O Discovery of Brazil is a widely known historical event, but did you know that there are details that are rarely discussed in history classes that can change the way we see this event?
In this article, we will explore 9 fascinating facts that can expand your knowledge about the Discovery of Brazil. Keep reading!
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(Image: Halley Pacheco de Oliveira/Wikimedia Commons/reproduction)
Even before Pedro Álvares Cabral arrived in Brazil, Portugal and Spain had already discussed the lands to be discovered.
The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, defined the limits of exploration, but historians suggest that Duarte Pacheco Pereira may have been the true “discoverer of Brazil”, in 1498, in a secret way.
The only record of Pacheco Pereira's supposed discovery is found in his book “Sobre os Mares do Mundo”, written between 1505 and 1508.
He describes the discovery of a “great dry land” covered in “a lot of fine Brazil,” fueling the theory that Cabral’s trip was a later formalization of ownership.
Vicente Yáñez Pinzón, a veteran Spanish explorer, sailed along the Brazilian coast in 1499, facing the fury of the Indians where Cabo de Santo Agostinho is today, in Pernambuco. He explored the mouth of the Amazon River and advanced to the Oiapoque River.
Pedro Alvares Cabral He left Lisbon on March 9, 1500, with a fleet of 10 ships and 3 caravels, totaling 1500 people. However, one of the ships disappeared, and only five of the thirteen vessels returned to Portugal.
On April 22, 1500, Cabral anchored in Monte Pascoal, in Bahia, officially marking the Discovery of Brazil.
Cabral received 10,000 Cruzados for the trip, in addition to the right to transport 30 tons of pepper free of charge on his ship. This represented a valuable opportunity, although few sailors returned due to shipwrecks.
On April 26, 1500, in Coroa Vermelha, the first mass was said in Brazilian lands by Friar Henrique de Coimbra, who accompanied Cabral's fleet. An image of Our Lady of Good Hope was placed in a chapel on the vessel's deck.
On May 6, 1500, the astronomer of Cabral's fleet recorded the latitude of Cabrália Bay (currently Porto Seguro), producing the oldest cartographic document in Brazil.
The first baptism certificate in Brazil belonged to Kathérine du Brésil, wife of Diogo Álvares, also known as Caramuru. Dated July 29, 1520, the certificate was discovered in the French city of Saint Malo.
These nine curious facts remind us that the history of the Discovery of Brazil is full of nuances and intriguing details that go beyond textbooks. Exploring these lesser-known stories can enrich our understanding of this pivotal moment in our lives. history.
