MILAN -- His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, presented a rare original historical manuscript to the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, Italy, in the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA).

The manuscript dates back to August 14, 1624, and includes a papal decree written by Pope Urban VIII and sealed in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Additionally, His Highness gifted his book “Papal Bull” in both Arabic and English at the university’s premises.

In his speech, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Rector and members of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan for their warm welcome.

His Highness spoke about the manuscript he gifted to the university, which dates back to August 14, 1624, highlighting that it is a papal decree written by Pope Urban VIII and sealed in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. The purpose of the decree was to raise financial assistance for the Portuguese fleet.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah discussed the conflict between the Portuguese and the English in Hormuz, stating, “In 1622, the Portuguese were expelled from Hormuz at the entrance to the Arabian Gulf from the Persian coast, where they had occupied it for one hundred and fifteen years, by English and Persian forces. The mission of the Portuguese leaders, along with the priests, was evangelization, whether in Hormuz, Persia, or India.”

His Highness added, “After the English expelled the Portuguese from Hormuz in Persia, King Philip of Portugal sought to retake Hormuz. However, the Portuguese government lacked the financial resources to send a military campaign for its recovery. King Philip requested financial support from the clergy, which led Pope Urban VIII to issue a papal decree to collect the necessary funds from the churches.”

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah explained that he translated and studied this decree, tracking the funds collected through the churches, which amounted to two hundred thousand cruzados, a Portuguese gold currency at the time. The goal was to build a fleet and send it to India to retake Hormuz. His Highness noted that the fleet required a special type of large ship capable of crossing oceans, which would take considerable time, along with a sailing journey from Portugal to India that would last several months.

His Highness indicated that King Philip ordered the funds to be sent to India to build a local fleet there, due to the short distance between India and Hormuz. He explained that the details of this fleet and its armament are mentioned in the book “Papal Bull” that he authored, as well as the account of its journey to the battle site in Hormuz against the English and Dutch forces, culminating in the defeat of the Portuguese fleet.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah received a commemorative gift from the Rector of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, which was an original 3D map of the city of Milan dating back to 1657.