Swashbuckling in the Spice Lands
Pirates, Privateers, and Power Plays in 16th Century India
The word pirate depending on your age, may bring up names such as BlackBeard, visions of Viking raiders or for current news buffs images of armed Somali men. It is not a word that I’d certainly associated with medieval Indian history.
privateer noun pri·va·teer ˌprī-və-ˈtir
an armed private ship licensed to attack enemy shipping
However as long as humans have plied the seas, others have been happy to steal from them—from the Phoenicians through Roman times all the way to the present day. And enough states supported such pirates to their own ends that we have a word privateer for such men (I haven’t dug deep enough to see much of women in history.)
The Deccan in the late 15th century was no different. War horses from the middle east, slaves from Abyssinian highlands of Ethiopia, porcelain and silk from China, and of course cotton, linen, spices and exotic animals from India were all being transported over the seas in ships. Which made them ripe targets.
The Players in Our Maritime Drama
Imagine a chessboard where instead of kings and queens, you've got sultans, emperors, and a bunch of salty sea dogs all vying for control of the lucrative spice trade. On one side, we've got the mighty Vijayanagara Empire, with the legendary Krishnadevaraya at the helm (well, for part of our tale, anyway). Then there's the Zamorin of Calicut and his Malayali forces, the Portuguese newcomers looking to crash the party, the Bahmani Sultanate and their Deccan cronies, and the Sultan of Gujarat throwing his turban into the ring.
While Arab traders and the Chinese had been trading with the ports in Kerala (in South India), further up the coast Bhatkal (in present day Karnataka), Goa and Gujarat (with multiple ports) were all trading with the Middle East. Into this came sailing the Portuguese keen to have direct trade routes, intent on cutting out Egyptian and Arab merchants and their Indian allies from the lucrative cotton, spice, and war-horse trade.
A Pirate’s Life for Us: Enter Timoji
One of the most fascinating characters in this saga is Timoji (or Timmaya). A Konkani privateer turned pirate, Timoji was a man of many hats—or perhaps turbans—skilled in the art of leveraging his nautical prowess to serve various political masters, all while carving out a little kingdom of his own on the high seas.
Timoji’s home base was Bhatkal (also known as Barkur in some historical references) was an important hub for maritime trade in the early 16th century, with strategic importance due to its location between Goa and the Malabar coast. From here, he ran his privateering and pirate ventures, raiding ships and controlling local maritime trade routes.
Krishnadevaraya, Vijayanagara’s ruler (1509-1529) had a vested interest in controlling the western coast. The Portuguese, who were rapidly expanding their influence in India, were both a threat and a potential ally. The presence of pirates and privateers like Timoji added another layer of complexity to this already intricate geopolitical puzzle.
While Krishnadevaraya focused on consolidating his power on land, he was keenly aware of the importance of naval dominance. He likely saw figures like Timoji as useful agents—at least as long as their activities didn’t directly threaten Vijayanagara’s interests. This cautious but pragmatic approach allowed the empire to maintain a tenuous balance in a region teeming with rivalries and shifting allegiances.
Portuguese records, especially from the early Estado da Índia, portray him as a cunning and opportunistic figure who initially operated independently, raiding both Portuguese ships and those of their rivals.
By 1509, Timoji had allied with the Portuguese, specifically aiding Afonso de Albuquerque, a key figure in Portugal’s Indian expansion. Timoji's most famous act was helping the Portuguese capture Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur in 1510. His knowledge of local waters, political connections, and network of supporters made him invaluable to the Portuguese, who were attempting to establish a foothold in India. For his assistance, the Portuguese rewarded him with the title of Tanadar (local governor) of Goa, giving him a powerful position within their new colony.
Despite this, Portuguese sources often depict him with some suspicion, as he was seen as primarily self-interested, with shifting loyalties depending on where he could gain the most advantage. They acknowledged his military skill and strategic brilliance but remained wary of his fluid allegiances.
Legacy and Historical Perspective
Indian historians, along with modern scholars, offer a more nuanced view of Timoji. Timoji's role as a privateer or pirate was part of a long-standing tradition of coastal warfare and mercenary activities in the region. Timoji was likely one of many such leaders who operated with a degree of autonomy while aligning himself with various powers, depending on the political and economic landscape.
Timoji's legacy is complex. Portuguese sources remember him as a skilled but untrustworthy ally, while modern historians highlight his clever manipulation of the competing powers around him. His ability to serve the Portuguese while navigating the intricate politics of the Malabar and Konkan coasts reflects the opportunism and fluid loyalties that characterized many of the privateers and pirates of the time.
Timoji’s story is a reminder of how local figures could both challenge and collaborate with European colonizers, reshaping history in ways that went beyond the control of either side. His role was not simply as a mercenary but as a key actor in the region’s power struggles, using piracy and diplomacy to maintain a delicate balance of power in an increasingly globalized world.
For those looking to learn more about this fascinating era, here’s a short and subjective collection of readings.
Sanjay Subrahmanyam, The Portuguese Empire in Asia, 1500-1700: A Political and Economic History Subrahmanyam’s work is highly regarded for exploring the political dynamics between local rulers and European powers.
B S Shastri Goa Kanara Portugues Relations: 1498-1763 offers a detailed exploration of the complex interactions between the Portuguese and the local rulers of the Goa and Kanara regions over more than two and a half centuries.
Kiran Sampatrao Jadhav, Trade of Adil Shahi Sultanate of Bijapur chapter in Merchants and Ports in the Indian Ocean World