HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The high office of Admiral of the Kingdom of Portugal (
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
: ''Almirante do Reino de Portugal'') as the head of the
Portuguese navy The Portuguese Navy ( pt, Marinha Portuguesa, also known as ''Marinha de Guerra Portuguesa'' or as ''Armada Portuguesa'') is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Port ...
was created by King
Denis of Portugal Denis (, ; 9 October 1261 – 7 January 1325 in Santarém), called the Farmer King (''Rei Lavrador'') and the Poet King (''Rei Poeta''), was King of Portugal. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile, and ...
in 1317 (or 1322) for the Genoese nobleman and naval officer
Manuel Pessanha Manuel Pessanha (Portuguese translation of Italian Emanuele Pessagno) was a Genoese merchant sailor who served in Portugal in the 14th century as the first admiral of Portugal at the time of King Denis of Portugal. His brother was Antonio Pessa ...
(Emanuele Pessagno). Although there is evidence that such a title existed before (e.g.
Afonso I Afonso I of PortugalOr also ''Affonso'' (Archaic Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonso'' (Portuguese-Galician languages, Portuguese-Galician) or ''Alphonsus'' (Latin version), sometimes rendered in English as ''Alphonzo'' or ''Alphonse'', dependi ...
appointed his half-brother Fuas Roupinho to the title in 1184), it seems to have been of only a temporary character, for fleets assembled in times of war.Pereira and Rodrigues (1904: p.313-15) The exception was perhaps Nuno Fernandes Cogominho who seems to have been appointed admiral by King Denis in 1307, and still had that title at his death in 1316, although the conditions are unclear. Nonetheless, Manuel Pessanha was the first person known to hold the title of ''Almirante-mor'' (Chief Admiral) as a permanent office for a permanent fleet. All the king's
galley A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used ...
s were under his jurisdiction. The conditions of the Pessanha's title stipulated that he must maintain a corps of at least 20 Genoese naval officers at all times and was obliged to serve the king in military service on land as well as sea. The office of ''Almirante-mor'' became a hereditary benefice in the Pessanha family - passing successively through his sons Carlos, Bertolomeu and Lançarote. After the disastrous handling of the Portuguese fleet in the blockade of Seville in 1369, Pessanha's son Lançarote Pessanha temporarily lost the admiral title to João Afonso Telo de Menezes (
Count of Barcelos Count of Barcelos (in Portuguese ''Conde de Barcelos'') is a title of nobility, the first to be granted in Portugal. It was created in 1298 by king Denis I and initially it was a non hereditary title, although most of the holders belonged to the ...
), but was later restored by King Ferdinand of Portugal. The title then passed on through Lançarote's sons Manuel II and then Carlos II, the last of the male line. Carlos II had no male heirs, but only two daughters (Genebra & Brites) and a niece (Catarina, daughter of his late brother Antonio, who had died at Aljubarrota). In 1433, the title of ''Admiral'' went as
dowry A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower. While bride price or bride service is a payment b ...
in the marriage of Genebra Pereira (daughter of Carlos II Pessanha) to D. Pedro de Menezes. After Menezes death in 1437, the title was passed on to his nephew Lançarote da Cunha (the young son of Carlos II Pessanha's other daughter, Brites Pereira), but the office was ''de facto'' exercised by Brites's husband, Rui de Mello da Cunha. Being pre-deceased by his son, Rui de Mello was appointed admiral ''de jure'' in 1453. After Mello's death in 1467, the title passed to Nuno Vaz de Castelo Branco, king's chamberlain and son of Catarina Pessanha, who in turn passed in on to his own son Lopo Vaz de Castelo-Branco, c.1476. After the treason and assassination of Lopo Vaz de Castelo Branco,
John II of Portugal John II ( pt, João II; ; 3 March 1455 – 25 October 1495), called the Perfect Prince ( pt, o Príncipe Perfeito, link=no), was King of Portugal from 1481 until his death in 1495, and also for a brief time in 1477. He is known for re-establishi ...
handed the title to Pedro de Albuquerque in 1483. But Albuquerque himself fell into intrigues and was soon deprived of the position. In 1485, John II gave the title of admiral to Lopo Vaz de Azevedo, a knight of the
Order of Aviz The Military Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz ( pt, Ordem Militar de São Bento de Avis, ), previously to 1910 ''Royal Military Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz'' ( pt, Real Ordem Militar de São Bento de Avis), previously to 1789 ''Knights'' (of ...
(and a relative of the Pessanhas), and made it hereditary in the Azevedo family. That line having lost male issue by 1646, it was passed via female lines to D. Luis de Portugal, Count of Vimioso, and then after his death in 1660, it passed on by female line to the
house of Castro The House of Castro is an Iberian Nobility, noble lineage present in the since the Middle Ages in the kingdoms of Kingdom of Castile, Castile, Kingdom of Galicia, Galicia, and Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal. Though its exact origins are disputed, t ...
(Counts of Resende). Around 1373 (exact date uncertain), the King created the office of captain-major of the fleet (''capitão-mor da frota''), initially a complementary position, covering the command of the ''alto-bordo'' ('high-sided',or sail-powered) ships of the fleet, leaving the Admiral exclusively in charge of the oar-powered
galley A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used ...
s. The first ''capitão-mor'' was Gonçalo Tenreiro. During the reign of
John I of Portugal John I ( pt, João uˈɐ̃w̃ 11 April 1357 – 14 August 1433), also called John of Aviz, was King of Portugal from 1385 until his death in 1433. He is recognized chiefly for his role in Portugal's victory in a succession war with Casti ...
, Tenreiro was succeeded Afonso Furtado de Mendonça (appointment date uncertain) and, in 1423, by
Álvaro Vaz de Almada Álvaro (, , ) is a Spanish, Galician and Portuguese male given name and surname (see Spanish naming customs) of Visigothic origin. Some claim it may be related to the Old Norse name Alfarr, formed of the elements ''alf'' "elf" and ''arr'' "warrior ...
(
Count of Avranches This is a list of the counts of Avranches, a French fief in the Middle Ages. House of Almada *1445–1449 Álvaro Vaz de Almada, 1st Count of Avranches, Order of the Garter, KG (created by Henry VI of England); Avranches was lost to France s ...
). The letter appointing Avranches designates a more extensive ''capitão-mor'', covering the royal galleys and infringing on the traditional jurisdiction of the ''almirante-mor'', thus suggesting that by this time, the title of ''almirante'' had become purely honorific, and the ''de facto'' high naval command had been absconded by the ''capitão-mor''. However, the letter appointing Ruy de Mello da Cunha as 'admiral' in 1453 temporarily restored his authority, including the 'alto-bordo' ships. In 1460, the admiral was deprived of his jurisdiction over ''arraes'' (fishing boats), which were passed to local councils. The title of 'Admiral' was made more specific with the establishment in 1502 of the Admiral of the Indies (''Almirante das Indias''), a second, separate Portuguese admiral title for the
East Indies The East Indies (or simply the Indies), is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The Indies refers to various lands in the East or the Eastern hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainlands found in and around t ...
. Back in 1492,
Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
had been granted the ornate title of 'Admiral of the Ocean Sea' by the
Catholic monarchs The Catholic Monarchs were Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, whose marriage and joint rule marked the ''de facto'' unification of Spain. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being bot ...
of
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
. Evidently, King
Manuel I of Portugal Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate ( pt, O Venturoso), was King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A member of the House of Aviz, Manuel was Duke of Beja and Viseu prior to succeeding his cousin, John II of Portugal, a ...
felt that if the Spanish had an admiral sailing around, then surely Portuguese should have one too. So, in January 1502, just before the departure on the 4th India Armada, Manuel I bestowed upon the fleet captain
Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira (; ; c. 1460s – 24 December 1524), was a Portuguese explorer and the first European to reach India by sea. His initial voyage to India by way of Cape of Good Hope (1497–1499) was the first to link E ...
the overwrought title of ''Almirante dos mares de Arabia, Persia, India e de todo o Oriente'' ("Admiral of the Seas of Arabia, Persia, India and all the Orient" - or 'Admiral of the Indies' for short).João de Barros (1552–59) ''Décadas da Ásia: Dos feitos, que os Portuguezes fizeram no descubrimento, e conquista, dos mares, e terras do Oriente''. Dec. I, Lib 6, p.24 The original 'Admiral' title became thereafter referred to narrowly as Admiral of the "
Lusitania Lusitania (; ) was an ancient Iberian Roman province located where modern Portugal (south of the Douro river) and a portion of western Spain (the present Extremadura and the province of Salamanca) lie. It was named after the Lusitani or Lusita ...
n Sea" (''mar lusitano'') (or simply, "Admiral of Portugal"). The Admiral of the Indies title remained hereditary with Gama's descendants, the Counts of Vidigueira.


List of the Admirals of Portugal

The following is the list of title-holders of the "Admiral of the Reign/Portugal/Lusitanian Sea". The date refers to the approximate year of appointment # Nuno Fernandes Cogominho - 1307 (not normally counted in the admiral numbering) #
Manuel Pessanha Manuel Pessanha (Portuguese translation of Italian Emanuele Pessagno) was a Genoese merchant sailor who served in Portugal in the 14th century as the first admiral of Portugal at the time of King Denis of Portugal. His brother was Antonio Pessa ...
- 1317/22 #
Carlos Pessanha Carlos may refer to: Places ;Canada * Carlos, Alberta, a locality ;United States * Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County * Carlos, Minnesota, a small city * Carlos, West Virginia ;Elsewhere ...
- c.1340 #
Bartolomeu Pessanha Bartolomeu is a given name of Portuguese, Galician or Romanian origin. It is a cognate of Bartholomew. Notable people with this name include: * Bartolomeu Anania – a Romanian Orthodox monk who was the Metropolitan of Cluj (1993–2011) * Barto ...
- c.1340? # Lançarote Pessanha - c. ? #D. João Afonso Telo de Menezes, 4th
Count of Barcelos Count of Barcelos (in Portuguese ''Conde de Barcelos'') is a title of nobility, the first to be granted in Portugal. It was created in 1298 by king Denis I and initially it was a non hereditary title, although most of the holders belonged to the ...
, 1st
Count of Ourém Count of Ourém (in Portuguese ''Conde de Ourém'') is a Portuguese title granted in 1370 by King Fernando I of Portugal, to ''Dom'' João Afonso Telo, uncle of Queen Leonor Teles. Later he also became the fourth Count of Barcelos. The title s ...
, 1st
Count of Viana do Alentejo {{about, , the Counts of Viana (modern), Count of Viana, the Counts of Viana (da Foz do Lima), Count of Viana (da Foz do Lima) Count of Viana (do Alentejo) was a Portuguese title of nobility granted to D. João Afonso Telo, 4th Count of Barce ...
- c. 1369 # Lançarote Pessanha (restored)- c. 1380 # Manuel (II) Pessanha - c. 1384 # Carlos (II) Pessanha - c. 1400? # Pedro de Menezes, 1st
Count of Vila Real Count of Vila Real (in Portuguese ''Conde de Vila Real'') was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, in 1424, by King John I of Portugal, and granted to ''Dom'' Pedro de Menezes, also known as Peter I of Menezes, 1st Count o ...
, 2nd
Count of Viana do Alentejo {{about, , the Counts of Viana (modern), Count of Viana, the Counts of Viana (da Foz do Lima), Count of Viana (da Foz do Lima) Count of Viana (do Alentejo) was a Portuguese title of nobility granted to D. João Afonso Telo, 4th Count of Barce ...
- 1433 # Lançarote da Cunha - 1437 # Rui de Mello da Cunha - 1453 (de facto since 1437) # Nuno Vaz de Castelo Branco - 1467 # Lopo Vaz de Castelo Branco - c.1475 # Pedro de Albuquerque - 1483 # Lopo Vaz de Azevedo - 1485 # António de Azevedo - c. 1502? # Lopo Vaz de Azevedo again? # António de Azevedo again? - 1518 # Lopo de Azevedo, 1544 # João de Azevedo - 1580 # D. Luis de Portugal, Count of Vimioso, 1646 #D. João de Castro - 1660/62 #D. Francisco de Castro - c. 1650 #D. João José de Castro - c. 1675 #D. Luís Inocêncio de Castro - c. 1680 #D. António José de Castro, 1st
Count of Resende Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
- 1719 #D. José Luís de Castro, 2nd Count of Resende - 1744 #D. Luís Inocêncio Benedito de Castro, 3rd Count of Resende- 1777 #D. António Benedito de Castro, 4th Count of Resende - 1820 #D. Luís Manuel Benedito da Natividade de Castro Pamplona, 5th Count of Resende - 1844 #D. António de Castro Pamplona, 7th Count of Resende - 1877 #D. João de Castro Pamplona, 8th Count of Resende - 1882 #D. Maria José de Castro Pamplona, 9th Countess of Resende - 1908 # (''de jure'') D. João de Castro de Mendia, 10th Count of Resende - 1946


See also

*
Constable of Portugal {{Short description, Defunct office created by King Ferdinand I of Portugal Constable of Portugal ( pt, Condestável de Portugal) was an office created by King Ferdinand I of Portugal in 1382, to substitute the High Standard-bearer ('' Alferes-Mor' ...
*
Marshal of Portugal {{Use dmy dates, date=April 2012 __NOTOC__ The office of Marshal of the Kingdom of Portugal (''Marechal do Reino de Portugal'', sometimes ''Mariscal'') was created by King Ferdinand I of Portugal in 1382, in the course of the reorganization of the h ...


References

{{Reflist * Baquero Moreno, H. (1980) ''A Batalha de Alfarrobeira: antecedentes e significado histórico'', 2 vols. * Caetano de Sousa, A. (1735–37) ''Historia Genealogica Da Casa Real Portugueza'', 3 vols. *
Almirante
in J.M. Esteves Pereira and G. Rodrigues, editors, (1904) ''Portugal; diccionario historico, chorographico, heraldico, biographico, bibliographico, numismatico e artistico'' Lisbon: Romano Torres. p. 313-14 * Quintella, Ignaco da Costa (1839–40) ''Annaes da Marinha Portugueza'', 2 vols, Lisbon: Academia Real das Sciencias
vol. 1
* Severim de Faria, M. "Da Milicia Maritima e do officio de Almirante", in ''Noticias de Portugal ecritas por Manoel Severim de Faria'' Lisbon: A Gomes vol. 1
p. 139
* Vasconcelos de Saldanha, A. (1988) "O Almirante de Portugal: estatuto quatrocentista e quinhentista de um cargo", ''Revista da Universidade de Coimbra'', vol. 34, p. 137-56
offprint
1317 establishments in Europe 14th-century establishments in Portugal Maritime history of Portugal