CABRAL, Pedro Álvarez (born Pedro Álvarez de Gouveia). Belmonte, Portugal 1467/68 — Santarém? 1520. Portuguese Sailor. Son of a minor nobleman, Fernão Cabral and Isabel Gouveia, himself in high positions at the court of king Manuel. In 1500 he was given the command of the second Portuguese Indian expedition, a navy of 13 ships. Starting from Lisbon 9.3.1500, they were driven to Brazil, which was seen on 22.4., thus being the first Europeans there. After ten days in Brazil continued to India and arrived on 13.9.1500 at Calicut, where a fortified trading-post was founded. Later the Portuguese quarreled and fought with the Raja (Zamorin) and moved to Cochin, where a new factory was founded. The expedition left India on 16.1.1501 and the two remaining ships arrived in Portugal in summer. Though first planned to be the head of the next expedition, too, of unknown reason Cabral fell from the royal favour, retired in 1509 to his estate in Santarém, Beira Baixa Province and spent the rest of his life there.
Father’s name (Cabral) went only to the eldest son and Pedro took in in 1503 after his brother’s death.
Publications: Nothing, he is only included (unlike Vasco da Gama et al.) because of J. Cabral.
Sources: Enc. Brit.; detailed account with portrait and references in Wikipedia (another portrait in Spanish version). in 1503 he also married Isabel, at least four children.
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