Question

The ruler of Gujarat, who formed an alliance with Egypt and Turkey against the Portuguese in India was.
a. Ahmad Shah I
b. Mahmud (Shah l) Begarha
c. Muzaffar Shah II
d. Bahadur Shah

Answer 1

Hint: The Battle of Diu was fought on April 1509 between the Portuguese forces and the allied forces of a Sultan of Gujrat, Mamluk Burji Sultanate of Egypt, the forces of Zamorin of Calicut and the Turkish Empire. The Portuguese came out victorious and took control of the ports of the Indian Ocean.

Complete answer: - The ruler of Gujarat who formed an alliance with Egypt and Turkey against the Portuguese in India, was Mahmud Shah I.
- Mahmud Shah I is also called Mehmood Begarha, he was one of the greatest rulers of Gujarat. He was an able warrior and captured the forts of Pavagarh and Junagarh during his rule. He ruled from 1458 to 1511.
- Khambhat was an important port for the Gujarat sultanate as it was one of the main ports connecting Egypt and India. When the Portuguese came to India and started gaining control over the ports in the Indian ocean, Mehmood Begarha launched an attack on them.
- Mehmood Begarha took help from his trading partners in Egypt, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire, the Republic of Venice and the Zamorin of Calicut.
- The Battle of Diu was a naval battle and it was fought on 3rd February 1509.
Thus, the correct option is (b).

Note: The victory of Portuguese in the Battle of Diu had far greater consequences than what was originally imagined. The entire world order changed, Europeans became the dominant players in global world trade. The old players like India, China and Egypt lost their monopoly, this also gave rise to colonialism.