# Francisco Barreto's expedition to Monomotapa

The Portuguese expedition to Monomotapa (1569–1573) was an expedition led by Francisco Barreto as an attempt to gain control over the Ophir gold mines owned by the Monomotapa.

## Background

During the late 15th and early 16th centuries, the Portuguese were exploring East Africa, their quest was for gold in the fever-stricken jungles and mangrove swamps of Southeast Africa. They believed that the gold mines of Ophir, sought by the Queen of Sheba, were located inland from Sofala, where they established a fort. Pedro d'Anhaya led early military efforts, which ended in failure with his death from fever and a massacre of local villagers.
Fifty years after d'Anhaya's death, King Sebastian of Portugal sent Francisco Barreto to find the rumored gold mines. Prior to Barreto, the missionary Gonçalo da Silveira had met the Mwene Mutapa in his homeland and converted him to Christianity. However, the chief's Muslim advisors, fearing that Portugal would threaten their trading interests, convinced him to have Silveira killed in 1561.
Barreto, a seasoned soldier and former governor of India, commanded the expedition with three ships and a thousand men, including many noblemen. The Portuguese demanded control of the land around Tete and Sena as compensation. They claimed their actions were a religious mission to drive out Muslims and avenge Silveira's murder, while also eliminating a trade rival.
However, the expedition faced trouble right from the start, including the need to winter in Brazil and delays upon reaching Mozambique.

## Expedition

Barreto was pressured by a Jesuit priest, to take an indirect route through the Zambesi River instead of the more direct path to Sofala. Barreto hesitated, and as delays continued, many men fell ill. By the time they set out for the Zambesi in November 1572, nearly a hundred men had died from fever.
The journey along the Zambesi River was arduous, filled with dangerous wildlife and hostile locals. Barreto and his men reached Sena, where they encountered 20 peaceful Arab traders.

## Battle against the Mongas
### Battle

In July 1572, Barreto marched up the Zambesi with a reduced force of about 650 men, aiming to quell a rebellion against the Monomotapa, the local chief. After a terrible nine-day march, they encountered a sizable enemy force of ten to twelve thousand Mongas. Barreto employed modern military tactics, arranging his troops in a hollow square formation and using cannons, they faced the attack of the enemy and successfully ending up pushing them back, at the cost of arquebus forces and artillery, but sending them fleeing in great panic.

### Aftermath

Despite their victory, the Portuguese retreated with sixty wounded and many sick. They were also short of provisions and water, many fell sick that there were none to carry them, even Francisco Barreto carried the sick behind him on his horse.

## Decline and the end of the Expedition

The Portuguese then reached the Sena in November, 1572, by then he only had 450 men in weak conditions, so he left the army there and left to Mozambique. Upon his arrival, Barreto discovered intrigue against him. The governor had falsely accused him to the king, leading to further demoralization. Despite these betrayals, Barreto made efforts to care for his sick men. However, he too fell ill and died shortly after his return to Sena, having devoted his last days to tending to his troops. Of the army only one hundred and eighty remained alive, and they were sick and dying fast. Vasco Fernandes Homem, the new commander, withdrew to Mozambique where he formed a new army, and with great toil and suffering in the end reached the country of the mines by way of Sofala. But when they got to the mines they found only a few deep holes with some Kafirs still at work. There was nothing to be done but to retreat and leave the Kafirs working in their holes. And so ended the expedition.