Abstract :
In the National Archives of the Torre do Tombo in Lisbon, the Persian documents of 16th-17th centuries are selected and
preserved, in general, under a large category, called before “Cartas Orientais” or “Documentos arábigos” and, currently, “Documentos
Orientais”. This collection forms a part of the funds of the “Manuscritos da Casa dos Tratados”. Some of these documents pertain to the
Portuguese, in continuation of their policy of expansion in the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf in early 16th century who had reached
the island of Hormuz, situated at 6 km from the Iranian coast. This great transit market of the Persian Gulf had then a population of
approximately 40.000. Called until the 13th century “Jarun”, the island of Hormuz belonged to Iran and the rich “kingdom” of this island
had for centuries depended on the central government of Iran. As for its kings, called in Persian sources volât-e Hormuz, they were
until then the vassals of the Persian monarch. But, with the arrival of Portuguese, they became subordinates to Portugal. This paper
deals with some of the documents from National Archives of the Torre do Tombo that deal with interaction of the kingdom of Hormuz
and the Portugese.
