1st Edition

Revival: Conquests and Discoveries of Henry the Navigator: Being the Chronicles of Azurara (1936) Being the Chronicles of Azurara

Edited By Virginia De Castro E Almeida Copyright 1936
    266 Pages
    by Routledge

    262 Pages
    by Routledge

    A preface from the pen of the late Marshal Lyautey introduces this book, which is an abridged translation of the Chronicales of Gomes Eannes de Azura, recording the siege and capture of Ceuta by the Portuguese, and the discovery of Guinea. Ceuta was captured because of the sons of John I--who had married the daughter of John of Gaunt--were ripe for knighthood , and rebelled against the bourgeois notion of receiving the acolade during a series of State banquets. Nothing less than the taking of a city from the Infidels would serve their turn; their knighthood must be truly earned and so Portugal became posessed of Ceuta. The second part of the book deals with the discovery of Guinea, Senegal, and Sierra Leone by Lancarote and others. The Chronicles, which made most excellent reading, have been edited by Senhora Virgina de Castro e Almeida, who is compiling an anthology of contemporary accounts of the great Portuguese navigators and colonists of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

    Preface by Marshal Lyautey

    Notes on the History of Portugal

    The Conquest of Ceuta: Being the Chronicle of the King Dom Joao I

    Chapter I How the Infantes persuaded King Joao their father to undertake the conquest of Ceuta

    Chapter II The Embassy to the Queen of Sicily. First preparations. The opinion of the Queen and the Constable concerning the plans for the conquest of Ceuta. The assembling of the Council.

    Chapter III Of the challenge which was sent to the Duke of Holland and of other Embassies, and of all the preparations for the enterprise against Ceuita which has been ordered by the King

    Chapter IV How the Fleet was organized, and of the enthusiasm of all for the mysterious enterprise. How the Queen Dona Felippa sickened of the Pest, and of how she died.

    Chapter V Of the voyage and the arrival of the Fleet before Ceuta. Preparations for battle: dreams and celestial signs

    Chapter VI How the City of Ceuta was taken by the Portuguese

    Chapter VII How the great Mosque of Ceuta was dedicated to the worship of Our Lord, and how the Infantes were made knights and dukes by the King their father. How the Portuguese returned into their country leaving the City of Ceuta well guarded

    The Chronicle of the Discovery of Guinea

    Introduction

    Chapter I How Azurara speaks of the Infante Dom Henrique before beginning his tale of the discovery of Guinea

    Chapter II The reasons which led the Infante to seek the lands of Guinea; how this enterprise was begun, and how Gil Eannes was the first to round Cape Bojador

    Chapter III How the Portuguese discovered the African coast as far as Cape Blanco and the bay and islands of Arguin; and the first captives whom they broght back from those parts

    Chapter IV How Lancarote asked leaved of the Infante to set out with other captains and a number of vessels to take his chance in Africa, and what was the outcome of this expedition

    Chapter V Voyage and death of Goncalo de Sintra. How Joao Fernandes was left alone in the land of Africa in order to give intelligence thereof to the Infante. How Diniz Dias was the first to see the land of the negroes (Guinea). Of the first captives disembarked at Lisbon. Of the voyage of Goncalo Pacheco and the death of the seven Portuguese. Of the voyage of Lancarote with his fleet of fourteen caravels and of the other twelve caravels which sailed with him; their discoveries and adventrues

    Chapter VI How Lancarote and his companions discovered the Nile of the Negroes (Senegal). Other voyages, discoveries, and adventures. How Joao Goncalves Zarco sent out his nephew Alvaro Fernandes, who discovered the Cabo dos Matos

    Chapter VII Of the things which Joao Fernandes learned during his journeys with the caravans, and other details concerning these new African countries

    Chapter VIII In which Azurara speaks of the Canary Isles, Madeira, and the Azores

    Chapter IX The death of Nuno Tristao. The west coast of Africa discovered as far as Sierra Leone and beyond. First commercial ventures

    Biography

    Virginia De Castro E Almeida