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Gaspar Corte Real

Statue of the discoverer of Newfoundland, in front of Confederation Building in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Gaspar Corte-Real (circa 1450 - 1501 ) was an explorer Portuguese. He was the youngest of three son of Joo Vaz Corte-Real , his brothers were Miguel and Vasco Anes.

Summary

Youth

We know almost nothing of his youth. It was probably in the service of Duke of Beja , the future King Manuel I of Portugal. Younger son, he did not have the titles of its elders. Assume that it has established quite young at Angra do Herosmo , where he managed his father's land. It had seized him other lands in June 1480, by abusing his office of captain-donee, and have surrendered to Gaspar illegally Exploration

The discoveries of Columbus lead a renewed interest in exploration to the west. At the end of the fifteenth century , a time that is now impossible to say, Gaspar undertakes one or more maritime expeditions from Terceira , at its expense, probably without success .

May 12, 1500, Manuel I of Portugal granted him a series of letters patent , which he donated grants and "all islands and mainland that can discover," transmissible to his heirs, and one quarter net of all direct and indirect revenues. Corte-Real also hopes to find the Northwest Passage to the Asia , first suggested by John Cabot in 1490.

Gaspar Corte-Real from Lisbon in early summer 1500 with a well equipped vessel , supported financially by his brother Miguel. Around September or October, he reached a land where there is a northern climate is cold, he named Terra Verde (Green Earth, now Greenland ), but can not land because of weather.

In late December 1500 or early January 1501, he undertook a second expedition, always supported by his brother . After sailing to Cape constant for several weeks without discovering anything, he encountered heavy ice floes, and must turn to the northwest. He continues in that direction and saw, between the northwest and west, a great country. This is probably the Labrador and Newfoundland , already discovered by John Cabot, where he captured about 60 indigenous Beothuk. According to Pietro Pasqualigo , they have some European artifacts . Gaspar Corte-Real returns two vessels in Portugal with the slaves before proceeding himself to the south. He then disappears without a trace. Other ships returning to Portugal in October 1501.

His brother tries to find in 1502 and disappears in its turn; expedition chartered by the King (who refuses to leave the third brother Corte-Real to attend) the following year finds no sign of them.

References

  1. The Estate of Gaspar Corte-Real was dispossessed of the land in 1503, the decision was confirmed in 1514.
  2. If successful, its findings would certainly have been recalled in the king's letters patent.
  3. According to Antonio Galvam, he left with two ships of Terceira.
  4. Some sources indicate that Miguel Corte-Real made the trip, which is probably inaccurate, because documents show he is in Malaga while Gaspar Corte-Real is gone, cf. Harris, Corte-Real, postscript, page 14
  5. Ambasseur in Venice with the court of Portugal. See the English translation of a letter of 19 October 1501 to his brother , alleging Paesi nouamente retrouati, vol. VI, Vicenza, 1507, "CXXVI" .
  6. A stretch of golden sword appearing to have been manufactured in Italy, and a pair of earrings made of silver discs of Venetian origin. See James Williamson, The Voyage of the Cabots And The Discovery of North America Franais Under Henry VII & VIII, The Argonaut Press, London, 1929 .

Sources

See also


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