The oft-repeated idea that Portugal neglected the exploration and settlement of the territory now known as Brazil during the first third of the 16th century is no longer accepted by historians. Documents that have been discovered show the opposite to be true.
During that period, several official discovery and coastguard fleets were sent to the Brazilian coast, as well as numerous private expeditions, almost always of a commercial nature, focused mainly on the extraction of brazilwood in the trading posts already established on the coast.
This was the conclusion reached by Capistrano de Abreu in 1883, when he wrote in Descobrimento do Brasil — Seu Desenvolvimento no Século XVI (Discovery of Brazil — Its Development in the 16th Century):
“However powerful the Indian fleets and imposing the ships that composed them, they left less of a mark on history than the humble caravels and small flotillas that soon began to come to Brazil — some clandestine, others sent by contractors for the precious wood.
Thanks to them, communications became frequent and relations with Europe almost regular; relatively important trade developed early on, and the land found by Cabral was never completely forgotten.”
From the start of the 16th century until its midpoint, the Brazilian coast saw frequent passages and incursions by Spanish navigators, either en route to the Antilles and Venezuela or searching for a passage to the Pacific and the Moluccas. The Moluccas, now known as the Maluku archipelago, are a […]
European interest in and conflict over Brazilwood in the 16th and 17th centuries. This chapter examines the exploitation and trade of Brazilwood along the Brazilian coast during the early years of colonisation. It highlights the commercial practices of the Portuguese, the significant involvement of French shipowners, and the repressive measures […]
The Portuguese expedition to Brazil in 1503: discoveries, controversies and developments. Several printed and handwritten sources from the early 16^(th) century — many of which are attributed to Amerigo Vespucci — describe a second Portuguese expedition to Brazil between 1503 and 1504, in which the Florentine navigator is said to […]
The captains of Pedro Álvares Cabral’s fleet proposed sending an expedition to explore the new land further. In 1501, King Manuel accepted the proposal and organised three ships for the mission. The main objective was to explore the newly discovered land in greater detail. This involved recognising and mapping the […]
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From the start of the 16th century until its midpoint, the Brazilian coast saw frequent passages and incursions by Spanish navigators, either en
European interest in and conflict over Brazilwood in the 16th and 17th centuries. This chapter examines the exploitation and trade of Brazilwood
The Portuguese expedition to Brazil in 1503: discoveries, controversies and developments. Several printed and handwritten sources from the early
The captains of Pedro Álvares Cabral’s fleet proposed sending an expedition to explore the new land further. In 1501, King Manuel accepted the
The Portuguese intention behind Cabral’s discovery of Brazil. Some historians debate whether it was Spanish sailors or the Portuguese who first
