The Indian Wars
First Indian War 1579-80
In 1579, immediately after the peace with Spain, Mughals declared war on Portugal, supported by maharajas of Hyderabad and Mysore. More than 200,000 Indians swept across the southern part of the subcontinent. The Mughal army seized the colony in Bombay, while Mysore forces burned the trading port in Madras. Since Portuguese had only 38,000 men in India at the time and most of Indian forces consisted of fast-moving cavalry and fierce elephant corps, it was decided to make peace as soon as possible, by ceding Bombay to the leader of the Indian alliance – the Mughal Empire. The offer was accepted.
French took an advantage of the situation and established a trading post in Madras, which later was expanded into a colony – a harbor for French ships in the region. Dutch too began to establish their presence in northwestern and northeastern corners of the subcontinent. Everywhere else Portuguese began to notice increased traffic on the high seas. Where before there were only Spanish and Portuguese traders, now the seas were swarming with English, Dutch and French ships. English trading posts appeared in Southeast Asia and in Ceylon, but as long as they stayed out of India per se, Portuguese were willing to give them a break. French and Dutch were different and Portugal for the first time in hundred years wished to re-consider its alliance with France.
In February of 1580 Henrique died and left no heir to the throne. Spanish King Phillip III claimed his rights to the throne. In the past Juan III tried to bring Iberia under Portuguese rule by marrying Catherine of Spain. The marriage backfired, allowing Spanish Kings to take control of Portugal. However, the nobles were not willing to give up all the control to the country. In a followed treaty Phillip swore not to interfere with country’s internal affairs and respect its sovereignty from Spain. Portugal would continue to exist as a separate country, ruled by Phillip through de Sinitra, who would acquire a title of prime minister. Spanish side promised to drop claims on any captured Spanish territory, while Portuguese swore not to go in war with Spanish, even if asked by their allies.
Immediately after the Union of Crowns Spanish began to violate the terms of the treaty. First, they seized the trading post in Honduras, claiming it was theirs by Treaty of Tordesillas. In the following years Spanish would seize more trading posts in Mexico, while Portuguese were helpless to do anything.
In August of 1585 Spanish announced the annexation of Aztec empire. This was a blow to Portuguese interests in the region, but again they were left out of the picture.
Turkey lost Syria in yet another war with Persia. With Suleyman I dead Turkey had a tough time trying to keep up their jihad.
In November of 1589 the Indian Alliance expired and before its leaders could renew their oaths, Portuguese delivered a declaration of war to maharaja of Mysore.
The Second Indian War 1589-90
The following campaign against Mysore was a success. By 1589 all fortresses in Portugal and India were upgraded to medium size and Mysore army faced an impossible task of taking one. Their 60,000-strong army besieged Mangalore. Their horses (40,000) doubled their demand of supplies and the army began to melt away like a snow in June. Meanwhile, Portuguese forces took control of all Mysore provinces and delivered an offer of annexation to country’s nobles, who had no choice but to agree. Remaining 12,000 Mysore soldiers joined the ranks of Portugal’s Indian Corps. Soon all former Mysore fortresses were upgraded to medium sized as well.
After the start of the war Portuguese invented a clever way to get rid of the French in their alliance without suffering a penalty. They called upon of their allies to aid in the war with Mysore and, naturally, all of their allies refused, considering distance and lack of interest. Portuguese then re-invited them all save France back to their alliance. French, however, did not loose time in finding new allies: Navarra, Naples, Modena and Helvetia.
In May of 1591 Lorraine declared itself independent from Spain and in the following war won the province of Champagne. Spanish and Austrians faced a war with newly born French alliance – the war being a part of a larger conflict in Germany, which religious wars covered the hidden struggle between Habsburgs and French for hegemony in Europe. Turkey lost a war to Poland, having to cede Serbia.
In 1592 Austria forced Swiss to convert back to catholic.
In 1594 French won an uncertain victory over Imperialists, receiving French-Comte from Spain and Baden from Austria. In May of 1596 the powers of France, Spain, and Germany sign the Edict of Tolerance, ending Counter-Reformation movement and forcing Spain to forfeit her rights on the larger part of the New World. Although it was a victory for France and her Protestant German friends, Portuguese rejoiced when their rights on South America were confirmed.
In 1597 French tried to annex Navarra and the latter in turn canceled its visualization. In the following year Navarra declared war on Spain and Lorraine dishonored French alliance. Portugal immediately sent an envoy to Lorraine, inviting the latter to the Portuguese alliance. The offer was accepted.
Phillip III died and his son, Phillip IV, stepped on the thrones of Spain and Portugal. He was definitely nothing like his father, lacking in all the possible fields and not even smart enough to appoint a right person to a prime minister. He decided to take control of Portugal in his own hands, which further enraged Portuguese nobility.
In February of 1599 the fortress in The Canary Islands was upgraded to protect a building of a refinery there.
The news came to Lisbon that Indian Alliance would expire in November of 1599. A quick review of Portuguese forces that its army was at its highest – 128,000 infantrymen, 22,000 cavalrymen and 194 cannons, as well as its navy – 73 warships and 10 transports. When November came Portugal sent an envoy with a declaration of war to Hyderabad.
The Third Indian War 1599-1600
The war started with a battle of Deccan, where Portuguese 14,000 infantry and 11,000 cavalry met Hyderabad’s 18,000-strong army, supported however by 100 cannons. The charge of former Mysore cavalry almost broke the enemy ranks, but its continuous artillery fire broke Portuguese instead. The army retreated to Mangalore, having lost 4,000 men. Indians, however, lost 10,000 and 9 cannons.
The next stage of campaign went smooth – Portuguese besieged all Hyderabad’s fortresses and eventually took each one of them. The capital had to be taken twice as Indian army managed to take it back after the first time. In the end, Hyderabad was annexed like Mysore, and 8,000 of its soldiers plus its extensive siege train of 94 cannons was surrendered to Portuguese. Now Portugal controlled all of South India. Only Mughal Empire was left at its way to the domination of the subcontinent.
Elsewhere, the colony in Table was expanded into a city, to protect Portuguese interests in South Africa. In South America Cartagena became a regional center to counter Spanish expansion in Mexico. Portuguese ships explored the Pacific and established contact with Japan, while expeditions from India revealed some parts of the Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Atlantic had no white spots any longer and even the location of Greenland was no longer a mystery to the Portuguese sailors.
EDIT: screenshot links removed - the website no longer exists
