Consider the following statements regarding the medieval Zamorins of Calicut: 1. The Zamorin held the title of Swamiar and exercised supreme sovereignty over the port city of Kozhikode, which became the premier spice emporium of the Malabar coast. 2. The naval defense of the Zamorin's domain against Portuguese aggression was organized by hereditary Muslim admirals known as the Kunjali Marakkars. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Both statements are correct. The Zamorins rose to immense wealth and political dominance by welcoming international merchants, particularly Arabs and Chinese, to Calicut. To combat the naval monopoly and armed incursions of the Portuguese after 1498, the Zamorins appointed the Kunjali Marakkars as their hereditary admirals, who waged a fierce guerrilla war at sea. This naval resistance remains a celebrated chapter in medieval Malabar military history.