] 18 May 2017</ref> Malabar Devaswom Board Commissioner recently proposed to the Kerala state government that the temples under the hereditary (private) trustees – such as the Zamorin – should be attached to the Board.<ref name="deccanchronicle.com"/>

** Kesavan Veluthat, 'Logan’s Malabar: Text and Context' in William Logan, Malabar, Vol. I, (1887), Thiruvananthapuram, 2000