Battle of Bharuch
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| Battle of Bharuch | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Gujarati–Portuguese conflicts | |||||||
 Broach in an English engraving | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Portuguese Empire | Sultanate of Gujarat | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Jorge de Meneses Baroche | Mahmud Shah III | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
600 men[1] 10 oarships[1] | 5,000 cavalry[2] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Few | Heavy | ||||||
The Battle of Bharuch was a night-time attack of Portuguese forces under the command of Jorge de Meneses Baroche against the city of Bharuch, belonging to the Sultanate of Gujarat, in India. The Portuguese were victorious.
The Sultanate of Gujarat was at war with the Portuguese Empire ever since the second 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 to patrol the coast of Gujarat and capture any vessels transporting supplies and merchandise.[1][2]
Meneses left Bassein with 10 oarships and a mixed force of 600 men in September 1547.[1] 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.[1][3] 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.[2][3]
The Portuguese managed to sail up the river leading to Broach undected and land divided in three squadrons.[1] 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.[2] The cannon which the Portuguese could not be carry away were rendered useless.[1] Upon hearing of the attack, Madre Maluco who was in the region with 5000 horses rushed to the city though to no avail.[2]