Who among the following Arab-backed naval commanders served as hereditary admirals for the Zamorins of Calicut and organized fierce resistance against Portuguese maritime dominance in the sixteenth century?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The Kunjali Marakkars served as hereditary naval chiefs to the Zamorins of Calicut, commanding indigenous naval fleets that engaged Portuguese galleons along the Malabar coast. Utilizing swift war canoes and guerrilla naval tactics, they defended local commercial interests for decades before falling to combined Portuguese and Zamorin forces. Their naval stronghold was situated near Kottakkal in present-day Kozhikode district.