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Ormus

Ormus (also Ohrmuzd, Hormuz, Ohrmazd) was a kingdom in the 16th to 17th centuries around the Persian Gulf, in particular the Strait of Hormuz. The capital was the fortified port-city of Ormus which was one of the most important ports in the Middle East at the time, controlling sea-way trading routes to India. The city was probably located on the island of Hormoz. The city-state of Ormus is dated back to the 13th century when it controlled the slave market from Africa and Arabia to Khorasan in Persia. The state religion was more likely a branch of Persian Zoroastrianism than of Islam, due to the name which can be afflicted with the Zoroastrianist God Ahura Mazda (later transcription: Ohrmazd).

In September, 1507, the Portuguese Alfonso d'Albuquerque landed on the island. Portugal occupied Ormus from 1515 to 1622 when it was taken by Abbas I of Safavid of Persia with the help of the British. In the mid-17th century it was captured by the Imam of Muscat, but was later recaptured by Persia. It is now a part of Iran.



The Kingdome of Ormus
hath his owne King tributarte
vnto the King of Lusitania. it
containeth the whole shore of
Arabia from the passage of the
riuer Euphrates vntil C. Raz. alga
ti, likewise part of the Kingdome of
Persia w. adioyneth to the Sea Basora
and almost al the Ilands of the persian
Gulfe. whose mother Citie is Ormus
in the Iland Geru
a famous mart

John Speed, 1626
Note that some of this text is missing due to printing faults.

Lusitania is the Roman province of Lusitania, i.e. Portugal.

Compare to Ohrmuzd, Hormuz, Ohrmazd, Ahura Mazda

Last updated: 05-17-2005 03:29:44