PROENÇA, Antem de (Antão, Antero Pr., A. de Provenza). 1624/25 — Ramnad 1666. Father. S.J. Portuguese Missionary, a Pioneer of Tamil Lexicography. Worked in Madurai, in South India. Also knew Sanskrit. Publications: Vocabulario Tamulico com a significaçam portugueza. Ambalacat 1679; Antão de Proença’s Tamil–Portuguese Dictionary A.D. 1679. Prepared for publication…
PIMENTA, Nicolaus. Santarém 6.12.1548 (1546?) — Goa 1614. S.J. Portuguese Missionary in India. Joined Jesuits 1562. As Jesuit Visitor in India in December 1597 left Goa for Cochin, St. Thome and Bengal. His letters contain some interesting information about the princes of Kerala and Tamilnadu. Publications: A few letters sent…
PEREIRA, Jacinto (Hyacinth). Malaga 1598 — Bajaim 23.11.1657. S.J. Portuguese Priest in India. Director of Goan Seminar and parish priest of Benaulim. Publications: Annuas literas ex Malabaria anni 1621. Sources: Jöcher 3; in Internet often mentioned as baptizng St. Joseph Vaz in Benaulim in 1651, but nothing beyond this.
PAES (Pais), Domingo. 14?? — 15??. Portuguese Merchant in India. In a group of merchants from Goa he went to Vijayanagara c. 1520 and then wrote his account, characterized by reliable and exact observations and including important information about the Hindu state. The manuscript came to Portugal and was used…
VASCONCELOS (DE) ABREU, Guilherme Augusto (de). Coimbra 20.5.1842 — Lisbon 1.2.1907. Portuguese Indologist. Professor in Lisbon. Son of Victor Madail de Abreu (1811–1868), an official and liberal activist, and Guilhermina de Vasconcellos Abreu. School in Coimbra and 1854-56 in Porto, then some time in Brazil, also visited India. Then studied then…
OLIVEIRA, João de. Daman 1595 — after 1641. Father. S.J. Portuguese (or Indian?) Priest and Missionary in Ladakh and India. Joined Jesuits when 17 and from 1626 in Mughal Mission. Until 1831 stayed in Tsaparang, then went with Azevedo to Leh and soon returned to Agra. Publications: A few letters.…
NUNIZ (Nunes), Fernão. 1500? — 1550?. Portuguese Jewish Merchant in India. In 1535-37 stayed in Vijayanagar and then wrote an account, including a short history of the Vijayanagara Empire. The manuscript came to Portugal and was used by Barros, but then forgotten for many years. Later on he was persecuted…
MANRIQUE, Sebastião (Sebastien). Porto 1590? — London 1669. Portuguese Augustinian monk and Missionary in India. Came early to Goa. Arriving in ship from Goa in 1612 he started with three other missionaries the catholic mission in Bengal. During 13 years in India he saw and described many little known places. From…
LOPES, David Mello. Nesperal, Castelo Branco 17.4.1867 — Lisbon 3.2.1942. Portuguese Historian of India. “Son of José Amaro Lopes, educated at Lisbon (Curso Superior de Letras) and at É.L.O.V. in Paris. Appointed, in 1895, Professor of the French Language at the Lyceum Central, in 1901, Professor of French Language and…
GRACIAS, João Baptista Amâncio. Loutulim, Salcete, India 8.4.1872 — Goa 20.9.1950. Portuguese Historian. Son of Joaquim Sebastião do Rosario da Piedade Gr. and Maria Justina Lucia de Santissima Trindade Borges, brother of —> Caetano Gracias. Educated in Nova Goa, studies at Bombay University. Civil servant in India, Moçambique, Angola and…