Gaspar Corte-Real
Gaspar Corte-Real was a Portuguese explorer born in 1450 in Angra do Heroísmo, located on the island of Terceira in the Azores. As the youngest son of a noble family involved in exploration, Gaspar was well-educated and participated in various expeditions with his father. In 1500, he was commissioned by King Manuel of Portugal to search for new territories, specifically seeking the Northwest Passage to Asia. His first voyage took him to Greenland, where he believed he had reached East Asia, but harsh conditions forced him to turn back.
On his second voyage in 1501, Corte-Real shifted his course and landed in present-day Labrador, where he captured indigenous people to take back to Portugal as slaves. Tragically, during his return journey, his ship was lost at sea, and he vanished without a trace. His disappearance prompted further searches by his brother Miguel, but these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. Gaspar Corte-Real's explorations contributed to European interest in North America, particularly in Newfoundland, where his legacy is commemorated by a statue in St. John's, reflecting the historical connections between Portugal and the region's fishing industry.
Gaspar Corte-Real (explorer)
Explorer
- Born: 1450 CE
- Birthplace: Angra do Heroismo, Portugal
- Died: 1501 CE
- Place of death: Lost at sea
Significance: Gaspar Corte-Real was among the early explorers to land on the northeast coast of North America in the area of modern-day Newfoundland and Labrador.
Background
Gaspar Corte-Real was the youngest son of João Vaz Corte-Real and Maria de Abarca. Gaspar was born in 1450 at Angra do Heroismo on the island of Terceira in the Azores. He had two elder brothers, Miguel Corte-Real, who was two years older than Gaspar, and Vasco Añes Corte-Real. The family belonged to Portuguese nobility, and Gaspar’s father was given the title Governor of Terceira. The family’s patriarch was a Portuguese explorer and so also were Gaspar and his two other sons.
Gaspar was well educated. He was raised in a family of soldiers and explorers. In the medieval era, young nobles were placed under the care of a high-born citizen to complete their education. Thus, he came to live with the Duke of Beja.
On several occasions, Gaspar served as a governor in the absence of his father and his elder brother. He went along with his father on some expeditions. Gaspar’s father, who always shared his navigation experiences with his sons, died in 1496.
Explorations
Gaspar, along with his brothers, spent some time in Portugal at the court of King Manuel. The king had shown an interest in western exploration. In 1497, John Cabot had discovered a land that was believed to fall within the Portuguese territory. In 1500, Gaspar was sent by King Manuel to discover new lands. The king asked Gaspar to search for the Northwest Passage to Asia. The Royal Charter of May 12, 1500, states that Gaspar was to obtain ships and crew at his own expense. He wanted to explore and discover more islands and continents.
On a northern voyage of exploration, Gaspar sailed from Lisbon in June 1500. He landed on the island of Terceira in the Azores to take on food and water. Then he continued his voyage northward to Greenland. Gaspar believed that Greenland was actually East Asia. He sailed along Greenland’s east coast, but due to the ice floes and bad weather, he could not continue any farther. On his return trip, he rounded Cape Farewell in Greenland and eventually returned to Lisbon, touching at the west coast of Portugal.
On May 15, 1501, Gaspar set sail on his second voyage, this time with three caravels. The ships took a somewhat more westerly course than the one they followed during their previous voyage. Gaspar missed Greenland and landed in present-day Labrador, where he found pine trees and wild berries. Gaspar loaded sixty Indians on his ships when he set sail again for Portugal, making his captives slaves against their will. The three ships, however, became separated while at sea. Finally, on October 8, one ship arrived in Lisbon with seven natives. Three days later, the second ship reached Portugal with fifty more. However, the third ship, the one transporting Gaspar, the leader of the expedition, was lost and was never heard from again.
On May 10, 1502, Miguel, in his attempt to find his lost brother Gasper, set sail in three ships. In time, he reached the eastern shore of Newfoundland and saw a number of rivers, harbors, coves, and gunkholes, which are small coves or inlets. Believing that Gaspar’s ship could be hidden here somewhere along the eastern coast, he divided the fleet in hopes of finding his lost brother. The original plan was to reassemble the fleet on August 20, but when that day arrived, only two ships returned to the rendezvous point; Miguel’s ship did not return. Another expedition was launched by the king of Portugal to find the brothers; however, it too was unsuccessful.
Heinrich Winter and Ellen Taylor believed that the land that Gaspar discovered, which was known as Corte-Real Land and also as Codfish Land, extended beyond the Strait of Belle Isle to Cape Chidley. As soon as news of Gaspar’s discovery of Newfoundland had spread, England, France, Spain, and Portugal started sending their vessels to establish new fishing grounds in the region. A tithe on Newfoundland fish was levied in Portuguese ports by order of the king as early as 1506.
An inscription date of 1511 on Dighton Rock in Massachusetts, a boulder that is made of sandstone, shows that Gaspar’s brother Miguel might have lived in the area for nine years after his disappearance at sea in 1502. Some letters written in October 1501 in Lisbon by two Italian diplomats, Alberto Cantino and Pietro Pasqualigo, have been found. The letters described in detail the voyages of Gaspar. Gaspar is remembered as a famous Portuguese explorer. His statue stands in front of the Confederation Building in St. John’s, Newfoundland. This statue was donated in 1965 by the Portuguese Fisheries Organization, and it stands as an expression of gratitude for the hospitality that Newfoundlanders showed the Portuguese fishermen who worked the Grand Banks.
Impact
The voyages that Gaspar undertook produced the names Terra de Corte Real and Terra del Rey de Portuguall, which both show up on European maps. Clearly, as a result of the voyages of Corte-Real, the Portuguese were interested in what the new lands might offer—its fish, timber, and slaves. A number of Portuguese place names endure to this day, and the evidence provided by Portuguese maps suggests that their presence was quite significant.
Personal Life
The Gaspar Corte-Real who disappeared in 1501 was unmarried, and he therefore did not have any children. He spent his life exploring new lands instead.
Bibliography
"Corte-Real, Gasper." Dictionary of Canadian Biography. University of Toronto/Université Laval, n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2016. <http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/corte‗real‗gaspar‗1E.html>.
Dodge, Ernest S. Northwest by Sea. New York: Oxford UP, 1961. Print.
Nunn, George E. The Geographical Conceptions of Columbus: A Critical Consideration of Four Problems. New York: American Geographical Society, 1924. Print.
"The Portuguese Explorers." Heritage. Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Website, n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2016. <http://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/exploration/portuguese.php>.
Prestage, Edgar. The Portuguese Pioneers. London: A. & C. Black, 1933. Print.