CABRAL, Pedro Álvarez. Belmonte, Portugal 1467/68 — Santarém? 1520. Portuguese Sailor. Son of a nobleman, Fernão C., himself in high positions at the court of king Manuel. In 1500 he was given the command of the second Portuguese Indian expedition. Started from Lisbon 9.3.1500, was driven to Brazil, which was seen on 22.4. 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 and moved to Cochin. The expedition left India on 16.1.1501 and arrived in Portugal on 23.6. Though first planned to be the head of the next expedition, too, of unknown reason Cabral fell from the royal favour, retired to his estate in Beira Baixa Province and spent the rest of his life there.

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).