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.