Francisco de Almeida

His Lordship D. Francisco de Almeida
1st Viceroy of Portuguese India
In office 12 September 1505 – 4 November 1509
Monarch	Manuel I of Portugal
Preceded by	Tristão da Cunha (designate; never took office)
Succeeded by	Afonso de Albuquerque
Personal details
Born	Francisco de Almeida ca. 1450 Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal
Died	1 March 1510 (aged 59–60) Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope
Children	Lourenço de Almeida
Occupation	Soldier, explorer, viceroy of Portuguese India
Known for	Establishment of Portuguese naval hegemony in the Indian Ocean.

Dom Francisco de Almeida (Portuguese pronunciation: [fɾɐ̃ˈsiʃku ðɨ alˈmɐjðɐ]), also known as the Great Dom Francisco (c. 1450 – 1 March 1510), was a Portuguese nobleman, soldier and explorer. He distinguished himself as a counsellor to King John II of Portugal and later in the wars against the Moors and in the conquest of Granada in 1492. In 1505 he was appointed as the first governor and viceroy of the Portuguese State of India (Estado da Índia). Almeida is credited with establishing Portuguese hegemony in the Indian Ocean with his victory at the naval Battle of Diu in 1509. Before Almeida returned to Portugal he lost his life in a conflict with indigenous people at the Cape of Good Hope in 1510. His only son Lourenço de Almeida had previously been killed in the Battle of Chaul.