In late 1505, D. Francisco de Almeida, the first Portuguese vice-roy of the Indies, secured permission to erect the stone fortress of Santo Angelo in Cannanore.

As the succession was disputed, the Zamorin of Calicut, as formal suzerain of the Kerala coast, nominated an arbitrator to sort through the candidates.

[7][8] The firepower of the garrison under Lourenço de Brito allowed it to repulse massive attacks involving thousands of men.

[7] Castanheda's detailed report of the siege states that they were then surprised – and saved – by a tidal wave of lobsters that washed ashore on 15 August.

[7] The Portuguese garrison was on the verge of being overwhelmed when, on 27 August 1507, a fleet of 11 8th Armada ships under Tristão da Cunha arrived from Socotra.