The Corte-Real (also Côrte-Real and Corte Real) are a
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 ...
family of noble origins in the 14th century, originating in
Tavira
Tavira () is a Portuguese town and municipality, capital of the ''Costa do Acantilado'', situated in the east of the Algarve on the south coast of Portugal. It is east of Faro and west of Huelva across the river Guadiana into Spain. The Gilão ...
. The family is famous for its involvement in the
Portuguese discoveries
Portuguese maritime exploration resulted in the numerous territories and maritime routes recorded by the Portuguese as a result of their intensive maritime journeys during the 15th and 16th centuries. Portuguese sailors were at the vanguard of Eu ...
during the
Age of Exploration
The Age of Discovery (or the Age of Exploration), also known as the early modern period, was a period largely overlapping with the Age of Sail, approximately from the 15th century to the 17th century in European history, during which seafari ...
, in the 16th century. During this time,
João Vaz Corte-Real
João Vaz Corte-Real (; c. 1420 – 1496) was a Portuguese sailor, claimed by some accounts to have been an explorer of a land called ''Terra Nova do Bacalhau'' (''New Land of the Codfish''), speculated to possibly have been a part of North Americ ...
and his sons
Gaspar Corte-Real
Gaspar Corte-Real (1450–1501) was a Portuguese people, Portuguese Exploration, explorer who, alongside his father João Vaz Corte-Real and brother Miguel Corte-Real, Miguel, participated in various exploratory voyages sponsored by the Portuguese ...
and
Miguel Corte-Real
Miguel Corte-Real (; – 1502?) was a Portuguese explorer who charted about 600 miles of the coast of Labrador. In 1502, he disappeared while on an expedition and was believed to be lost at sea.
Early life
Miguel Corte-Real was a son of ...
notably participated in exploratory voyages to
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
, in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
.
For their discoveries in service of the
Portuguese Crown
This is a list of Portuguese monarchs who ruled from the establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal, in 1139, to the deposition of the Portuguese monarchy and creation of the Portuguese Republic with the 5 October 1910 revolution.
Through the nea ...
, the family was given the islands of
Terceira
Terceira () is a volcanic island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 53,311 inhabitants in an area of approximately . It is the location ...
and
São Jorge, in the
Azores
)
, motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace")
, anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores")
, image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg
, map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union
, map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
, and charged with their development and colonization. The family integrated itself well into the
Portuguese nobility
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 ...
in the 17th century through a series of successful marriages and acquisition of several titles, notably
Marquis of Castelo Rodrigo
Marquis of Castelo Rodrigo ( pt, Marquês de Castelo Rodrigo) was a title of Portuguese nobility created by Philip II of Portugal on January 29, 1600 for Dom Cristóvão de Moura, 1st Count of Castelo Rodrigo. The Moura family claimed its origin ...
.
Family history
The origins of the Corte-Real family lie in the 14th century, when Vasco Anes da Costa, a Portuguese knight from Tavira, was one of the supporters of the pretensions of
John Master of Aviz to the Portuguese throne and after him, his homonym son, who participated on the
conquest of Ceuta
The conquest of Ceuta by the Portuguese on 21 August 1415 marks an important step in the beginning of the Portuguese Empire in Africa.
History
In 711, shortly after the Arab conquest of North Africa, the city of Ceuta was used as a stagin ...
, being one the first warriors to cross the wall of the
moor
Moor or Moors may refer to:
Nature and ecology
* Moorland, a habitat characterized by low-growing vegetation and acidic soils.
Ethnic and religious groups
* Moors, Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, Iberian Peninsula, Sicily, and Malta during ...
city. Besides being selected as
Alcaide
Alcaide is a Spanish name, meaning 'castle commander'. It is borrowed from the Arabic term , which literally means 'commander'.
Etymology
The Spanish form is alcayde whereas Portuguese form is alcaide.
Notable people
* Anselmo Pardo Alcaide ...
of
Tavira
Tavira () is a Portuguese town and municipality, capital of the ''Costa do Acantilado'', situated in the east of the Algarve on the south coast of Portugal. It is east of Faro and west of Huelva across the river Guadiana into Spain. The Gilão ...
and
Silves Silves may refer to :
Europe
* Silves, Portugal, municipality and former bishopric in Algarve, southern Portugal
** Silves (parish), a civil parish in the municipality of Silves
** Castle of Silves, a medieval castle in civil parish of Silves
...
, he also served as
Algarve
The Algarve (, , ; from ) is the southernmost NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities ( ''concelhos'' or ''municípios'' in Portuguese).
The region has it ...
's
fronteiro-mor (a kind of governor of the Region). Later, king John I's heir,
Edward I of Portugal
Edward ( pt, Duarte (; 31 October 1391 – 9 September 1438), also called Edward the King Philosopher (''Duarte o Rei-Filósofo'') or the Eloquent (''o Eloquente''), was the King of Portugal from 1433 until his death. He was born in Viseu, the son ...
granted him the use of the surname ''Corte-Real'' (Portuguese for ''Royal Court'') for his descendants. From him and his brother, Gil Vaz da Costa, the first members of the Corte-Real family descend.
João Vaz Corte-Real
João Vaz Corte-Real (; c. 1420 – 1496) was a Portuguese sailor, claimed by some accounts to have been an explorer of a land called ''Terra Nova do Bacalhau'' (''New Land of the Codfish''), speculated to possibly have been a part of North Americ ...
(c. 1420-1496) was Vasco Anes da Costa Corte-Real oldest son.
He, alongside two of his four sons (
Miguel and
Gaspar), participated in various exploratory voyages sponsored jointly by the Portuguese and Danish Crowns. These voyages are said to have been some of the first to reach
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
and possibly other parts of northeastern
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. For the family's service to the crown, João Vaz was made Captain-
Donatário
A ' (Portuguese for "donated" or "endowed ne), sometimes anglicized as donatary, was a private person — often a noble — who was granted a considerable piece of land (a ') by the Kingdom of Portugal. The king exempted these titleholders from n ...
(proprietor and governor) of the islands of
Terceira
Terceira () is a volcanic island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 53,311 inhabitants in an area of approximately . It is the location ...
and
São Jorge, in the
Azores
)
, motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace")
, anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores")
, image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg
, map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union
, map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
.
Gaspar and Miguel's young brother,
Vasco Anes II Corte-Real Vasco may refer to:
* Basque language, called ''vasco'' in Spanish
* ''Vasco'' (album), a two-part EP by Ricardo Villalobos
* Vasco da Gama, Portuguese explorer
* Vasco da Gama, Goa, a city in India, often called simply Vasco
* Club de Regatas Va ...
, was nominated also, like his homonym grandfather,
alcaide-mor of Tavira, in the early 16th century, accumulating the title with the one inherited from his father as capitain-
donatário
A ' (Portuguese for "donated" or "endowed ne), sometimes anglicized as donatary, was a private person — often a noble — who was granted a considerable piece of land (a ') by the Kingdom of Portugal. The king exempted these titleholders from n ...
.
This Vasco Anes II Corte-Real had four sons, one of them, Manuel Corte-Real, was heir to the position of capitain-
donatário
A ' (Portuguese for "donated" or "endowed ne), sometimes anglicized as donatary, was a private person — often a noble — who was granted a considerable piece of land (a ') by the Kingdom of Portugal. The king exempted these titleholders from n ...
of
Angra, and another one,
Bernardo Corte-Real, succeeded him in the position of
Alcaide
Alcaide is a Spanish name, meaning 'castle commander'. It is borrowed from the Arabic term , which literally means 'commander'.
Etymology
The Spanish form is alcayde whereas Portuguese form is alcaide.
Notable people
* Anselmo Pardo Alcaide ...
de Tavira.
Another one of the other Vasco Anes II's sons,
Jerónimo Corte-Real
Jerónimo Corte-Real (1533–1588) was a Portuguese epic poet, who was of noble Portuguese stock. He is sometimes regarded as the Portuguese Virgil.
Life
Jerónimo was born in the Azores; from the same Corte-Real family as Gaspar Corte-Real, wh ...
(1530-1588) served in various places in Asia and Africa across the
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire ( pt, Império Português), also known as the Portuguese Overseas (''Ultramar Português'') or the Portuguese Colonial Empire (''Império Colonial Português''), was composed of the overseas colonies, factories, and the l ...
before retiring back to Portugal as a court painter and poet to King
Sebastian I of Portugal
Sebastian ( pt, Sebastião I ; 20 January 1554 – 4 August 1578) was King of Portugal from 11 June 1557 to 4 August 1578 and the penultimate Portuguese monarch of the House of Aviz.
He was the son of João Manuel, Prince of Portugal, and ...
. His works were contemporary of
Luís Vaz de Camões
Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish language, Spanish form of the originally Germanic language, Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese language, Portuguese and ...
and said even to rival them, gaining Jerónimo the epithet of the Portuguese
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: t ...
.
Through Manuel Corte-Real descents, this Corte-Real branch continued administration of the family's
Azorean islands, while integrating into the administration of the Algarve. By 1581, the family was headed by Margarida Corte-Real. As the heiress to the Corte-Real family's wealth and titles in both the Azores and the Algarve, Margarida was an especially attractive bride for members of the
Portuguese nobility
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 ...
. She married Cristóvão de Moura e Távora, 1st
Marquis of Castelo Rodrigo
Marquis of Castelo Rodrigo ( pt, Marquês de Castelo Rodrigo) was a title of Portuguese nobility created by Philip II of Portugal on January 29, 1600 for Dom Cristóvão de Moura, 1st Count of Castelo Rodrigo. The Moura family claimed its origin ...
and several times a
Viceroy of Portugal
The Viceroy of Portugal was the political chief of the Kingdom of Portugal and the highest representative of the King of Portugal during the period of the Iberian Union, when a personal union existed between the monarchies of Portugal and Spain ...
, during the
Philippine Dynasty
The Philippine dynasty ( pt, dinastia filipina), also known as the House of Habsburg in Portugal, was the third royal house of Portugal. It was named after the three Habsburg Spanish kings, all named Philip (; , ), who ruled Portugal between 1 ...
. As Margarida was richer and had more extensive notability and power, the children of her marriage would carry her name more prominently than her husbands.
Margarida's son,
Manuel de Moura Corte Real, 2nd Marquis of Castelo Rodrigo, amplified the family's position under the Habsburg monarchs of Portugal. Both he and his son,
, served as
Governors of the Habsburg Netherlands
The governor ( nl, landvoogd) or governor-general () of the Habsburg Netherlands was a representative appointed by the Holy Roman emperor (1504-1556), the king of Spain (1556-1598, 1621-1706), and the archduke of Austria (1716-1794), to administ ...
and became loyal subjects to the
House of Habsburg
The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...
. Francisco, who also served as
Viceroy of Sardinia
This is a list of viceroys of Sardinia.
Aragonese Viceroys
From 1418 to 1516 Sardinia was ruled by viceroys from the Crown of Aragon, which merged into the Monarchy of Spain in 1516.
1. Lluís de Pontons (1418-1419)
2. Joan de Corbera (1419-14 ...
, however was the last of the Moura Corte-Real branch of the family before it was exiled from the country due to the
Portuguese Restoration War
The Portuguese Restoration War ( pt, Guerra da Restauração) was the war between History of Portugal (1640–1777), Portugal and Habsburg Spain, Spain that began with the Portuguese revolution of 1640 and ended with the Treaty of Lisbon (1668), ...
, which saw the Habsburgs deposed in Portugal in lieu of
House of Braganza
The Most Serene House of Braganza ( pt, Sereníssima Casa de Bragança), also known as the Brigantine Dynasty (''Dinastia Brigantina''), is a dynasty of emperors, kings, princes, and dukes of Portuguese origin which reigned in Europe and the Ame ...
, which expelled supporters of the previous dynasty.
Notable members
*
João Vaz Corte-Real
João Vaz Corte-Real (; c. 1420 – 1496) was a Portuguese sailor, claimed by some accounts to have been an explorer of a land called ''Terra Nova do Bacalhau'' (''New Land of the Codfish''), speculated to possibly have been a part of North Americ ...
(died 1496), Portuguese explorer
*
Miguel Corte-Real
Miguel Corte-Real (; – 1502?) was a Portuguese explorer who charted about 600 miles of the coast of Labrador. In 1502, he disappeared while on an expedition and was believed to be lost at sea.
Early life
Miguel Corte-Real was a son of ...
(c. 1448–1502), Portuguese explorer
*
Gaspar Corte-Real
Gaspar Corte-Real (1450–1501) was a Portuguese people, Portuguese Exploration, explorer who, alongside his father João Vaz Corte-Real and brother Miguel Corte-Real, Miguel, participated in various exploratory voyages sponsored by the Portuguese ...
(c. 1450–1501), Portuguese explorer and brother of Miguel
*
Jerónimo Corte-Real
Jerónimo Corte-Real (1533–1588) was a Portuguese epic poet, who was of noble Portuguese stock. He is sometimes regarded as the Portuguese Virgil.
Life
Jerónimo was born in the Azores; from the same Corte-Real family as Gaspar Corte-Real, wh ...
(1533–1588), Portuguese epic poet
*
Manuel de Moura Corte Real, 2nd Marquis of Castelo Rodrigo (1590–1651),
Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands
The governor ( nl, landvoogd) or governor-general () of the Habsburg Netherlands was a representative appointed by the Holy Roman emperor (1504-1556), the king of Spain (1556-1598, 1621-1706), and the archduke of Austria (1716-1794), to administ ...
*
(1610-1675),
Viceroy of Sardinia
This is a list of viceroys of Sardinia.
Aragonese Viceroys
From 1418 to 1516 Sardinia was ruled by viceroys from the Crown of Aragon, which merged into the Monarchy of Spain in 1516.
1. Lluís de Pontons (1418-1419)
2. Joan de Corbera (1419-14 ...
,
Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands
The governor ( nl, landvoogd) or governor-general () of the Habsburg Netherlands was a representative appointed by the Holy Roman emperor (1504-1556), the king of Spain (1556-1598, 1621-1706), and the archduke of Austria (1716-1794), to administ ...
*
Diogo de Mendonça Corte-Real
Diogo de Mendonça Corte-Real (17 June 1658 – 9 May 1736) was an accomplished Portuguese people, Portuguese diplomat and statesman, and Prime Minister of Portugal, Secretary of State to King Pedro II of Portugal, Peter II and John V of Port ...
(1658-1736), Prime-Minister during the reigns of
King Pedro II and
King João V
*
(1760-1832), general and Minister of the Kingdom during the reign of
King João VI
*
José de Almeida Corte Real (1805-1840), Brazilian revolutionary
*
José Luciano de Castro Pereira Corte Real (1834-1914), Prime-Minister during the reigns of
King Luís I and
King Carlos I
Gallery
File:João Vaz Corte-Real.jpg, Engraving of João Vaz Corte-Real
João Vaz Corte-Real (; c. 1420 – 1496) was a Portuguese sailor, claimed by some accounts to have been an explorer of a land called ''Terra Nova do Bacalhau'' (''New Land of the Codfish''), speculated to possibly have been a part of North Americ ...
File:Monumento a Luís de Camões 8513.jpg, Statue in Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
of Jerónimo Corte-Real
Jerónimo Corte-Real (1533–1588) was a Portuguese epic poet, who was of noble Portuguese stock. He is sometimes regarded as the Portuguese Virgil.
Life
Jerónimo was born in the Azores; from the same Corte-Real family as Gaspar Corte-Real, wh ...
File:Gaspar Côrte-Real - Padrão dos Descobrimentos.png, Statue in Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
of Gaspar Corte-Real
Gaspar Corte-Real (1450–1501) was a Portuguese people, Portuguese Exploration, explorer who, alongside his father João Vaz Corte-Real and brother Miguel Corte-Real, Miguel, participated in various exploratory voyages sponsored by the Portuguese ...
File:Manuel de Moura Corte-Real.tiff, Painting of Manuel de Moura Corte Real, 2nd Marquis of Castelo Rodrigo
File:D. FRANCISCO DE MOURA CORTE REAL.jpg, Painting of
File:Diogo de Mendonça Corte Real.jpg, Engraving of Diogo de Mendonça Corte-Real
Diogo de Mendonça Corte-Real (17 June 1658 – 9 May 1736) was an accomplished Portuguese people, Portuguese diplomat and statesman, and Prime Minister of Portugal, Secretary of State to King Pedro II of Portugal, Peter II and John V of Port ...
File:Conde de Subserra.jpg, Engraving of
File:Luciano de Castro.jpg, Photograph of José Luciano de Castro Pereira Corte Real
References
External links
{{Authority control
Portuguese noble families
People from Tavira