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Portugal’s Maritime Expansion – The Portuguese in North America

in Portuguese Maritime Expansion

The Portuguese in North America

The Portuguese presence in North America dates back to the 15th and 16th centuries, a period marked by intense maritime exploration.

Motivated by the search for new trade routes and the desire to expand geographical knowledge, Portuguese navigators were pioneers in various areas of the continent.

In this text, we explore the main expeditions carried out by the Portuguese in the region, highlighting their achievements and significant contributions to the history of maritime exploration.

Expansão Marítima de Portugal - Os Portugueses na América do Norte
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Portugal's Maritime Expansion - The Portuguese in North America

1. Initial Explorations

Portuguese maritime explorations also reached North America.

In 1474, João Vaz Côrte-Real and Álvaro Martins Homem were rewarded for their voyages to Terra do Bacalhau, which corresponds to the island of Newfoundland, probably accompanied by Danish navigators.

Today, the island of Newfoundland is known as Newfoundland Island, which is part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada.

2. Voyages Before Columbus

In early 1492, before Christopher Columbus, João Fernandes, known as Lavrador, and Pedro de Barcelos, both from the Azores, set out on a three-year journey that took them to Greenland.

3. Chronology of Portuguese Explorations

  • 1474: João Vaz Côrte-Real and Álvaro Martins Homem are rewarded for their voyages to Terra do Bacalhau, the Island of Terra Nova, or Newfoundland.
  • 1492: João Fernandes and Pedro de Barcelos set out on a journey that takes them to Greenland.
  • 1497: João Caboto carries out his expedition in the service of England, reaching the coast of Newfoundland.
  • 1500: Gaspar Côrte-Real, authorised by King Manuel I, explores the region of Newfoundland and Labrador.
  • 1502: Gaspar Côrte-Real resumes his explorations, but neither he nor his brother Miguel return.
  • 1520: João Álvares Fagundes explores lands in Canada.
  • 1525: Estêvão Gomes visits the northeast coast of what is now the United States.
  • 1542: João Rodrigues Cabrilho discovers the coast of California, in the service of Spain.

4. Gaspar Côrte-Real and his Explorations

In 1500, authorised by King Manuel I, Gaspar Côrte-Real explored the same region, returning the following year and reaching what we now know as Labrador and Newfoundland.

The explorations resumed in 1502, but neither Gaspar nor his brother Miguel returned.

5. Other Portuguese Explorations

Later, other Portuguese navigators also left their mark on North America.

João Álvares Fagundes explored lands in Canada; Estêvão Gomes visited the northeast coast of what is now the United States; and João Rodrigues Cabrilho, a Portuguese in the service of Spain, discovered the coast of California on the Pacific Ocean.

This series of expeditions not only expanded the geographical knowledge of the time, but also established lasting ties between Portugal and the lands of the New World.

Map of North America from 1593 - This very rare map is the second printed map of the North American continent, following the smaller Forlani map of 1565. It was issued in Cornelis de Jode's Speculum Orbis Terrae in 1593, which was a revised edition of an earlier atlas published by his father Gerard in 1578. The present map was one of the several new engravings in Cornelis' work. While the atlas did not have much commercial success, de Jode's maps are often regarded as superior in both design and cartographic detail to his more successful competitor, Abraham Ortelius. Cartographically, the map is based upon Petrus Plancius' eighteen sheet world map of 1592 for the outline of North America. With only a few exceptions, the place names also directly follow Plancius' work. The map is notable for incorporating some of the concepts published in Theodore de Bry's Grand Voyages from 1590, including maps by John White and Jacques Le Moyne. Despite this new information, the Chesapeake Bay is placed too far north at a latitude equivalent to present-day Boston, while Virginia is north of C. de las Arenas (Cape Cod). These misplacements pushed the entire coastline too far to the north, and Norombega (New England) extends in an east-west direction between Chesepoc Sinus and the St. Lawrence River. To the north of the North American landmass is a prominent depiction of a Northwest Passage with a large mythical Lago de Conibas emptying into it. In the southwest, the seven cities of Cibola are situated next to an unnamed lake along with a note about Marcus Niza. The map is beautifully embellished with de Jode's distinct style, and is further decorated by a cartouche featuring six Virginia natives (per John White) and a vignette depicting the attack on Martin Frobisher's ship. Dedication to Theodor Echter at top left. There was only one edition of the Speculum produced, making this map quite rare on the market. The present example has a blank verso, and Burden notes that de Jode was selling this map both in the atlas and as a separate sheet. Wagner also states that examples occur without text. Publication: Speculum Orbis Terrae. The Second Printed Map of the North American Continent "Americae Pars Borealis, Florida, Baccalaos, Canada, Corterealis", Jode, Cornelis de
Map of North America from 1593
Map of North America from 1574 Second state of Ruscelli's map based on Giacomo Gastaldi's map of 1548, which combined data from the Verrazano and Cartier voyages to create the first printed map devoted to the East Coast of North America. The nomenclature and cartography are unchanged, with the exception of the depiction of the Hudson and St. Lawrence Rivers (unnamed), which are shown connected upriver, a notion he borrowed from Ramusio. This is one of the first obtainable maps of the region and one of the first to name Bermuda. Engraved on copper by Giulio and Livio Sanuto in the unmistakable Italian style. "Tierra Nueva", Ruscelli, Girolamo. North America Period: 1574 (circa)
Map of North America from 1574

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