The Lost Cods (IV) - Portugal and Kalmar

The last possible explorers of America before Columbus that I will analise are probably the most famous: João Vaz Corte-Real and Álvaro Martins Homem. João Vaz is father of Gaspar and Miguel, that I will speak later. Gaspar Frutuoso, azorian historian of the XVIth century, says that João Vaz Corte-Real received the captaincy of Angra in Terceira island (in Azores) because he discovered the New Land of Codfish (Terra Nova dos Bacalhaus). If this is true, this indicates a voyage before 1474. Many historians say that this was a Frutuoso mistake, that he confused him with his sons (we will see later what his sons did).

But there is another indication of this voyage, and it cames from Scandinavia. In a letter to king Christian III of Denmark in 1551, it is read that a voyage what realized in the time of Christian I of Denmark (and also of Norway and Sweden, the Kalmar Union) and Afonso V of Portugal, requested by the latter. It seems that João Vaz Corte-Real and Álvaro Martins Homem participated in this luso-danish voyage, that navigated thorugh Greenland and reached North America. I would like to know exactly what this letter says, and if the names of the portuguese explorers appear, because this would be another point that would give more credibility to Frutuoso's affirmations.

Possibly more than one voyage were realized, and in these maybe the voyage of Columbus in 1477 to these lands is part of this luso-danish effort. Please note that there is some doubt of the existence or not of ancien scandinavian colonies in Greenland when these expenditions arrived. The idea that probably interessed Portugal seems to be the possible route to Asia by North, being an alternative to the Cape route. As it woould be verified, the Cape route would be easier to perform. However, the existence of the jointly exploration only occurred due to the excellent relationship between the countries, and this is rarely indicated.

The Lost Cods (III) - The Columbuses

As we have seen earlier, the Portuguese in the XVth century made voyages to the open sea, that for example resulted in the discovery of Corvo and Flores islands in Azores. Did some of these voyages reach America? We will see some.

Diogo de Teive navigated to the west (in 1451) 150 leagues from Faial (in Azores). In the return of this voyage he discovered Corvo and Flores. He was searching for the mytical island of Seven Cities, but he did not find it. Please note that he navigated until Ireland, so open sea voyages were not a problem to the Portuguese explorers, as sometimes is said.

However, he did a second voyage in 1452 with Pedro Vasques de la Frontera and found the mytical island! It is not known if he navigated North, in the direction of the Newfoundland Banks, or to South, in the direction of the Sargasso Sea, that was already known by the Portuguese. This island may be for example, Sable, Bermuda or one of the Caribbean, but what is important here is that it was probably one of the islands of the American continent.

There are more "phantom explorers" as António Leme before 1484, that discovered 3 islands, João Vogado in 1462, Gonçalo Fernandes by order of Infante D. Fernando in 1462, Vicente Dias and Fernão Teles. This last one even guaranteed the monopoly of the commerce of the islands he discovered in 1475. Please note that in this time neither the Treaty of Alcáçovas nor the Treaty of Tordesilhas were in effect.

There are two more mystery explorers, but these two will come next.

The Lost Cods (II) - The West

The first europeans that with no doubt arrived in North America were the viking. They went through the Arctic, established colonies in Greenland and at least also in Newfoundland. This contact would end and as it seems Europe and America remained separated until the Discovery Ages.

The Portuguese explorations in the beggining of the XV century did not happend in the coastal zones, as it is commonly said. The discovery of Azores proves it and if we analise the distance between the Corvo and Flores islands in Azores and Newfoundland we see that half of the way to America was discovered... With the rise of the exploratory skills of the Portuguese ships the discovery of Amercia would just be a question of time...

Generally, the discovery of America is pointed to Columbus in 1492. And not by Portugal, the only country supporting the exploration, but curiously (or not...) by Portugal's only neighbour, Castile. This story and the rest of it is well know and we will return to it later.

There is a question that makes sense to ask: did Portugal discovered America before Columbus' voyage in 1492? Just for exmaple see that Corvo and Flores islands were discovered in 1451. In these 40 years no one tried to navigate to the west?

As it is expected, the remains of those voyages don't exist or are not very clear. Another very important point enters here and is often forgotten: the secrecy. The reasons to the Portuguese secrecy in the XVth century can be very obvious or not, but one thing is certain: it existed. Do any one believe that between Bartolomeu Dias voyage in 1488 and Vasco da Gama's in 1498 nothing was explored in the South Atlantic? (The voyage of Gama is shown in black in the picture). Vasco da Gama was in a very important mission (reach India) but did not followed Dias' way, he follows a new one... what if some terrible weather conditions existed in this new way? The only explanation I find is that explorations were made in the South Atlantic in these 10 years and that Gama followed the best way that was found in these exploratory voyages. But if that happened, then some voyages were hidden. After all, eve Bartolomeu Dias' voyage is only known due to some "information leaks"...

In the next post we will analise some of these "phantom voyages" to lands in the west.

The Lost Cods (I)

Generally, when someone speaks about the Portuguese Empire, attentions are centered in Africa (and gives you the idea that Arguin and Malindi were neighbour lands), in Brazil and in India (just like in Africa). That's natural, those lands were the most wealthy and important parts of the empire. But something else existed beyond them.

What makes me write this post is the unfamiliarity and desinterest of many in the former portuguese North American possessions. Yes, in North America - not Brazil. What first caught my attention was one of my school books, in the 7th or 8th year, that showed not only the typical representation of the Portuguese Empire but also a tiny spot, west of Azores. For a long time I was intrigued by that tiny spot. It did not make sense, and it was also west of the Tordesilhas line: it couldn't be Portuguese, but there was it. I didn't ask my professor why, maybe because I discovered a new interest to develop. But that tiny spot in North America always kept in my mind.

Later, maybe not much later, I discovered that the place where that tiny spot was placed was Newfoundland. I started to investigate Newfoundland and I become even more confused: it was discovered by John Cabot in 1497 and it was an english colony. Jacques Cartier also passed there. Was that spot an error? I never wanted to believe it was, but I couldn't explain why it was there, and I also didn't find answers...

Years later here I am and I know why that spot was there. It can be said that internet helps a lot. Well, I will explain that spot a little bit. Because I think that even the most forgotten and failed colonies must be pointed and studied separately from the others.
Welcome to the New Land of Codfishes (Terra Nova dos Bacalhaus), the portuguese part of North America in the XVIth century.