[edit] Samuthiris (Zamorins)
Zamorin, means 'Lord of the Sea' and is the anglicised version of Samoothirippādu or Samoothiri, a title of the rulers of the erstwhile Hindu state of Kozhikode (Calicut), located in the north of the present day state of Kerala, India.
Their rule extended from the 14th to the 18th century AD.
Mānavikraman Raja, the Samoothiri of Kozhikode welcomed Vasco da Gama, the first Eurpoean to set foot in India in 1498. (Vasco De Gama exploited the enemity between the Zamorins and the neighbouring kingdoms and thus went on to to get virtual monopoly over the spices trade from India.)
Known for their simplicity, statecraft and foresight, the Zamorins turned the city, a natural harbor into a major port of trade with Roman, Chinese and Arab traders making it their port of call.
