|
|
 |
Gaspar & Miguel Corte-Real
Portuguese Navigators & Brothers
|
|
|
Gaspar
|
Born: 1450 |
Died: 1501 |
Miguel
|
Born: 1448 |
Died: (fl. 1502) |
Gaspar sailed west
across the Atlantic in 1500 to look for new trade routes and new
lands to colonize. He rediscovered Greenland before reaching North
America, landing on what is probably Newfoundland, the returned to
Portugal. In 1501, Gaspar embarked on a second expedition, again
reaching Newfoundland. Two ships returned to Lisbon carrying 57
Beothuk Indians, but Gaspar’s ship was never heard from again.The following year, one of Gaspar’s brother’s Miguel went in search
of him. The expedition’s flagship, with Miguel aboard, was lost at
sea. In 1503, the Portuguese king denied another brother permission
to launch yet another expedition to search for the missing
explorers.When Ferdinand Magellan set off on his circumvention of the world,
the Portuguese king, furious at him for serving Spain, was comforted
by the Portuguese Ambassador that his fate might be “like that of
the Corte-Real brothers.”Henceforth, the Corte-Real brothers came to symbolize the dangers of
exploration.

|
Click on the Piece of Eight to return to the Main Page
 |
|
 |
|
|
|