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 have participated.
While several historians have accepted these narratives, not all of them agree on them.
Expedição Portuguesa ao Brasil de 1503
1. A Doubtful Letter to Soderini
The ‘Lettera a Soderini’ is a letter supposedly written by Vespucci and addressed to Piero Soderini. It describes voyages to the New World. Due to its uncertain authenticity, historians treat it with caution.
This letter states that six ships left Lisbon on 10 June 1503 and arrived at an island now known as Fernando de Noronha two months later.
The flagship was lost, and the fleet split into two.
Led by Vespucci, these two are said to have sailed to Baía de Todos os Santos and Cabo Frio. There, they loaded up on brazilwood and set up a fortified trading post, exchanging the wood for goods with the indigenous people.
They left 24 men behind, briefly explored the interior and returned to Portugal the following year.
2. Other versions and expedition command.
Other sources suggest that Gonçalo Coelho, who was a clerk in the Royal Treasury, was the commander of the expedition.
According to some historical interpretations, the remaining ships arrived in Rio de Janeiro, where a trading post for Brazilwood was possibly established, before returning to the kingdom.
3. Documentation and certainties
There is no documentation of Vespucci’s direct participation in this voyage. However, it is well known that accounts from this period were often altered and embellished due to the significant public interest in travel narratives.
4. Leasing of Brazilwood and the Role of Fernão de Noronha
The existence of brazilwood was discovered during the exploration between 1501 and 1502.
Portugal leased the extraction rights to merchants from Lisbon due to its use in the paint industry. These merchants also took charge of exploring the coastline of Terra de Santa Cruz (the name given by King Manuel I to the region formerly known as Vera Cruz), establishing fortified trading posts.
One of the leaseholders, the wealthy New Christian Fernão de Noronha (also known as Loronha), organised a fleet that arrived in Brazil in 1503, either independently or in partnership with other merchants.
The number of ships, precise departure and arrival dates, port of disembarkation and specific events are all still uncertain.
However, it is known that, as a result of this voyage, Dom Manuel I donated the island of São João to Fernão de Noronha on 16 January 1504. The island was described as being “found and discovered fifty leagues out to sea from our land of Santa Cruz”.
The island of São João is now known as Fernando de Noronha, the main island of the archipelago of the same name.
This donation resulted in Brazil’s first hereditary captaincy, which became known by the grantee’s name.
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