Which event took place in 1622 and fundamentally changed the balance of power and trade between European Empires in the Persian Gulf?
Answer: The capture of Hormuz (February-April 1622). The Portuguese had controlled the castle of Hormuz, Persia, for over a century. Its 1622 capture by the forces of the Safavid Empire and their British allies allowed Britain and other European empires to explore trade routes in the Persian Gulf and Indian subcontinent.
Source: Cambridge History of the British Empire by H. H. Dodwell
