Alvise Cadamosto or Alvise da Ca' da Mosto (, also known in
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 ...
as ''Luís Cadamosto''; c. 1432 – 18 July 1488) was a
Venetian explorer
Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians.
Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...
and
slave trader
The history of slavery spans many cultures, nationalities, and religions from ancient times to the present day. Likewise, its victims have come from many different ethnicities and religious groups. The social, economic, and legal positions of e ...
, who was hired by the
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 ...
prince
Henry the Navigator and undertook two known journeys to
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, M ...
in 1455 and 1456, accompanied by the
Genoese captain
Antoniotto Usodimare
Antoniotto Usodimare or Usus di Mare (1416–1462) was a Republic of Genoa, Genoese trader and explorer in the service of the Kingdom of Portugal, Portuguese Prince Henry the Navigator. Jointly with Alvise Cadamosto, Usodimare discovered a great st ...
. Cadamosto and his companions are credited with the discovery of the
Cape Verde Islands
, national_anthem = ()
, official_languages = Portuguese
, national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole
, capital = Praia
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, demonym ...
and the points along the
Guinea coast, from the
Gambia River
The Gambia River (formerly known as the River Gambra) is a major river in West Africa, running from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward through Senegal and The Gambia to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul. It is navigabl ...
to the
Geba River
The Geba is a river of West Africa that rises in the northernmost area of Guinea in the Fouta Djallon highlands, passes through southern Senegal, and reaches the Atlantic Ocean in Guinea-Bissau. It is about in total length.
In Senegal, the r ...
(in
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau ( ; pt, Guiné-Bissau; ff, italic=no, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫 𞤄𞤭𞤧𞤢𞥄𞤱𞤮, Gine-Bisaawo, script=Adlm; Mandinka: ''Gine-Bisawo''), officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau ( pt, República da Guiné-Bissau, links=no ), ...
), the greatest leap in the Henrican discoveries since 1446. Cadamosto's accounts of his journeys, including his detailed observations of West African societies, have proven invaluable to historians.
Background
Alvise was born at the
Ca' da Mosto
The Ca' da Mosto is a 13th-century, Venetian-Byzantine style palace, the oldest on the Grand Canal, located between the Rio dei Santi Apostoli and the Palazzo Bollani Erizzo, in the sestiere of Cannaregio in Venice, Italy.
Architecture
left ...
, a palace on the
Grand Canal of
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
from which his name derives. His father was Giovanni da Mosto, a Venetian civil servant and merchant, and his mother Elizabeth Querini, from a leading patrician family of
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
. Alvise was the eldest of three sons, having younger brothers Pietro and Antonio.
At a remarkably young age, Alvise cast out as a merchant adventurer, sailing with Venetian
galleys
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 use ...
in the Mediterranean. From 1442 to 1448, Alvise undertook various trips on Venetian galleys to the
Barbary Coast and
Crete
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, ...
, as a commercial agent of his cousin, Andrea Barbarigo. In 1451, he was appointed noble officer of the
marine corps of crossbowmen on a galley to
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
. The next year, he served the same position on a Venetian galley to
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
. Upon his return, he found his family disgraced and dispossessed. His father, caught in a bribery scandal, had been banished from
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
, and taken refuge in the
Duchy of Modena
A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a medieval country, territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or queen in Western European tradition.
There once existed an important difference between ...
. His Querini relatives took the opportunity to seize possession of his family's property. This setback marred the future prospects of Cadamosto's career in Venice, and probably encouraged his spirit of adventure, hoping to restore his family name and fortune by great feats of his own.
Expeditions to Africa
In August 1454, at the age of 22, Alvise and his brother Antonio embarked on a Venetian merchant
galley, captained by Marco Zen, destined for
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
. On the outward journey, the galley was detained by bad weather near
Cape St. Vincent
Cape St. Vincent ( pt, Cabo de São Vicente, ) is a headland in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, in the Algarve, southern Portugal. It is the southwesternmost point of Portugal and of mainland Europe.
History
Cape St. Vincent was already sacr ...
,
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
. While waiting for the weather to improve, the Portuguese Prince
Henry the Navigator, who had his seat nearby at
Sagres, dispatched a couple of his commercial agents, led by his secretary
Antão Gonçalves
Antão Gonçalves was a 15th-century Portuguese explorer who was the first European to capture Africans in the Rio do Ouro region.
Biography
In 1441, Gonçalves was sent by Henry the Navigator to explore the West African coast in an expedition ...
and the local Venetian consul Patrizio di Conti, to interest the stranded Venetian merchants in opening trade contracts for sugar and other goods from the prince's
Madeira island. Informed by the visitors of Henry's recent discoveries in Africa, Cadamosto, "inflamed with the desire of visiting these newly discovered regions", immediately applied to Prince Henry at his residence at
Raposeira
Raposeira is a village and former civil parish in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, District of Faro, in Algarve region, Portugal. It is told that it is named after fox because ''raposa'' means ''fox'' in Portuguese. In 2013, the parish merged ...
to undertake an expedition on his behalf. Henry hired him on the spot.
(Note: the 16th-century Portuguese chronicler
Damião de Góis
Damião de Góis (; February 2, 1502January 30, 1574), born in Alenquer, Portugal, was an important Portuguese humanist philosopher. He was a friend and student of Erasmus. He was appointed secretary to the Portuguese factory in Antwerp in 152 ...
, uniquely among historians, mistakenly asserted that Cadamosto's encounter took place in 1444 rather that 1454. Given the eminence of Góis, this erroneous dating has been cited by others, and has been a cause of much confusion for later histories and chronologies.)
First Journey (1455)
Alvise Cadamosto set out on March 22, 1455, on a 43-tonne
caravel
The caravel (Portuguese: , ) is a small maneuverable sailing ship used in the 15th century by the Portuguese to explore along the West African coast and into the Atlantic Ocean. The lateen sails gave it speed and the capacity for sailing win ...
supplied by Prince Henry, with
Vicente Dias as ship
master
Master or masters may refer to:
Ranks or titles
* Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans
*Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...
He proceeded to
Porto Santo and
Madeira, and thereafter weaved his way through the
Canary island
The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocco ...
s, making stops in
La Gomera
La Gomera () is one of Spain's Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. With an area of , it is the third smallest of the eight main islands of this archipelago. It belongs to the province of Santa Cruz de Tene ...
,
El Hierro
El Hierro, nicknamed ''Isla del Meridiano'' (the "Meridian Island"), is the second-smallest and farthest-south and -west of the Canary Islands (an autonomous community of Spain), in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa, with a populatio ...
and
La Palma
La Palma (, ), also known as ''La isla bonita'' () and officially San Miguel de La Palma, is the most north-westerly island of the Canary Islands, Spain. La Palma has an area of making it the fifth largest of the eight main Canary Islands. The ...
before reaching the African coast around
Cape Blanc. Cadamosto made note of the existence of the Portuguese factory-fort at
Arguin
Arguin ( ar, أرغين, pt, Arguim) is an island off the western coast of Mauritania in the Bay of Arguin. It is approximately in size, with extensive and dangerous reefs around it. The island is now part of the Banc d'Arguin National Park.
H ...
, but does not seem to have stopped there himself.
Cadamosto cruised down the west African coast to the mouth of the
Senegal River (which he calls the ''Rio do Senega'', the first recorded use of that name.) He does not seem to have stopped here, his destination being further south, at an anchorage point along the
Grande Côte he called the ''Palma di Budomel'' (location uncertain, probably around
Mboro, ). Cadamosto notes that this spot (or ''resgate'') was already used by Portuguese traders. He dates that trade between the Portuguese and the
Wolof people
The Wolof people () are a West African ethnic group found in northwestern Senegal, the Gambia, and southwestern coastal Mauritania. In Senegal, the Wolof are the largest ethnic group (~43.3%), while elsewhere they are a minority. They refer to ...
of the Senegal region was opened around 1450 ("five years before I went on this voyage"). Cadamosto had sought to trade Iberian horses for black
slaves, the principal line of business at this ''resgate''. Horses were highly valued on the Senegalese coast, and traded at a rate of between 9 and 14 slaves per horse. Cadamosto is said to have sold seven horses and some woolen goods (a total value of around 300
ducats
The ducat () coin was used as a trade coin in Europe from the later Middle Ages from the 13th to 19th centuries. Its most familiar version, the gold ducat or sequin containing around of 98.6% fine gold, originated in Venice in 1284 and gained ...
) for about 100 slaves.
While at the anchorage, Cadamosto was surprised to be met by the ruler himself, the
Damel Damel was the title of the ruler (or king) of the Wolof kingdom of Cayor in what is now northwest Senegal, West Africa.
The most well-known ''damel'' is probably Lat Dior Diop (1842–1886) who died in battle during the final French drive to capt ...
of
Cayor
Cayor ( wo, Kajoor; ar, كاجور) was the largest and most powerful kingdom (1549–1879) that split off from the Jolof Empire in what is now Senegal. Cayor was located in northern and central Senegal, southeast of Walo, west of the kingdom ...
(whom he calls ''Budomel''), accompanied by his retinue. The Damel invited him inland while the details of the trade were finalized. Cadamosto spent nearly an entire month in an inland village, hosted by the prince Bisboror (Budomel's nephew), during which time he delighted in observing much about the local country and customs.
His trade in Cayor completed, rather than return home with his
human cargo, Cadamosto decided to cruise further down the coast, towards the
Cape Vert
Cap-Vert, or the Cape Verde Peninsula, is a peninsula in Senegal and the westernmost point of the continent of Africa and of the Afro-Eurasia mainland. Portuguese explorers called it Cabo Verde or "Green Cape". The Cape Verde islands, further ...
peninsula. This was intended as a pure exploratory jaunt, "to discover new countries" beyond the Cape, more specifically the mysterious "kingdom called Gambra", where Prince
Henry
Henry may refer to:
People
*Henry (given name)
* Henry (surname)
* Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry
Royalty
* Portuguese royalty
** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal
** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...
had heard (from earlier slave captives) that gold was found in abundance. Around Cape Vert, in June 1455, Cadamosto came across two Portuguese caravels, one of which was commanded by
Antoniotto Usodimare
Antoniotto Usodimare or Usus di Mare (1416–1462) was a Republic of Genoa, Genoese trader and explorer in the service of the Kingdom of Portugal, Portuguese Prince Henry the Navigator. Jointly with Alvise Cadamosto, Usodimare discovered a great st ...
, a
Genoese captain in Prince Henry's service, the other by an unnamed squire of Henry's household. They agreed to join forces and proceeded south together.
After a brief fishing stop on some unnamed islands (probably
Îles des Madeleines), Cadamosto, Usodimare and the Portuguese squire sailed south, down the
Petite Côte until they reached the
Sine-Saloum
Sine-Saloum is a region in Senegal located north of the Gambia and south of the Petite Côte. It encompasses an area of 24,000 square kilometers, about 12% of Senegal, with a population in the 1990s of 1,060,000.
The western portion contains the ...
delta, a stretch inhabited by the ''Sereri'' (
Serer people). Cadamosto has nothing good to say about the Serer, characterizing them as savage idolaters "of great cruelty" (although we should note at this point his information is being drawn principally from Wolof interpreters). Cadamosto claims he was the one who named the
Saloum River
The Saloum River rises about 105 kilometers east of Kaolack, Senegal, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The significant Saloum Delta is located at its mouth, which is protected as Saloum Delta National Park. The river basin lies within the Serer ...
as the ''Rio di Barbacini'', the name by which it would remain known on European maps thereafter. Cadamosto and Usodimare tried to put in there, but quickly decided against it when an interpreter they landed to make contact with the local
Serer natives gathered on the beaches was killed on the spot.
Pressing south, Cadamosto and Usodimare finally discovered the mouth of the
Gambia River
The Gambia River (formerly known as the River Gambra) is a major river in West Africa, running from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward through Senegal and The Gambia to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul. It is navigabl ...
in late June or early July 1455. They set about sailing upriver, but their advance faced unremitting hostility from the
Mandinka inhabitants upriver. Subjected to intense missile fire, they barely fended off a massed canoe attack that sought to trap and board them. According to Cadamosto's interpreters, the Mandinka believed the Portuguese were
cannibals
Cannibalism is the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded in more than 1,500 species. Human cannibalism is well documented, bo ...
, that they had come to the region to buy black men to eat. Urged by their frightened crews (and probably desirous to keep his human cargo intact – he had been carrying a shipload of slaves since Cayor), Cadamosto decided to call off venturing further and backed out of the river. Cadamosto does not supply details of the return trip to Portugal.
At the mouth of the Gambia, Cadamosto made a note of the near-disappearance of the northern
Pole Star
A pole star or polar star is a star, preferably bright, nearly aligned with the axis of a rotating astronomical body.
Currently, Earth's pole stars are Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris), a bright magnitude-2 star aligned approximately with its ...
on the horizon, and roughly sketched a bright constellation to the south, believed to be the first known depiction of the
Southern Cross
Crux () is a constellation of the southern sky that is centred on four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism commonly known as the Southern Cross. It lies on the southern end of the Milky Way's visible band. The name ''Crux'' is Latin for ...
constellation (albeit wrongly positioned and with too many stars – a more accurate rendition would have to wait until Mestre
João Faras
Mestre João Faras, better known simply as Mestre João ('Master John"), was an astrologer, astronomer, physician and surgeon of King Manuel I of Portugal who accompanied Pedro Álvares Cabral in the discovery of Brazil in 1500, and wrote a famous ...
in 1500.) Cadamosto called it the ''carro dell' ostro'' (southern chariot).
It is known that the fleet was back in Portugal before the end of the year, as
Antoniotto Usodimare
Antoniotto Usodimare or Usus di Mare (1416–1462) was a Republic of Genoa, Genoese trader and explorer in the service of the Kingdom of Portugal, Portuguese Prince Henry the Navigator. Jointly with Alvise Cadamosto, Usodimare discovered a great st ...
would write a letter dated 12 December 1455 to his creditors back in
Genoa
Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of ...
, reporting the results of his voyage (albeit with much exaggeration, and without mentioning Cadamosto).
Second Journey (1456)
![1771 Bonne Map of the Guinea Coast of West Africa and the Cape Verde Islands - Geographicus - Guinea-bonne-1771](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/1771_Bonne_Map_of_the_Guinea_Coast_of_West_Africa_and_the_Cape_Verde_Islands_-_Geographicus_-_Guinea-bonne-1771.jpg)
Cadamosto set out again from
Lagos
Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...
in May 1456, this time not alone, but together with
Antoniotto Usodimare
Antoniotto Usodimare or Usus di Mare (1416–1462) was a Republic of Genoa, Genoese trader and explorer in the service of the Kingdom of Portugal, Portuguese Prince Henry the Navigator. Jointly with Alvise Cadamosto, Usodimare discovered a great st ...
and another caravel with an unnamed Portuguese captain, another servant of Prince
Henry
Henry may refer to:
People
*Henry (given name)
* Henry (surname)
* Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry
Royalty
* Portuguese royalty
** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal
** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...
. The three vessels made no known trading stops, intending to sail straight to the
Gambia River
The Gambia River (formerly known as the River Gambra) is a major river in West Africa, running from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward through Senegal and The Gambia to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul. It is navigabl ...
(probably per Prince Henry's instructions).
Catching a storm around
Cape Vert
Cap-Vert, or the Cape Verde Peninsula, is a peninsula in Senegal and the westernmost point of the continent of Africa and of the Afro-Eurasia mainland. Portuguese explorers called it Cabo Verde or "Green Cape". The Cape Verde islands, further ...
peninsula, the little fleet was forced to sail west, away from the coast for two days and three nights (about 300 miles) and stumbled on the as-yet-undiscovered archipelago of the
Cape Verde Islands
, national_anthem = ()
, official_languages = Portuguese
, national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole
, capital = Praia
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, demonym ...
. Cadamosto, Usodimare and the unnamed captain scouted several of the uninhabited islands, believing them to be four in number (although Cadamosto notes in his account that later explorers would find them to be ten). They anchored first on an island which they named ''Buona Vista'' (
Boa Vista), before proceeding on to a larger island, which they named ''San Jacobo'' (
Santiago
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whos ...
) (according to Cadamosto, on account of it being the feast of SS.
Philip and
James
James is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambiguati ...
– probably an error) Finding the islands uninteresting, they headed on.
(Note: although Cadamosto's claims credit for the discovery of the Cape Verde islands, this is disputed by
Diogo Gomes
Diogo Gomes () was a Portuguese navigator, explorer and writer.
Diogo Gomes was a servant and explorer of Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator. His memoirs were dictated late in his life to Martin Behaim. They are an invaluable (if sometimes in ...
, who claims he discovered the islands, together with
Antonio da Noli, in 1462 (sometimes dated 1460))
Cadamosto, Usodimare and the unnamed Portuguese captain proceeded to enter the
Gambia River
The Gambia River (formerly known as the River Gambra) is a major river in West Africa, running from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward through Senegal and The Gambia to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul. It is navigabl ...
again, albeit this time without opposition. They sailed about 10 Italian miles (15 km) upriver and anchored briefly on a
river island
River Island is a London-based, multi-channel fashion brand, founded in 1948 by Bernard Lewis. The retailer has a presence in over 125 of worldwide markets, in stores and online.
Best known for its trend focused womenswear offering, River Isl ...
they named ''Santo Andrea'' (to bury a deceased crew member, named Andrea; the island is believed to be modern
Dog Island).
![Gambia River (1732)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Gambia_River_%281732%29.jpg)
The trio proceeded upriver carefully, warily watched by native
Mandinka canoes, but this time no hostilities or ambushes emerged. Eventually, one of the interpreters managed to entice some of the canoe-borne natives aboard the Portuguese ships and opened peaceful contact. The natives identified themselves as subjects of king ''Forosangoli'' (of the southern bank of the Gambia) and that he, and most other Mandinka kings along the Gambia river were all vassal subjects of the
Emperor of Mali (''Impatore di Melli''), and that some of the local kings were willing to meet the Portuguese. Following the instructions of his interlocutors, Cadamosto sailed some 60 Italian miles up the Gambia river, reaching the residence of the
Mandinka king he called ''Battimansa'',
Mandinka for "king of the Batti' (probably
Badibu, on the north side of the river). They were well received, but disappointed at the little evidence of the large amounts of gold they had expected to find. They engaged in some petty trade with the locals, in particular
musk
Musk ( Persian: مشک, ''Mushk'') is a class of aromatic substances commonly used as base notes in perfumery. They include glandular secretions from animals such as the musk deer, numerous plants emitting similar fragrances, and artificial sub ...
(invaluable to European perfumers), and imply they even acquired live specimens of African
civet
A civet () is a small, lean, mostly nocturnal mammal native to tropical Asia and Africa, especially the tropical forests. The term civet applies to over a dozen different species, mostly from the family Viverridae. Most of the species diversit ...
cat.
Cadamosto mentions interacting with another lord, ''Guumimensa'', whose dominion was closer to the mouth of the river. This is probably none other than the formidable 'Niumimansa', king of the Niumi-Banta of
Barra
Barra (; gd, Barraigh or ; sco, Barra) is an island in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, and the second southernmost inhabited island there, after the adjacent island of Vatersay to which it is connected by a short causeway. The island is name ...
region, whose rule extended over Niumi-Bato (
Niominka
The Niominka people (also called Niuminka or Nyominka) are an ethnic group in Senegal living on the islands of the Saloum River delta. They are currently classified as a subgroup of the Serer.
Population
The territory of the Niominka is called ...
) of the
Diombos River shore, an old antagonist of Portuguese explorers. However, Cadamosto reports their relations went quite smoothly.
Cadamosto and his companions stayed in Badibu for 11 days, before departing. They did not discover the commercial center of
Cantor
A cantor or chanter is a person who leads people in singing or sometimes in prayer. In formal Jewish worship, a cantor is a person who sings solo verses or passages to which the choir or congregation responds.
In Judaism, a cantor sings and lead ...
, which was still several miles upriver (it was only discovered a couple of years later, by
Diogo Gomes
Diogo Gomes () was a Portuguese navigator, explorer and writer.
Diogo Gomes was a servant and explorer of Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator. His memoirs were dictated late in his life to Martin Behaim. They are an invaluable (if sometimes in ...
). But he did discover
malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...
, and his crew quickly fell ill with fevers. It was probably this epidemic that prompted Cadamosto to cut short his stay and leave the Gambia river, back to the ocean, where the fevers seemed to have subsided.
Resolved to continue exploring the West African coast, Cadamosto's trio set sail south, doubling
Cape St. Mary () and carefully navigating the dangerous
breakers around
Bald Cape (), reporting a couple of rivers along the way (none of which he names). A few days later, Cadamosto and his companions discovered the mouth of the
Casamance River
The Casamance River () flows westward for the most part into the Atlantic Ocean along a path about in length. However, only are navigable. The Casamance is the principal river of the Kolda, Sédhiou, and Ziguinchor Regions in the southern po ...
(). They named the river after the local lord ''Casamansa'', king ('mansa') of
Kasa
Kasa may refer to
Places
*Kasa (kingdom), a former kingdom in Senegal
*Kasa, Sweden, a village in northern Sweden
*Kasa District, Kyoto, a district in Kyoto, Japan
*Kasa Khurd, a village in Maharashtra, India
*Kasa-Vubu (commune), a district in t ...
(called ''Casangas'' by later Portuguese, a now near-extinct people, related to the
Bainuk people). They sent a couple of launches to land to open contact, but being told the king was absent on campaign, Cadamosto did not linger but decided to continue on.
Sailing south, the fleet reached a red-colored headland they named ''Capo Rosso'' (
Cape Roxo
Cape Roxo ( pt, Cabo Roxo, french: Cap Roxo), is a headland in West Africa, marking the westernmost frontier of Guinea-Bissau with Senegal. On the lower side is the São Domingos district of the Cacheu Region of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, a ...
, , today marking the border between the republic of
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
and
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau ( ; pt, Guiné-Bissau; ff, italic=no, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫 𞤄𞤭𞤧𞤢𞥄𞤱𞤮, Gine-Bisaawo, script=Adlm; Mandinka: ''Gine-Bisawo''), officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau ( pt, República da Guiné-Bissau, links=no ), ...
). In his account, Cadamosto names two large rivers beyond the Cape Roxo promontory – ''Santa Anna'' and ''San Dominico'' – which are a little confusing. It is believed one is likely to be the
Cacheu River (, often indicated in later Portuguese maps as ''Rio de São Domingos'') while the other river is probably one of the branches (''Rio de Jatta'' or ''Rio das Ancoras'') of the
Mansôa River ()
A day later, Cadamosto discovered a great river (''grandissimo fiume''), which they named ''Rio Grande'' (the
Geba River
The Geba is a river of West Africa that rises in the northernmost area of Guinea in the Fouta Djallon highlands, passes through southern Senegal, and reaches the Atlantic Ocean in Guinea-Bissau. It is about in total length.
In Senegal, the r ...
– more precisely, the wide estuary it forms together with the
Corubal River
The Corubal, also known as the Rio Corubal or Tomine, is a river of West Africa, a major tributary of the Geba River. For a short distance, it forms the international border between Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. It has a length of approximately .
H ...
, it doesn't seem they actually entered the river itself) (). After anchoring near the southern bank of the estuary, they were approached by a couple of long native canoes from the mainland (no identification given, probably
Balantas or
Biafares) A few trinkets were traded with the canoes, but they were unable to open communication, as their on-ship interpreters (Wolof and/or Mandinka) did not understand their native language. After a couple of days, they lifted anchor and made their way to some "of the many islands in the sea" (the
Bissagos Islands
The Bissagos Islands, also spelled Bijagós ( pt, Arquipélago dos Bijagós), are a group of about 88 islands and islets located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Guinea-Bissau. The archipelago was formed from the ancient delta of the Ge ...
), but found it just as impossible to communicate with the inhabitants there.
Given the language barrier, they saw no point in proceeding further. Cadamosto, Usodimare and the unnamed Portuguese captain set sail back to Portugal.
Achievement
The record of Portuguese discoveries prior to Alvise Cadamosto did not seem to have gone beyond the
Sine-Saloum
Sine-Saloum is a region in Senegal located north of the Gambia and south of the Petite Côte. It encompasses an area of 24,000 square kilometers, about 12% of Senegal, with a population in the 1990s of 1,060,000.
The western portion contains the ...
delta. The furthest pre-Cadamosto seems to have been the singular expedition of
Álvaro Fernandes
Álvaro Fernandes (sometimes given erroneously as António Fernandes), was a 15th-century Portuguese explorer from Madeira, in the service of Henry the Navigator. He captained two important expeditions (in 1445 and 1446), which expanded the limit ...
in 1446, which may have reached as far as
Cape Roxo
Cape Roxo ( pt, Cabo Roxo, french: Cap Roxo), is a headland in West Africa, marking the westernmost frontier of Guinea-Bissau with Senegal. On the lower side is the São Domingos district of the Cacheu Region of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, a ...
, but this was not followed up. The 1447 expedition led by
Estêvão Afonso did not go beyond the beginning of the estuary of the
Gambia River
The Gambia River (formerly known as the River Gambra) is a major river in West Africa, running from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward through Senegal and The Gambia to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul. It is navigabl ...
, and thereafter expeditions below
Cape Vert
Cap-Vert, or the Cape Verde Peninsula, is a peninsula in Senegal and the westernmost point of the continent of Africa and of the Afro-Eurasia mainland. Portuguese explorers called it Cabo Verde or "Green Cape". The Cape Verde islands, further ...
were largely suspended by Prince Henry. The principal barrier to the Portuguese seems to have been belligerence of the Niumi-Bato (
Niominka
The Niominka people (also called Niuminka or Nyominka) are an ethnic group in Senegal living on the islands of the Saloum River delta. They are currently classified as a subgroup of the Serer.
Population
The territory of the Niominka is called ...
) and the Niumi-Banta (
Mandinka of Niumi (Barra)), both led by the same king, Niumimansa. Cadamosto encountered that hostility on his first expedition of 1455. But on his second trip, in 1456, opposition fell away for some reason, and he managed to become the first European (along with
Antoniotto Usodimare
Antoniotto Usodimare or Usus di Mare (1416–1462) was a Republic of Genoa, Genoese trader and explorer in the service of the Kingdom of Portugal, Portuguese Prince Henry the Navigator. Jointly with Alvise Cadamosto, Usodimare discovered a great st ...
and their anonymous companions) to sail up the
Gambia River
The Gambia River (formerly known as the River Gambra) is a major river in West Africa, running from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward through Senegal and The Gambia to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul. It is navigabl ...
. It is uncertain what caused this change of attitude from one year to the next – a new Niumimansa? A shift in senegambian politics? The unreliable
Diogo Gomes
Diogo Gomes () was a Portuguese navigator, explorer and writer.
Diogo Gomes was a servant and explorer of Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator. His memoirs were dictated late in his life to Martin Behaim. They are an invaluable (if sometimes in ...
later boasted that he sailed to the Gambia sometime between 1456 and 1458 and single-handedly negotiated a peace with the Niumimansa, although this is likely exaggerated.)
Once they opened the Gambia River, Cadamosto and Usodimare led the next great leap of Henrican discoveries in Africa –
Cape Verde islands
, national_anthem = ()
, official_languages = Portuguese
, national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole
, capital = Praia
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, demonym ...
, the
Casamance River
The Casamance River () flows westward for the most part into the Atlantic Ocean along a path about in length. However, only are navigable. The Casamance is the principal river of the Kolda, Sédhiou, and Ziguinchor Regions in the southern po ...
,
Cape Roxo
Cape Roxo ( pt, Cabo Roxo, french: Cap Roxo), is a headland in West Africa, marking the westernmost frontier of Guinea-Bissau with Senegal. On the lower side is the São Domingos district of the Cacheu Region of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, a ...
,
Cacheu River and finally the
Geba River
The Geba is a river of West Africa that rises in the northernmost area of Guinea in the Fouta Djallon highlands, passes through southern Senegal, and reaches the Atlantic Ocean in Guinea-Bissau. It is about in total length.
In Senegal, the r ...
and
Bissagos Islands
The Bissagos Islands, also spelled Bijagós ( pt, Arquipélago dos Bijagós), are a group of about 88 islands and islets located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Guinea-Bissau. The archipelago was formed from the ancient delta of the Ge ...
. The length of coast they discovered in 1456 was the greatest leap in the Portuguese era of discoveries since 1446. Much the same coast would be covered again by
Diogo Gomes
Diogo Gomes () was a Portuguese navigator, explorer and writer.
Diogo Gomes was a servant and explorer of Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator. His memoirs were dictated late in his life to Martin Behaim. They are an invaluable (if sometimes in ...
around 1458 (possibly as early as 1456, probably sent by Henry as a follow up to Cadamosto's report) and 1462. Cadamosto's furthest marker would only really be surpassed by
Pedro de Sintra
Pedro de Sintra, also known as Pêro de Sintra, Pedro da Cintra or Pedro da Sintra, was a Portuguese explorer. He was among the first Europeans to explore the West African coast. Around 1462 his expedition reached what is now Sierra Leone and named ...
in 1461–62.
Return to Venice
After his return in 1456, Cadamosto continued to live in
Lagos
Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...
for many years, suggesting he must have continued to engage, directly or indirectly, in West African commerce. It is not known whether Cadamosto himself made any further trips down the African coast. Cadamosto bluntly states that there were no other voyages of exploratory significance by anyone after 1456, until the expedition of
Pedro de Sintra
Pedro de Sintra, also known as Pêro de Sintra, Pedro da Cintra or Pedro da Sintra, was a Portuguese explorer. He was among the first Europeans to explore the West African coast. Around 1462 his expedition reached what is now Sierra Leone and named ...
in 1462. Cadamosto acquired the details of that expedition from Sintra's clerk upon its return.
Cadamosto's patron, Prince
Henry the Navigator, died in November 1460, and the monopoly on African trade reverted to the Portuguese crown and its operations were gradually transferred from Lagos to
Lisbon. Probably seeing no future for himself in the new order, Cadamosto left Portugal and returned to
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
in February 1463. Cadamosto is believed to have brought notes, logs and several nautical maps with him. Cadamosto used these to compose his famous ''Navigationi'' sometime in the mid-1460s. The ''Navigazioni'', besides generally hailing the Portuguese discoveries and lionizing Prince Henry, provided detailed accounts of three expeditions – his own voyages of 1455 and 1456, and the voyage of
Pedro de Sintra
Pedro de Sintra, also known as Pêro de Sintra, Pedro da Cintra or Pedro da Sintra, was a Portuguese explorer. He was among the first Europeans to explore the West African coast. Around 1462 his expedition reached what is now Sierra Leone and named ...
in 1462. He is believed to have delivered much of his primary material to the Venetian cartographer
Grazioso Benincasa, as Benincasa went on to produce an atlas in 1468, depicting the West African coast with remarkable accuracy.
The ''Navigationi'' were probably written in an effort to advertise his accomplishments, and rescue his family name. Upon his return, Cadamosto managed to recover some of his family's property from his Querini relatives and, a couple of years later, married Elisabetta di Giorgio Venier, a rich noblewoman but of frail health – she died without bearing him a child. He returned to commerce, with trading interests as far afield as Spain, Alexandria, Syria and England, and with fortune and connections restored, carved out a diplomatic and administrative career for the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...
alongside it. Cadamosto served as Venetian
proveditor in
Cattaro
Kotor (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Котор, ), historically known as Cattaro (from Italian: ), is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Bay of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative ...
, then in
Corone
Corone ( grc, Κορώνη, Korṓnē, crow) may refer to:
* Koroni, also spelled Corone, a town in Greece
* Corone (crow)
In Greek and Roman mythology, Corone ( grc, Κορώνη, Korṓnē, crow ) is a young woman who attracted the atten ...
, and was sent on diplomatic missions to
Dalmatia and
Herzegovina. After the fall of
Negroponte in 1470, Cadamosto was placed in charge of devising a plan for the defense of
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
against the
Ottomans.
In 1481, Alvise Cadamosto was elected captain of the Venetian
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
galley fleet, ending his naval career on the same ships where he started. He died in 1483, in the
Polesine
Polesine (; vec, label=unified Venetian script, Połéxine ) is a geographic and historic area in the north-east of Italy whose limits varied through centuries; it had also been known as Polesine of Rovigo for some time.
Nowadays it corresponds w ...
, while on diplomatic mission to
Rovigo
Rovigo (, ; egl, Ruig) is a city and ''comune'' in the Veneto region of Northeast Italy, the capital of the eponymous province.
Geography
Rovigo stands on the low ground known as Polesine, by rail southwest of Venice and south-southwest of P ...
to assess the spoils acquired by the Venetian Republic after their victory over
Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara
Ercole I d'Este KG (English: ''Hercules I''; 26 October 1431 – 25 January 1505) was Duke of Ferrara from 1471 until 1505. He was a member of the House of Este. He was nicknamed ''North Wind'' and ''The Diamond''.
Biography
Ercole was born i ...
in the
War of Ferrara
The War of Ferrara (also known as the Salt War, Italian: ''Guerra del Sale'') was fought in 1482–1484 between Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, and the Papal forces mustered by Ercole's personal nemesis, Pope Sixtus IV and his Venetian allies. ...
. (although in some accounts, the date of his death is sometimes given as early as 1477 and as late as 1488).
The ''Navigazioni''
For historians of the
Portuguese discoveries under
Henry the Navigator, Alvise Cadamosto's accounts, the ''Navigazioni'', have proven to be an invaluable document. Cadamosto's accounts,
Gomes Eanes de Zurara
Gomes Eanes de Zurara (c. 1410 – c. 1474), sometimes spelled Eannes or Azurara, was a Portuguese chronicler of the European Age of Discovery, the most notable after Fernão Lopes.
Life and career
Zurara adopted the career of letters in mid ...
's chronicle and the memoirs of
Diogo Gomes
Diogo Gomes () was a Portuguese navigator, explorer and writer.
Diogo Gomes was a servant and explorer of Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator. His memoirs were dictated late in his life to Martin Behaim. They are an invaluable (if sometimes in ...
, are practically all that remain of the contemporary written record of the Henrican discoveries. Indeed, until the publication of
João de Barros's ''Decadas da Asia'' in 1552 (which drew on a manuscript draft of Zurara's chronicle), Cadamosto's ''Navigazioni'' was the only published work circulating in Europe about the Portuguese discoveries. Cadamosto emphasized the central role of Prince Henry, and was instrumental in building up the image of the Navigator Prince for posterity. Compared to the hagiographic Zurara and the fallible Gomes, historians have relished and lauded the reliability and detail provided by Cadamosto, giving a richer and clearer view of how the Henrican enterprise operated.
Cadamosto's accounts are also invaluable for historians of Africa, providing the first written detailed accounts of the
Senegambia region, beyond the fringes touched one century earlier by Arab historian
Ibn Battuta. Cadamosto gives a summary of contemporary European knowledge about West Africa. He describes the
Mali Empire (''Melli'') and the
Trans-Saharan trade
Trans-Saharan trade requires travel across the Sahara between sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa. While existing from prehistoric times, the peak of trade extended from the 8th century until the early 17th century.
The Sahara once had a very d ...
, e.g. how Berber caravans carry the Saharan
salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
from desert pans like
Teghaza (''Tegazza'') to frontier cities like
Timbuctu (''Tombutto'').
He goes to explain how gold coming out of the heart of Mali goes out in three parts, one to ''Cochia'' (Kukiya) and then eastwards onto Egypt, the second via Timbuctu to ''Toet'' (
Tuat
Tuat, or Touat, is a natural region of desert in central Algeria that contains a string of small oases. In the past, the oases were important for caravans crossing the Sahara.
Geography
Tuat lies to the south of the Grand Erg Occidental, to ...
) and then north towards Tunisia, and a third part, also via Timbuctu, goes west to ''Hoden'' (
Ouadane), destined for Morocco, part of which is deviated to the Portuguese
factory
A factory, manufacturing plant or a production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. ...
at
Arguin
Arguin ( ar, أرغين, pt, Arguim) is an island off the western coast of Mauritania in the Bay of Arguin. It is approximately in size, with extensive and dangerous reefs around it. The island is now part of the Banc d'Arguin National Park.
H ...
.
Cadamosto is the first known person to refer to the
Senegal River by its recognizably modern name (''Rio di Senega'') rather than the "western Nile". Curiously, Cadamosto notes that the Senegal was probably the ''Niger'' of
ancient
Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history to as far as late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the Sumerian cuneiform script. Ancient history cov ...
geographers (e.g.
Ptolomey). He repeats the old error of assuming that the Senegal river and the (actual)
Niger river
The Niger River ( ; ) is the main river of West Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in south-eastern Guinea near the Sierra Leone border. It runs in a crescent shape through ...
are connected to each other, forming one great east–west river, and relates the legend that it was believed to be a tributary of the great
Biblical river of
Gihon
Gihon is the name of the second river mentioned in the second chapter of the biblical Book of Genesis. The Gihon is mentioned as one of four rivers (along with the Tigris, Euphrates, and Pishon) issuing out of the Garden of Eden that branched fr ...
(''Gion'') that flowed from the
Garden of Eden across the lands of
Aethiopia
Ancient Aethiopia, ( gr, Αἰθιοπία, Aithiopía; also known as Ethiopia) first appears as a geographical term in classical documents in reference to the upper Nile region of Sudan, as well as certain areas south of the Sahara desert. Its ...
.
Cadamosto describes the
Wolof (''Gilofi'') empire, which he notes was bound on the east by the
Fula
Fula may refer to:
*Fula people (or Fulani, Fulɓe)
*Fula language (or Pulaar, Fulfulde, Fulani)
**The Fula variety known as the Pulaar language
**The Fula variety known as the Pular language
**The Fula variety known as Maasina Fulfulde
*Al-Fula ...
Tekrur
Takrur, Tekrur or Tekrour ( 800 – c. 1285) was an ancient state of West Africa, which flourished roughly parallel to the Ghana Empire.
Origin
Takrur was the capital of the state which flourished on the lower Senegal River. Takruri was a ...
/
Toucouleur (''Tuchusor'') and to the south by the
Mandinka states of the
Gambia River
The Gambia River (formerly known as the River Gambra) is a major river in West Africa, running from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward through Senegal and The Gambia to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul. It is navigabl ...
(''Gambra'') Cadamosto goes into quite some detail on the politics, society and culture of the Wolof states. He supplies a meticulously detailed eyewitness description of the
Cayor
Cayor ( wo, Kajoor; ar, كاجور) was the largest and most powerful kingdom (1549–1879) that split off from the Jolof Empire in what is now Senegal. Cayor was located in northern and central Senegal, southeast of Walo, west of the kingdom ...
village he stayed in 1455, the
Damel Damel was the title of the ruler (or king) of the Wolof kingdom of Cayor in what is now northwest Senegal, West Africa.
The most well-known ''damel'' is probably Lat Dior Diop (1842–1886) who died in battle during the final French drive to capt ...
's court, the people, customs, economy, local fauna and flora, etc. The details demonstrate Cadamosto's sheer curiosity – he describes the courtly customs, the houses, the use of
cowrie shells as currency, the food and drink, the operation of local markets, livestock and cultivation, the production of palm wine, weapons, the dances and music, the reaction to European novelties (clothes, ships, cannon, bag-pipes). In all this, Cadamosto's narrative evinces a degree of honest curiosity and absence of prejudice perhaps surprising for a European of that era. Cadamosto attempts a similarly detailed account of the
Mandinka people of the
Gambia River
The Gambia River (formerly known as the River Gambra) is a major river in West Africa, running from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward through Senegal and The Gambia to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul. It is navigabl ...
, making particular note of their abundant
cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...
(rare in Wolof areas), although not nearly as complete, as he did not seem to venture much away from his boats there. He does not cease to marvel at the extraordinary wildlife which is far more plentiful around the Gambia, notably the
hippopotamus
The hippopotamus ( ; : hippopotamuses or hippopotami; ''Hippopotamus amphibius''), also called the hippo, common hippopotamus, or river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extan ...
(which he calls the "horse fish") and the largely unfamiliar
African elephant (whose
meat he was tempted to taste – a piece of which he salted and brought back to Portugal for Prince Henry himself; a preserved elephant's foot would be forwarded to Henry's sister,
Isabella, Duchess of Burgundy.).
Editions
Alvise Cadamosto's accounts were first published in Italian at the head of the famous 1507 collection ''Paesi novamente retrovati'', edited by Francazano Montalboddo and published in Vicenza. It was quickly followed by translations into Latin (1508), German (1508) and French (1515). The Italian version was reprinted in the famous
Ramusio The noble Italian family of Ramusio (also spelled Ramnusio, Rhamnusio, Rannusio) was worth of note for literary and official ability during at least four generations.
Its original home was in Rimini, and the municipality of that city has set up a ...
collection of 1550. Although reprinted and widely disseminated in other countries, a Portuguese translation did not appear until 1812.
Cadamosto was also long alleged to be the author of the ''Portolano del mare'', a
rutter with sailing directions for the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...
coasts, found in the library of St. Mark in Venice, with the publication stamp of Bernardo Rizzo in 1490. Cadamosto's authorship of the portolano has been generally discarded in modern times.
Editions of Cadamosto's ''Navigazioni'':
* Original (1507), as opening chapters of Francanzano Montalboddo, editor, ''Paesi novamente retrovati et Novo Mondo da Alberico Vesputio Florentino intitulato'', published in Vicenza, 1507. (reprinted 1508, 1512, 1519, 1521). Cadamosto's account of his 1455 and 1456 voyages starts with title: "Libro Primo: In comenza el libro de la prima Navigatione per loceano a le terre de Nigri de la Bassa Ethiopia per comandamento del Illust. Signor Infante Don Hurich fratello de Don Dourth Re de Portogallo" (Cap. 1 through Cap. 47) is the 1455 & 1456 Cadamosto voyages. Cadamosto's account of Pedro de Sintra is at the beginning of the next section, "Libro Secundo: De la Navigatione de Lisbona a Callichut de lengua Portogallese intaliana", starting with heading "Chi scriprireno noui paesi cum li sui nomi" (Cap. 48–50).
* Latin (1508) trans. of Montalboddo's 1507 ''Paesi'' by Archangelo Madrigini, Abbot of Casalo, as ''Itinerarium Portugallensium e Lusitania in Indiam et Inde in Occidentem et Demum ad Aquilonem'' published in Milan, 1508.
in William Reese catalogue 250.
. A copy of the 1508 Milan edition can be found at BNF Gallic
If the entire ''Itinerarium'' is downloaded in PDF form, then Cadamosto's accounts of his own journey ranges pp.23–80 (in the PDF), and Cadamosto's account of Pedro de Sintra is pp.80–84 of the PDF. This Latin translation was reprinted in Simon Grynaeus, ''Novus orbis regnorum et insularum veteribus incognitorum'', 1532.
* German (1508) trans. by Jobstein Ruchamer, in ''Newe unbekante landte und ein newe weldte in kurt verganger zeythe erfunden'', published in Nuremberg, 1508
* French (1515): trans. by Mathurin du Redouer, ''Sensuyt le Nouveau monde & navigations faictes par Emeric Vespuce Florentin: Dez pays & isles nouvellement trouvez auparavant a nous inconneuz tant en l'Ethiope que Arrabie, Calichut et aultres plusiers regions estranges'', published in Paris, 1515. (1916 reprin
online
(Reprint 1895, C. Schefer ed., ''Relation des voyages à la côte occidentale d'Afrique d'Alvise de Ca' da Mosto, 1455–1457'', Paris: Lerou
online
New translation by Frédérique Verrier (1994) ''Voyages en Afrique Noire d'Alvise Ca'da Mosto (1455 & 1456)''. Paris: Chandeigne.)
* Italian (Ramusio ed.): "Il Libro di Messer Alvise Ca da Mosto Gentilhuomo Venetiano" & "Navigatione del Capitano Pietro di Sintra Portoghese scritta per il medesimo M. Alvise da Ca da Mosto", as printed in Venice (1550), by Giovanni Battista Ramusio
Giovanni Battista Ramusio (; July 20, 1485 – July 10, 1557) was an Italian geographer and travel writer.
Born in Treviso, Italy, at that time in the Republic of Venice, Ramusio was the son of Paolo Ramusio, a magistrate of the Venetian ci ...
, ed., ''Primo volume delle navigationi et viaggi nel qua si contine la descrittione dell'Africa, et del paese del Prete Ianni, on varii viaggi, dal mar Rosso a Calicut,& infin all'isole Molucche, dove nascono le Spetierie et la navigatione attorno il mondo.'
online
* English: "Original Journals of the Voyages of Cada Mosto and Piedro de Cintra to the Coast of Africa, the former in the years 1455 and 1456, and the latter soon afterwards", reprinted in R. Kerr, 1811, ''A General History of Voyages and Travels to the end of the 18th century'', vol. 2, Edinburgh: Blackwood
Ch.4
nother English edition is found G.R. Crone, ed, 1937, ''The Voyages of Cadamosto'', London: Haklyut* Portuguese: "Navegações de Luiz de Cadamosto, a que se ajuntou a viagem de Pedro de Cintra, capitão Portuguez, traduzidas to Italiano.", in Academia Real das Sciencias, 1812, ''Collecção de noticias para a historia e geografia das nações ultramarinas: que vivem nos dominios portuguezes, ou lhes são visinhas''
vol. 2, Pt.1offprint
Apocryphal (not Cadamosto, but attributed to him in the past):
* Unknown (1490) ''Il Portolano del mare di Alvise da Mosto, nobile Veneto, nel qual si dichiara minutamente del sito di tutti i Porti, quali sono da Venezia in Levante et in Ponente et d'altre cose utilissime & necessarie ai naviganti''. 1806 ed., Venice: Silvestro Gnoato
online
See also
* List of explorers
* Explorations (disambiguation)
References
Sources
* J. Brotton (1998) ''Trading territories: mapping the early modern world'', Cornell University Press
* Bühnen, S. (1992) "Place Names as an Historical Source: An Introduction with Examples from Southern Senegambia and Germany", ''History in Africa'', Vol. 19, pp. 45–101
* Castilho, A.M. de (1866)'' Descripção e roteiro da costa occidental de Africa, desde o cabo de Espartel até o das Agulhas''. 2 vols, Lisbon: Impresa Nacional
vol. 1
* Cortesão, Armando (1931) "Subsídios para a história do Descobrimento de Cabo Verde e Guiné", ''Boletim da Agencia Geral das Colonias'', No. 75. As reprinted in 1975, ''Esparsos'', vol. 1, Coimbra
online
* G.R. Crone, ed. (1937) ''The Voyages of Cadamosto and other documents on Western Africa in the second half of the fifteenth century'', London: Hakluyt.
* da Mosto, Andrea (1883) "Il portulano attribuito ad Alvise da Cà da Mosto", ''Bollettino della Società geografica italiana'', vol. 30, p. 54
offprint
* Diffie, Bailey W., and George D. Winius (1977) ''Foundations of the Portuguese empire, 1415–1580''. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press
* Damião de Góis
Damião de Góis (; February 2, 1502January 30, 1574), born in Alenquer, Portugal, was an important Portuguese humanist philosopher. He was a friend and student of Erasmus. He was appointed secretary to the Portuguese factory in Antwerp in 152 ...
(1567) ''Chronica do prinçipe Dom Ioam: rei que foi destes regnos segundo do nome, em que summariamente se trattam has cousas sustançiaes que nelles aconteçerão do dia de seu nasçimento atte ho em que el Rei Dom Afonso seu pai faleçeo'', 1905 edition, A.J. Gonçálvez Guimarãis ed. Coimbra: Imprensa da Universidade
online
* Diogo Gomes
Diogo Gomes () was a Portuguese navigator, explorer and writer.
Diogo Gomes was a servant and explorer of Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator. His memoirs were dictated late in his life to Martin Behaim. They are an invaluable (if sometimes in ...
''De prima inventione Guineae'' (Portuguese translation by Gabriel Pereira (1898–99) as "As Relações do Descobrimento da Guiné e das ilhas dos Açores, Madeira e Cabo Verde" in ''Boletim da Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa'', no.
online
* Hughes, A. and D. Perfect (2008) ''Historical Dictionary of the Gambia'', 4th ed., Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow.
* LeGrand, G. (1928) "La Gambie: notes historiques et géographiques" ''Bulletin du Comité d'études historiques et scientifiques de l'Afrique Occidentale Française'', Jul-sep, p. 432-84
* Major, R.H. (1868) ''The Life of Prince Henry, surnamed the Navigator''. London: Asher & Co
1868 ed.
* Mauro, Alessandra (1988) "O "Carro do Austro" de Alvise da Ca' da Mosto: observaçoẽs astronómicas e fortuna editorial", ''Revista da Universidade de Coimbra'', vol. 24, p. 463-75
offprint
* Quintella, Ignacio da Costa (1839) ''Annaes da Marinha Portugueza'', Lisbon: Academia Real das Sciencias, vol. 1.
* Russell, Peter E. (2000) ''Prince Henry 'the Navigator': a life''. New Haven, Conn: Yale University Press.
* C. Schefer (1895) "Introduction" in ''Relation des voyages à la côte occidentale d'Afrique d'Alvise de Ca' da Mosto, 1455–1457'', Paris: Leroux
* Teixera da Mota, Avelino (1946) "A descoberta da Guiné", ''Boletim cultural da Guiné Portuguesa'', Vol. 1. Part 1 in No. 1 (Jan), p. 11–68, Pt. 2 in No. 2 (Apr), p. 273–326; Pt. 3 in No. 3 (Jul), p. 457–509.
* Teixira da Mota, A. (1972) ''Mar, além Mar: Estudos e ensaios de história e geographia.'' Lisbon: Junta de Investigações do Ultramar
* Verrier, F. (1994) "Introduction", in ''Voyages en Afrique Noire d'Alvise Ca'da Mosto (1455 & 1456)''. Paris: Chandeigne.
* Zurla, P. (1815) ''Dei viaggi e delle scoperte africane di Alvise da Cà da Mosto, Patrizio Veneto'', Venice
online
* Wright, D. (1976), ''Niumi: the history of a western Mandinka state through the eighteenth century''. Bloomington: Indiana University.
External links
Alvise Cadamosto
– article at ''Citizendium
Citizendium ( ; "the citizens' compendium of everything") is an English-language wiki-based free online encyclopedia launched by Larry Sanger, co-founder of Nupedia and Wikipedia.
It was first announced in September 2006 as a fork of the Engli ...
''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cadamosto, Alvise
1432 births
1488 deaths
Explorers from the Republic of Venice
Explorers of Africa
Maritime history of Portugal
Republic of Venice merchants
15th-century Italian businesspeople
Slave traders