Portuguese expansion worked through rivalries that already divided the Malabar Coast. Cabral sailed directly from the smouldering Calicut to Cochin, whose rulers had strong reasons to welcome a force that had damaged their larger rival. Cochin offered another factory and a friendly foothold, although Calicut remained the more important harbour. The encounter also forced Portuguese observers to revise mistaken assumptions about Hindu communities and recognize the region's religious complexity. Local alliances were central to Portuguese expansion.
Notable Point · 30:21-32:40
Cochin as a Portuguese counterweight to Calicut
After attacking Calicut, the Portuguese secured a factory at its rival Cochin, showing how local rivalries shaped their foothold on the Malabar Coast.