João Alves Branco Núncio (February 15, 1901 - January 26, 1976) was a
Portuguese bullfighter
A bullfighter or matador () is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter, and describe all the performers in the activ ...
. He was born in
Alcácer do Sal
Alcácer do Sal () is a municipality in Portugal, located in Setúbal District. The population in 2011 was 13,046, in an area of 1,499.87 km2.
History Earliest settlement
There has been human settlement in the area for more than 40,000 y ...
, in a whitewashed house next to that of his uncle, the
Viscount of Alcácer do Sal. Today it belongs to the Viscount's ''Philharmonic Friendship Society''.
He was the son and grandson of farm-hands. His grandfather, Joaquim Mendes Núncio came from
Golegã
Golegã () is a town and municipality in Santarém District, Portugal. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 5,913,including the parish Pombalinho, that changed from the municipality of Santarém to Golegã in 2013 in an area of 84.32 ...
to
Alcácer do Sal
Alcácer do Sal () is a municipality in Portugal, located in Setúbal District. The population in 2011 was 13,046, in an area of 1,499.87 km2.
History Earliest settlement
There has been human settlement in the area for more than 40,000 y ...
in 1878. He appeared in his first public event at the age of 13, in
Évora
Évora ( , ), officially the Very Noble and Ever Loyal City of Évora (), is a city and a municipalities of Portugal, municipality in Portugal. It has 53,591 inhabitants (2021), in an area of . It is the historic capital of the Alentejo reg ...
's bullfighting ring. Later, he graduated in Commerce from the local "Academic School" and dedicated himself to toiling in the rural properties of
Alcácer do Sal
Alcácer do Sal () is a municipality in Portugal, located in Setúbal District. The population in 2011 was 13,046, in an area of 1,499.87 km2.
History Earliest settlement
There has been human settlement in the area for more than 40,000 y ...
.
Overall, he took part in approximately one thousand bullfights. He was also known as the ''“Califa de Alcácer”'' because, besides being an expert rider, he was also a farm-hand and a horse master. After distinguishing himself in local contests, an opportunity was granted him to appear in the bullfighting ring of
Campo Pequeno, in Lisbon, on May 27, 1923. He vied with António Luís Lopes, in a race organized by Patrício Cecílio, bullfighting with his famous horse ''Quo Vadis''.
He was a bullfighter up to the hour of his death, on January 26, 1976 in Golegã. He was considered by many people the greatest horserider and bullfighter of all. He was called the "Master", in honor of his skills.
References
External links
João Branco NúncioBiografia João Branco NúncioReferência aos livros de Maria João da Câmara e de Núncio Fragoso
Árvore Genealógica
Portuguese bullfighters
1901 births
1976 deaths
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