On 24th December, 1500 Cabral and his crew reached Cochin, whose ruler a traditional foe of the Zamorin, extended a warm welcome to them and an alliance of friendship was concluded between the two by which the Portuguese got favourable trade facilities. The Raja of Cochin, a vassal of the Zamorin, was endeavouring to get his freedom from the overlord. The Portuguese promised to make him, at a later date, the overlord of Malabar.
A factory was established there and Cabral was given all facilities to load his ships. Soon a large fleet of the Zamorin appeared in the Cochin waters to avenge the wrongs of Cabral in Calicut. Cabral, more concerned with the precious commodities he had stored in his ships, stole away at night leaving his ally, the Raja of Cochin and thirty of his countrymen in the lurch to look after themselves.
On his way he landed at Cannanore where Kolattiri helped him collect more supplies. Thus, we find Cabral establishing friendly relations with two local potentates Cochin and Kolattiri on the south and north respectively of the territory of Calicut kingdom the Cod Raja’s ambition to become the ‘Zamorin’ that the Portuguese promised to make him, was so compelling that he ignored the treachery of Cabral and continued to protect his men and factory in spite of the warning given by the Zamorin against it. Discovery of Cochin harbour, a better anchorage than Calicut, was a significant event that led to the establishment of Portuguese power in South India.