page_title: Diu Fortress
section_title: Siege of Diu (1538)
hierarchical_section_title: Diu Fortress / History / Siege of Diu (1538)
caption_attribution_description: English: Cannon_of_Suleyman_founded_by_Mohammed_ibn_Hamza_in_1530_1531_for_a_Turkish_invasion_of_India_taken_in_the_capture_of_Aden_in_1839_by_Cap_H_Smith_of_HMS_Volage_with_inscriptions.
context_page_description: The Diu Fortress, is a Portuguese-built fortification located on the west coast of India in Diu. The fortress was built as part of Portuguese India's defensive fortifications at the eastern tip of the island of Diu during the 16th century. The fortress, which borders on the town of Diu, was built in 1535 subsequent to a defense alliance forged by Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat and the Portuguese when Humayun, the Mughal Emperor attempted to annex this territory. It was strengthened over the years, till 1546. The Portuguese ruled over this territory from 1537 until the Indian invasion of December 1961. Today it is a landmark of Diu and one of the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World.
context_section_description: In 1538, the Turks, who were ill-disposed towards the Sultan of Gujarat and the Portuguese, mobilized a strong naval force comprising sixty-six ships and 20,000 soldiers. Starting from Egypt in 1538 they laid siege to the fort, repeatedly assaulted and intensely bombarding it. When the fort's forces were about to collapse, the Turks, for unknown reasons, lifted the siege and turned back to the Red Sea. Only 40 out of 400 men in the fort's Portuguese garrison had survived. This ended Turkish attacks on Portuguese India. In June 1538, the Sultan also attacked Diu, since during the previous year the Portuguese had occupied the fort as well as the city. The rulers of Gujarat (Mahmud III, nephew of Bahadur Shah) also tried to take control of the fort in 1545 and 1546. However, they were repeatedly thwarted by the Portuguese under the military leadership of Dom João Mascarenhas and Dom João de Castro.  After this, the Portuguese enjoyed uninterrupted control over the fort and Diu island, along with Daman and Goa.
  In 1670 an armed group of bandits from Muscat pillaged the fort and the town.
  In 1960, there were only 350 Portuguese soldiers garrisoned in the fort. "Operation Vijay" was launched by India on 19 December 1961 to end Portuguese colonial rule in Goa, Daman and Diu. After Diu had fallen, the Martyrs Memorial was erected close to the Collectorate office in Diu to commemorate the Indian soldiers who were killed in the capture of Diu.
caption: Ottoman cannon cast for the Siege of Diu. Taken in the capture of Aden in 1839 by Cap. H.Smith of HMS Volage. Tower of London.
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