Tristão Vaz Teixeira (c. 1395–1480) was a
Portuguese navigator and explorer who, together with
João Gonçalves Zarco
João Gonçalves Zarco ( 1390 – 21 November 1471) was a Portuguese explorer who established settlements and recognition of the Madeira, Madeira Islands, and was appointed first captain of Funchal by Henry the Navigator.
Life
Zarco was born in ...
and
Bartolomeu Perestrelo, was the official discoverer and one of the first settlers of the
archipelago of Madeira (1419–1420).
Biography
He was born Tristão Vaz, adding the name Teixeira after his marriage with Branca Teixeira.
Tristão was a nobleman of Prince
Henry the Navigator's House, taking part in the
conquest of Ceuta
The Portuguese conquest of Ceuta took place on 21 August 1415, between Portuguese forces under the command of King John I of Portugal and the Marinid Sultanate, Marinid sultanate of Morocco at the city of Ceuta. The city's defenses fell unde ...
. Around 1418, while exploring the coast of Africa, he and João Gonçalves Zarco were taken off course by bad weather, and came upon an island which they called
Porto Santo (Holy Harbor). Shortly after, they were ordered by Prince Henry to settle the island, together with Bartolomeu Perestrelo. Following a rabbit outbreak that made it difficult to grow crops, they moved to the nearby island of Madeira. It proved to be hospitable and cultivable, so Prince Henry sent for more settlers to colonize the island. The governance of Madeira was divided between Zarco and Tristão, who were appointed
Captain-majors (''capitães-donatários'') of Funchal and Machico, respectively. Tristão was officially designated to the post on 11 May 1440.
Tristão Vaz took part in further raids and explorations along the coast of Africa throughout his life.
[Zurara, p.413] He died at Silves, he was 85 years.
Notes
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Teixeira, Tristao Vaz
1390s births
1480 deaths
Portuguese maritime navigators
15th-century Portuguese nobility
Maritime history of Portugal
History of Madeira
15th-century Portuguese explorers