▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 5 3 , ▁Leon el ▁de ▁S ous a ▁obtained ▁authorization ▁for ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁to ▁establish ▁themselves ▁in ▁C anton ▁and ▁Mac au . ▁Mac au ▁was ▁later ▁offered ▁to ▁John ▁III ▁as ▁a ▁reward ▁for ▁Portuguese ▁assistance ▁against ▁mar itime ▁pi racy ▁in ▁the ▁period ▁between ▁ 1 5 5 7 ▁and ▁ 1 5 6 4 . ▁Mal ac ca , ▁which ▁controlled ▁the ▁e pon ym ous ▁Stra it ▁of ▁Mal ac ca , ▁was ▁vital ▁to ▁Portuguese ▁interests ▁in ▁the ▁Far ▁East . ▁After ▁an ▁un success ful ▁expedition ▁in ▁ 1 5 0 9 , ▁Mal ac ca ▁was ▁finally ▁conquer ed ▁by ▁Af onso ▁de ▁Al bu quer que , ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁vic ero y ▁of ▁India , ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁August ▁ 1 5 1 1 . ▁Mal ac ca ▁was ▁later ▁taken ▁by ▁the ▁Dutch ▁in ▁ 1 6 4 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁follow ▁its ▁trade ▁routes ▁to ▁the ▁Far ▁East , ▁Portugal ▁dep ended ▁on ▁the ▁season al ▁mon so on ▁wind s ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean . ▁In ▁winter , ▁the ▁prev ail ing ▁n ort he aster ly ▁mon so on ▁imp eded ▁travel ▁to ▁India ; ▁in ▁summer , ▁the ▁south west ▁mon so on ▁made ▁departure ▁from ▁India ▁difficult . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Portugal ▁determined ▁that ▁it ▁needed ▁permanent ▁bases ▁in ▁India , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁its ▁ports ▁of ▁call ▁in ▁Africa , ▁to ▁pass ▁the ▁time ▁while ▁the ▁wind