Diu Fortress

Before the Portuguese built the fortress in 1535, the ancient history of the place was linked to several kings and dynasties. The island was occupied by the Chavda Rajputs in the 9th century, and later by the Vaghela dynasty. The island would later come under the control of the Gujarat Sultanate. Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat sought the help of the Portuguese when Mughal Emperor Humayun was getting ready to attack Gujarat and annex Sultan's territory. The Portuguese thus got the right opportunity, which they were seeking for long, to get a foothold on the Diu island to build a fort for the protection of their trade. After the Portuguese ambition to build a fort at Diu was met, there was total mistrust between the Sultan and the Portuguese on several issues. In 1537, in Diu harbor, the Sultan was killed in a fracas with the Portuguese. This resulted in a fight for the throne of the Sultanate of Gujarat by two claimants, but Governor Cunha's candidate lost. This put the Portuguese in a spot vis-a-vis the throne and they quickly repaired the damage by entering into a truce with the new Sultan, which was only a temporary reprieve. In 1670 an armed group of bandits from Muscat pillaged the fort and the town. "Operation Vijay" was launched by India on 19 December 1961 to end Portuguese 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. ==Geography==

The fortress-castle, known in Portuguese as 'Praça de Diu', is set within the Diu island, on the southern tip of the coast of Gujarat at the mouth of the Gulf of Cambay (also known as Gulf of Khambat). The fort and the town are delimited on the east by the state of Gujarat, on the west by the Arabian Sea, on the north by the Kolak River and on the south by Kalai river. It borders the town of Valsad and Junagarh district of Gujarat. Two bridges provide the connecting links to the town and fort. The secured fort provided sea access for trade and traffic with Cambay, Broach (now known as Bharuch) and Surat in Gujarat. ==Structure==

, inside the fortress – Light house and the moat Construction of the fort was started in October and completed in March, with the Portuguese forced labour putting their full might. The fortress is a large structure on the coast of the Diu island and commands views over the sea. It skirts the sea on three sides. The outer wall of the fort was built along the coastline. The inner wall had bastions on which guns were mounted. A double moat (outer one is a tidal moat) between the outer and inner walls provided security to the fort. The moat that separates the fortifications from the castle has been cut through sandstone rocks. A jetty built then on the northwestern side is still in use. The fort was provided with three entry gates. A bastion built earlier by the Sultan in the deep water channel, next to the fort walls, was further strengthened by the Portuguese. ==Gallery==

File:Diu Fortress, Nov. 2005-2.jpg|Barbican File:Portugese relic - in diu.jpg|Portuguese relic made of petrified wood in Diu Museum File:Diu relics.jpg|Diu relics made of petrified wood in Diu Museum File:Diu Fortress, overlook, Nov. 2005.jpg|Looking out into the sea from Fort ramparts File:Diu Fortress, Nov. 2005-1.jpg|Entry ramparts to the fort File:Diu Fortress cannons, Nov. 2005-2.jpg|Gun position File:Diu2.jpg|Diu fort's wall File:Eglise St Paul.jpg|St. Paul's Church at Diu ==References==