GOUVEA, Antonio de. Beja, region Alentejo 1575 — Manzanares, Castille-La Manche 18.8.1628. Portuguese Augustinian Missionary and Diplomat. Ordained as priest 1591. From 1597 taught theology in Goa, from there visited Persia in 1602-03 on diplomatic mission, again 1608-09 establishing Augustinian mission in Isfahan, from there proceeded to Spain. In 1611-28…
GUERREIRO, Fernão. Almodôvar 1550? — 1617. S.J. Father. Portuguese Jesuit Historian. Studied at Evora. For a while Rector in Funchal, Madeira, then in Bragança and Evora, finally Superior of the Jesuit congregation in Lisbon. His Relaçam continued Luis de Guzman’s account of the Jesuit mission in China and Japan (1601), but…
FARIA E SOUSA, Manuel de. Pombeiro de Ribavizela 18.3.1590 — Madrid 3.6.1649. Portuguese Historian and Poet. Born of an ancient noble family, son of Amador Pires and Luisa de Faria e Sousa. Educated in Braga, from c. 1604 in the service of the Bishop of Porto. In 1631-34 member of…
CASTRO, João de. Lisbon 27.2.1500 — Goa 6.6.1548. Portuguese Nobleman, fourth Viceroy of Portuguese India. Second son of Álvaro de Castro, the civil governor of Lisbon, and Leonor de Noronha. Originally he was destined for a church career and studied for this, but when 18 he went to Tangier and…
PIRES, Tomé. Lisbon or Leiria 1468? — China 1540? or little earlier. Portuguese Traveller. Son of an apothecary, followed his father on this profession. Came to India in 1511, as apothecary and not very young, obtained soon official position under Albuquerque and went to Malacca. From there he also visited…
HENRIQUES, Henrique (-quez, Anrique Anriquez, Aṇṭiṟīkku Aṭikaḷār). Vila Viçosa, Evora 1520 — Punnaikkayal, dt. Tōttukkuṭi 6.2.1600. S.J. Portuguese Priest and Missionary, in India 1546-1600. Born in a Sephardic Jewish family. Rejected by Franciscans because of his Jewish background he studied Canonic Law at Coimbra and in 1545 joined the S.J.…
GONÇALVES, Diogo. Vila Real 1561 — Quilon (Kollam) 1640. S.J. Portuguese Jesuit Missionary in India. Joined the S.I. in 1583. Arrived at Goa in 1591, worked in Quilon. Criticized Roberto De Nobili’s new methods of mission and wrote about Hinduism in 1615. Knew Sanskrit and Malayālam. Publications: Historia do Malavar,…
GODINHO DE ERÉDIA, Manuel. Malacca 16.7.1563 — 1623. Indonesian-Portuguese Author and Cartographer. Son of João de Erédia Aquaviva, an officer of Aragonese-Italian background and Dona Elena Vessiva (d. 1575), a Bug noblewoman from Sulawesi. Educated at Jesuit school in Malacca and at Jesuit College in Goa, trained in astronomy, cartography…
FERNANDEZ TRACOSCO, Gonçalo. 1541 — 1619/21. Father. Portuguese Jesuit in India. Arrived in India in 1560 as a soldier, but soon turned to religion and joined the S.J. In charge of the Mission in Madurai from 1595, he became Roberto De Nobili’s superior, but strongly opposed to the new methods…
BOCARRO, Antonio. Abrante (or Lisbon?) 1594? — Goa 1643?. Portuguese Historian and Geographer. Son of New Christian parents (with Jewish background). Educated at Jesuit College in Santo Antã0. In 1615-38 served in India, first as soldier in Goa and Cochin, finally as corretor-mor of customs in Goa, but also official…