HARMU´ZA(Ἅρμουζα πόλις, Ptol.: 6.8.5), the capital of the district which Arrian has called Harmozeia. There seems to be some doubt whether there is any present representative of this place along the coast. The only place which now bears the name of Ormus is an island off the mouth of the Anamis, to which it has been conjectured by D'Anville that the inhabitants of the coast must have fled shortly after the time of Timúr. The modern history of this island is well known. It was taken by Albuquerque in 1507, and held with great commercial prosperity by the Portuguese till Shah Abbás, aided by the English, took it from them in 1622. While Ormuzlasted, the Portuguese had an emporium second to none but Goa. Shah Abbás built on the opposite coast Bender-Abbassi, and tried to win for it the commerce which Ormuzhad possessed. In this, however, he signally failed, and both places are now utterly.ruined and abandoned. (Vincent, Voy. of Nearchns, vol. i. pp. 324—334.)
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