Chapter 119 - We are the Stage
In the candlelit war chamber of Fort São Miguel, high above the bustling port of Goa, the Portuguese High Council of the Indies gathered under vaulted ceilings draped with naval banners. Rich tapestries hung like trophies, reminders of past glories—from Melaka to Mozambique, from Hormuz to the Cape.
Governor-General Gaspar de Sousa stood at the head of the table, his silver beard immaculately combed, his eyes sharp and calculating.
"All of you have read the latest dispatches," he began, gesturing to the documents on the polished teakwood table. "Ottoman expansion continues unchecked along the Red Sea. Their grip over the slave and gold routes grows stronger each year. And now, word comes of a rebellion near Kilwa—one that threatens both Ottoman and Adal interests. Ships have been getting lost at sea, especially slave ships. We’ve been loosing shipmets as well."
He paused, letting the words settle.
Bishop Rodrigo sighed. "So? Let the Ottomans choke on their arrogance. Their empire is bloated. They can’t hold the coasts forever. The second they falter we will raze their ports and take everything. Loosing a few ships is nothing compared to future profits."
"Yes, but neither can we afford to let them grow more powerful. If they manage to completely take over Abyssinia and the entire trade routes, they will definitely push us out," Sousa replied.
Captain-General Vasco Pereira, a hardened veteran of the East African seas, leaned forward. "What about this so-called ’Kingdom of Nuri’? They say it’s some upstart kingdom of black rebels. Supposedly they took out the sultan and took over. They have created blockades, planned ambushes, even defeating Adal privateers. Is that verified?"
"Several reports confirm it," Sousa said. "They’ve severed Ottoman slave routes, disrupted merchant traffic, and established naval control near Kilwa. The Ottomans are furious but hesitant to retaliate. Their current efforts are focused on various countries. They are spread thin."
"Interesting," said António de Braga, the young but shrewd Secretary of Trade. "If true, Nuri has not only cut into the Ottoman purse, but created a wedge we can exploit."
Rodrigo scoffed. "We are to side with Abyssinia now? With tribes who still fight with bronze spears and barefoot warriors?"
"Abyssinia is primitive, yes," Sousa admitted. "But they are Christian. And they hate the Ottomans more than we do. Considering the Ottomans are funding their greatest enemy."