HENRIQUEZ, Henrique (Anrique Anriquez, Aṇṭiṟīkku Aṭikaḷār). Vila Viçosa, Evora 1520 — Punnaikkayal 6.2.1600. S.J. Portuguese (of Jewish origin) Priest and Missionary, in India 1546-1600. Rejected by Franciscans because of his Jewish background he studied Canon Law at Coimbra and in 1545 joined the S.J. In 1546 ordained as a priest and sailed for India, in 1547 sent by Fr. Xavier to the Manaar Gulf. He soon took the study of Tamil and thus became one of the very first Western Tamil scholars. From 1549 he was Superior of his district. In 1561-64 worked in Manaar Island. At 1575 Congregation in Goa he was given the task of recording Christian principles in Tamil. He also established a Tamil school for missionaries at Punnakayil and made plans for an university.
Publications: Doctrina Christam / Kiristittaiani Vanakkam. Cochin 1576, ed. by S. Rajamanickam. 120 p. Tuticorin 1963; Doctrina Christiana en Lingua Malavar Tamul (Tambiran vanakkam). 16 p. Coulam 1578, ed. by S. Rajamanickam Tuticorin 1963 (different work?).
– Flos Sanctorum ou Livro das Vidas de algus Santos trasladada em lingua Malavar. 684 p. Pumaikayal 1586, ed. by S. Rajamanickam. Tuticorin 1967.
– The First European Tamil grammar. A critical edition by H. J. Vermeer, English version by A. Morath. 193 p. Heidelberg 1982.
– a MS. Tamil–Portuguese dictionary.
– c. 60 letters; several lost works and translations.
Sources: *J.H. Hein, “Father H.’s Grammar of Spoken Tamil”, ICHR 11, 1977, 127-157; *S. Rajamanickam, “Padre Henrique Henriquez”, Intern. Conf. Seminar of Tamil Studies 2, 19??, 520-527; *G. Schurhammer & G.W. Cottrill, Jr., “First Printing in Indian Characters”, Harvard Library Bulletin 6, 19??, 147-160; Vermeer, Introduction to his edition. 1982; *J. Wicki, “O Flos Sanctorum do P. H.H. impresso no lingua tamul em 1586”, Boletin do Inst. Vasco da Gama 73, 1956, 42-49; *J. Wicki, “The Confraternity of Charity of Fr. Henry Henriquez”, ICHR 1, 1967, 3-8.
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