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 Guzmsn’s account of the Jesuit mission in China and Japan (1601), but also…
FARIA Y SOUSA, Manuel de. Pombeiro 18.3.1590 — Madrid 3.6.1649. Portuguese Historian and Poet. Born of an ancient noble family, educated in Braga, from c. 1604 in the service of the Bishop of Porto. In 1631-34 member of Portuguese embassy in Rome, then mainly living in Madrid. Married Catarina Machado. Often wrote…
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 Coutinho. Originally he was destined for a church career and studied for this, but when 18 he went to Tangier and…
PIRES, Tomé. 1468? — 1540? or little earlier. Portuguese Traveller. 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 Java. Returned to Goa in 1515 and in 1516 was made ambassador to China.…
HENRIQUES, Henrique (-quez, Anrique Anriquez, Aṇṭiṟīkku Aṭikaḷār). Vila Viçosa, Evora 1520 — Punnaikkayal 6.2.1600. S.J. Portuguese Priest and Missionary, in India 1546-1600. Rejected by Franciscans because of his Jewish background he studied Canonic Law at Coimbra and in 1545 joined the S.J. In 1546 ordained as a priest and sailed…
GONÇALVEZ, 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. Malay-Portuguese Author and Cartographer. Son of João de Erédia Aquaviva, an officer of Aragonese-Italian background and Dona Elena Vessiva (d. 1575), a noblewoman from Sulawesi. Educated at Jesuit school in Malacca and at Jesuit College in Goa, trained in astronomy, cartography and…
FERNANDEZ, Gonçalo. 1541 — 1619/21. Portuguese Jesuit in India. Arrived in India in 1560. In charge of the Mission in Madurai from 1595, he became Roberto De Nobili’s superior, but strongly opposed to the new methods of mission suggested by him. Himself wrote about Hinduism in 1616. He did not…
BOCARRO, Antonio. Abrante (or Lisbon?) 1594? — Goa 1643?. Portuguese Historian and Geographer. Son of New Christian parents (with Jewish background). In 1615-38 served in India, first as soldier in Goa and Cochin, finally as corretor-mor of customs in Goa, but also official historiographer in 1631-43. Married 1624 Isabel Vieira.…
BARROS, João de. Vila Verde, Viseu (?), Portugal 1496? — Ribeira de Litém near Pombal 20.10.1570. Portuguese Humanist, Civil Servant, and Contemporary Historian of Early Colonial India. Illegitimate son of nobleman Lopo de Barros from Northern Portugal. Attracted attention of the court with his literary products. In 1522 he was sent to…