Priority and intentionality in the discovery of Brazil in 1500

The Portuguese intention behind Cabral’s discovery of Brazil.

Some historians debate whether it was Spanish sailors or the Portuguese who first sighted the lands of Brazil.

Even without documentary evidence, French writers claimed French precedence regarding the voyage of a certain Jean Cousin in 1488.

However, the Brazilians Ramiz Galvão and Capistrano de Abreu completely invalidated his arguments.

There is also debate as to whether Cabral’s discovery was accidental or deliberate; in other words, whether it happened by chance or was intentional. If the latter, it would have been solely to officially take possession of land that was already known to the Portuguese.

Before analysing the arguments relating to the hypothetical Portuguese priority in discovery and Cabral’s intentions in coming, it is worth establishing the following preliminary point.

In the context of maritime exploration at the end of the 15^(th) century, the arrival of the Spanish and Portuguese in what is now Brazil in 1500 was, firstly, simply another step in the exploration of the Americas; secondly, it marked the beginning of a long period of colonisation and exploitation of the continent. In 1500, the Spanish and Portuguese were simply another group of explorers, and the Portuguese were exploiting the newly discovered route to India, having obtained the concession in the previous Treaty of Tordesillas.

This means that Vicente Yáñez Pinzón and Diogo de Lepe only reached the northeast coast by accident in the early months of that year.

And when Pedro Álvares Cabral reached the supposed Ilha da Vera Cruz in April and took possession of it, communicating this to King Dom Manuel I, he was implementing a key aspect of Portuguese expansionist policy: securing his country’s right to a portion of the New World.

This is the positive significance of the facts, regardless of any discussion about the Castilians’ anticipation being illegitimate, or the priority, intentionality or chance of the Portuguese discovery.

A prioridade portuguesa e a intencionalidade no descobrimento cabralino do Brasil -Cena histórica e evocativa, estilo pintura a óleo realista com iluminação dramática: na esquerda, uma esquadra portuguesa do século XV com caravelas e na proa uma nau principal com bandeira de Portugal; ao centro, Pedro Álvares Cabral em traje de capitão, erguendo um estandarte e fazendo ato oficial de posse na praia de um litoral tropical (areia dourada, vegetação de Mata Atlântica ao fundo); à direita, pequenas figuras de marinheiros e nativos observando; ao fundo, no horizonte, uma nau espanhola distante e outra francesa apenas sugerida, simbolizando a controvérsia sobre prioridade; no céu, mapas antigos e fragmentos do Tratado de Tordesilhas semi-translúcidos sobrepostos como se flutuassem (mostrando linhas de demarcação) e uma bússola náutica iluminada próxima a Cabral; incluir detalhes históricos: instrumentos de navegação (astrolábio, mapas), aves marinhas voando; paleta de cores quentes e oceânicas, textura de pincel visível, composição equilibrada em três planos (mar, praia, mapa simbólico), atmosfera de descoberta, ambiguidade entre acaso e intenção. Texto opcional pequeno e discreto no rodapé: "1500 — prioridade e intencionalidade no descobrimento cabralino". — The Portuguese prioritised and intended Cabral’s discovery of Brazil. This historical and evocative scene is painted in a realistic style with dramatic lighting. On the left is a 15^(th)-century Portuguese fleet with caravels, and at the bow is a main ship flying the Portuguese flag. In the centre is Pedro Álvares Cabral in captain’s attire raising a banner and performing an official act of possession on a tropical coastline with golden sand and Atlantic Forest vegetation in the background. On the right are small figures of sailors and natives watching. In the background, on the horizon, are a distant Spanish ship and a hint of another French ship, symbolising the controversy over priority. In the sky are ancient maps and fragments of the Treaty of Tordesillas, semi-translucent and superimposed as if floating, showing demarcation lines. Near Cabral is a lit nautical compass. Historical details include navigation instruments such as an astrolabe. maps) and seabirds flying. – A warm, oceanic colour palette with visible brush texture. – A balanced composition on three planes (sea, beach and symbolic map). – An atmosphere of discovery with an ambiguity between chance and intention.

1. Priority

Prioridade e intencionalidade no descobrimento do Brasil de 1500

In 1852, Joaquim Norberto de Sousa e Silva presented a paper to the Brazilian Historical and Geographical Institute in which he proposed that Cabral’s discovery of Brazil was not due to mere chance, but rather the result of the Portuguese having prior knowledge of its existence.

It was based mainly on an obscure passage from a letter written by João, a Bachelor of Arts, from Porto Seguro to King Manuel I, in which the king’s physician and surgeon said: ‘As for the location of this land, Your Highness, ask Pêro Vaz Bisagudo to bring you a world map, and then you will be able to see its location; but that world map does not indicate whether this land is inhabited or not. It is an old map, and you will also find Mina written on it.’

Unfortunately, the map was never found.

This was later contested by António Gonçalves Dias, who supported the theory of chance based on the letter in which Dom Manuel communicated the discovery to the kings of Spain, declaring it “miraculously accomplished”.

However, this letter stated that Cabral ‘rediscovered’ a land that was already known, although at the time ‘rediscovered’ meant ‘recently’ rather than ‘again’.

Another argument emerged in the discussion that also supports the hypothesis that the Portuguese arrived in Brazil before Cabral.

In Esmeraldo de Situ Orbis, by Duarte Pacheco Pereira, written between 1505 and 1508, it is stated that, in the third year of Dom Manuel’s reign (therefore in 1498), the king ordered him to ‘discover the western part, passing beyond the greatness of the Ocean, where such a large mainland is found and navigated, with many large islands adjacent to it’, extending from the Equator to the parallel of 70° North and, in the opposite direction, to the parallel of 28° South. In the latter region, ‘much fine brazilwood’ was found.4).

Mapa do Hemisfério Ocidental de 1579 — This is a map of the Western Hemisphere from 1579.

Upon studying the case, Capistrano de Abreu concluded that the first passage refers to a trip to the Northern Hemisphere and that Duarte Pacheco likely went with one of the Corte-Real brothers to Canada and Newfoundland.

The continentality of America and the existence of Brazilwood south of the Equator were already known facts at the time Esmeraldo was written.

Due to the unreliable nature of this data, Portuguese historian Abel Fontoura da Costa was only willing to concede that, prior to Cabral’s voyage, Dom Manuel and his team had already suspected the existence of a mainland to the west of the southern Atlantic.

She must have come from Dom João II, who met her shortly before negotiating the famous Treaty of Tordesillas with the Catholic Monarchs.

Indeed, if this were not the case, the Portuguese would not have accepted the clause allowing Spain to retain any lands located more than 250 leagues beyond the Cape Verde Islands if Columbus reached them before 20 June 1494.

Acceptance of the condition depended on the prior knowledge that it would not harm Portuguese interests. This could only be achieved with an understanding of the distances involved in reaching the lands of America.

A questão da prioridade — 1852 - Cena histórica e simbólica, estilo ilustração a tinta e aquarela com textura de papel antigo — composição em camadas mostrando: à esquerda, uma sessão do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro em 1852, homens em trajes do século XIX examinando uma carta antiga (etiquetada “Joaquim Norberto de Sousa e Silva”); ao centro, em primeiro plano, a carta de Porto Seguro aberta com trecho destacado em caligrafia antiga e um mapa-múndi envelhecido com uma área em branco onde faltaria o mapa de Pêro Vaz Bisagudo (marcas de dobra, manchas de água, selo apagado); sobre esse mapa, uma sobreposição translúcida mostrando a linha do Tratado de Tordesilhas e uma régua/escala indicando “250 léguas”; à direita, figuras históricas semi-translúcidas: Duarte Pacheco Pereira com um exemplar do Esmeraldo, e, atrás dele, silhuetas de navios dos irmãos Corte-Real navegando rumo ao Norte (Canadá/Terra Nova); elementos adicionais: astrolábio, bússola, fragmentos de manuscritos com a frase “muito e fino brasil”, aves marinhas no horizonte e um selo dourado com as palavras “sigilo / suspeita”; paleta sépia e oceânica, contrastes suaves, iluminação focal sobre o mapa em branco para enfatizar o mistério da ausência do documento, atmosfera de investigação histórica e dúvida sobre prioridade. Texto discreto opcional no rodapé: “A questão da prioridade — 1852”. — This is a historic and symbolic scene in an ink and watercolour illustration style with an antique paper texture. The layered composition shows, on the left, a session of the Brazilian Historical and Geographical Institute in 1852 with men in 19^(th)-century attire examining an antique letter labelled ‘Joaquim Norberto de Sousa e Silva’; in the centre, in the foreground, is the letter from Porto Seguro, which has been opened to reveal an excerpt in old calligraphy, as well as an aged world map with a blank area where the map by Pêro Vaz Bisagudo would be, complete with fold marks, water stains and a faded stamp. Over this map is a translucent overlay showing the line of the Treaty of Tordesillas, as well as a ruler or scale indicating ‘250 leagues’. On the right are semi-translucent historical figures. Duarte Pacheco Pereira holds a copy of Esmeraldo. Behind him are silhouettes of ships belonging to the Corte-Real brothers sailing north to Canada/Newfoundland. Additional elements include an astrolabe, a compass and fragments of manuscripts bearing the phrase ‘muito e fino brasil’ (very fine Brazil). Seabirds are visible on the horizon, and there is a golden stamp bearing the words ‘sigilo / suspeita’ (secrecy/suspicion). The sepia and oceanic palette features soft contrasts and focal lighting on the blank map, emphasising the mystery of the document’s absence. The atmosphere conveys an air of historical investigation and doubt about priority. Optional discreet text at the bottom: ‘The question of priority — 1852’.

2. The question of intentionality

As for the intentionality of Cabral’s arrival in Brazil, which resulted from the Portuguese’s prior knowledge (although this was kept secret until then), it should be noted preliminarily that this hypothesis is not based on any references in the Instructions brought by the capitão-mor, nor in the text of the letter from Pêro Vaz de Caminha or other contemporary sources.

It is true that the aforementioned Instructions had recommended that Cabral’s fleet should move as far away from Africa as possible when in the vicinity of Guinea, in order to avoid its well-known calm seas.

However, if Vasco da Gama had followed this simple instruction, he would not have discovered Brazil. Although he had not sighted its coast himself, nineteen days’ journey from the Cape Verde Islands, he did see “many birds like herons”, which flew off to the south-east at night.

Given that some of the Azores islands were discovered when sailors followed seabirds, it is possible that the same could have happened with Gama in Brazil if he had deviated slightly from his route.

While it does not provide certainty regarding pre-Cabral knowledge of our land, it does at least contribute to strengthening the suspicion, as mentioned by Camões in Os Lusíadas in relation to the first direct voyage to India.

Only one argument that appeared to support the thesis of intentionality was found in the letter by Pêro Vaz de Caminha.

After mentioning the disappearance of Vasco de Ataíde’s ship, he says: ‘And so we continue on our way across this vast sea.’

Portuguese historians Rafael Eduardo de Azevedo Basto and Faustino da Fonseca regarded this as evidence that the navigators were familiar with the route to Brazil.

They certainly knew the route to India, which ran along the Brazilian coast. They were no longer sailing at random.

However, it cannot be inferred from that simple indication alone that the fleet was deliberately heading for Brazil.

In Esmeraldo de Situ Orbis, Duarte Pacheco Pereira explained long-distance navigation as follows: ‘Any ship in Cape Verde bound for India, if the wind is favourable, should sail south for six hundred leagues. At the end of this journey, if it has truly travelled that distance, it will be at nineteen degrees of latitude from the equator towards the Antarctic Pole, and eight hundred and fifty leagues from the Cape of Good Hope.’

According to the calculations of his pilots, Cabral’s fleet sailed from Cape Verde to Porto Seguro, covering 660 or 670 leagues, and found itself at approximately 17° south latitude.

Any arguments for intentionality based on Caminha’s letter contradict the surprise expressed in the news of the council of captains’ meeting with the capitão-mor to deliberate on the return of one of the ships to Portugal, the disembarkation of exiles, and so on. This demonstrates that the newcomers knew nothing about the new land.

In short, although there are indications of intentionality in Cabral’s discovery, mainly based on the probability of prior knowledge or suspicion of the existence of lands on the margins of the South Atlantic, there is still insufficient evidence of the alleged priority of a Portuguese discovery of Brazil and of the intentionality of the voyage of 1500.

However, this statement does not imply acceptance of the now obsolete theory that chance alone was responsible for the officially recognised discovery of Brazil.

Pedro Álvares Cabral did not discover our country by chance; it was due to a slight deviation from his route.

In his day, people no longer sailed without pre-set courses.

In this case, previous studies had been conducted, suitable vessels and instruments were available, and experienced maritime personnel were present. Therefore, the possibility of such a gross error cannot be accepted.