The alleged nautical school founded in the fifteenth century at Sagres by Prince Henry of Portugal, called the ‘Navigator

References

• We put ‘Navigator’ in inverted commas since the term ‘Henry the Navigator’ was first used successively by two German historians Heinrich Schaefer and Gustav de Veer and then later taken up as the title of their books by the English historians Henry Majorin 1868 and Raymond Beazley in 1895. Only secondary Portuguese historians, following the above writers, have called him the ‘Navigator’.
   Google Scholar
• The most recent critic of the ‘Sagres School’ was the late
   Google Scholar
• Albuquerque , Luis de . 1990 . Dúvidas e Certezas na História dos Descobrimentos Portugueses Lisbon Part I, Chap. II
   Google Scholar
• Nebenzahl , Kenneth . 1990 . Atlas of Columbus and the Great Discoveries , vi New York, Chicago and San Francisco : Rand McNally .
   Google Scholar
• Pastoureau , Mireille . 1990 . Voies océanes de l'ancien aux nouveaux mondes , 33 Paris : Editions Hervas . Preface by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie
   Google Scholar
• Morison , S. E. 1971 . The European Discovery of America. The Northern Voyages 500–1600 , 94 New York : Oxford University Press .
   Google Scholar
• Needham , Joseph . 1971 . Science and Civilization in China Vol. IV , 504 Cambridge Part 3
   Google Scholar
• Zurara , Gomes Eanes de . 1949 . Crónica dos feitos de Guiné Edited by: Dinis , A. J. Dias . Vol. II , 19 Lisbon Chap. 4
   Google Scholar
• Lopes , Francisco Fernandes . 1945 . Terçanabal e a ‘Escola de Sagres’ 38 Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• Leite , Duarte . 1959 . “ organização e notas e estudo final de V. Magalhães Godinho ” . In Históriados Descobrimentos, Colectânea de Esparsos 2 vols , Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• & 1962. Duarte Leite's discussion of Sagres appears in his chapter on Prince Henry in Vol. I, pp. 67–265. Magalhães Godinho's notes on the same subject appear in Vol. 2, pp. 438–511.
   Google Scholar
• Duarte Leite, op. cit. Vol. I, pp. 131–155.
   Google Scholar
• Góis , Damião de . 1540 . Fides, religio moresque aethiopum Louvain
   Google Scholar
• The source for this date is late: the 16th century Portuguese historian
   Google Scholar
• Góis , Damião de . 1977 . Crónica do Príncipe D. foão [II] Lisbon 1567 , 20 Lisbon : Graça Almeida Rodrigues . Chap. VII
   Google Scholar
• 1967 . Monumenta Henricina Vol. VIII , 107 Coimbra Doc. 62
   Google Scholar
• Ibid. Coimbra, 1969, Vol. IX, Doc. 194, p. 309.
   Google Scholar
• José Manuel Garcia, Sagres, Câmara Municipal de Vila do Bispo, 1990, pp. 17–18. (Also in English and German). This richly illustrated little book lacks footnotes, but the documents referred to can be readily found in the Monumenta Henricina. Garcia notes (p. 51) that so difficult was it to get voluntary settlers established at Sagres that the Prince resorted to granting pardons to banned criminals in return for their willingness to settle there.
   Google Scholar
• Zurara , Gomes Eanes de . 1949 . Crónica dos feitos de Guiné , Edited by: Dinis , A. J. Dias . Vol. II , 31 Lisbon : O. F. M. . Cap V.
   Google Scholar
• 1973 . Monumenta Henricina Vol. XIV , 1 – 2 . Lisbon Doc. I
   Google Scholar
• Polemic has centred on the correct identification of the Cape referred to, but consensus holds that it is in fact the modern Sagres. Cf
   Google Scholar
• Costa , A. Fontoura da . 1933–36 . ‘Vila do Infante antes Terça Nabal e Sagres depois’ . Arquivo Histórico da Marinha , I : 25 – 56 .
   Google Scholar
• Ibid. Vol. XI, Coimbra, 1970, Doc. 36, pp. 51–52.
   Google Scholar
• Francisco , D. and Melo , Manuel de . 1660 . Epanáphoras de Vária História Portuguesa Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• facsimile reprint n.p.n.d. [Portugal, 1975], p. 314. See also Francisco Fernandes Lopes, op. cit. p. 14.
   Google Scholar
• V. Magalhães Godinho, in Duarte Leite, op. cit. Vol. II, pp. 443–444. That the word could be read as Tarf‐Anabal, ’Hannibal's Cape’ is an explanation to be set aside.
   Google Scholar
• 1973 . Monumenta Henricina Vol. XIV , 1 Coimbra Doc. 1
   Google Scholar
• Gomes Eanes de Zurara, op. cit. ed. cit. Vol. II, Cap. V, p.31.
   Google Scholar
• A. Fontoura da Costa, art cit. pp. 25–32.
   Google Scholar
• Góis , Damião de . 1540 . Fides, religio moresque aethiopum .. . Louvain
   Google Scholar
• Cadamosto , Alviseda . 1550 . “ ‘Navigatione’ ” . In Delle Navigationi et Viaggi Edited by: Ramusio , G.B. Vol. I , Venise
   Google Scholar
• F. 105 (v.). This remark only appears in Ramusio's text and not in the earlier editions of Cadamosto or in the oldest manuscript known. See below.
   Google Scholar
• Purchas , Samuel . 1625 . Hakluyt Posthumus 5 London Book II, Chap. I, § 2
   Google Scholar
• de Barros , João . 1552 . Ásia Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• Déc. I, Liv. I, Cap. XVI, ed. Coimbra, 1932, p. 61.
   Google Scholar
• Prevost , Abbé . 1746 . Histoire Générale des Voyages , Paris : Tome I .
   Google Scholar
• Duarte Leite, op. cit. Vol. I, p. 162.
   Google Scholar
• Pereira , Duarte Pacheco . 1937 . Esmeraldo de Situ Orbis , 2nd Series Edited by: Kimble , G. H. T. and Society , Hakluyt . London No. LXXIX
   Google Scholar
• facsimile reprint Kraus Reprint Ltd, Nendeln, 1967, pp. 100–101.
   Google Scholar
• Duarte Leite, op. cit. Vol. I, p. 390.
   Google Scholar
• Joäo de Barros, op. cit. ed. cit. Déc. I, Liv. I, Cap. XVI, p. 61. Sciencia in the period had a much wider meaning than the modern word ‘science'—it being more equivalent to ‘knowledge’ or ‘expertise’.
   Google Scholar
• Duarte Leite, op. cit. Vol. l, p. 175.
   Google Scholar
• V. Magalhães Godinho, in Idem. Vol. 1, 408.
   Google Scholar
• de Reparaz , Gonçalo . 1930 . ‘Mestre Jacome de Malhorca, cartógrafo do Infante’ . Biblias , VI : 3 – 4 . 163 – 186 .
   Google Scholar
• V. Magalhães Godinho, note in Duarte Leite, op. cit. Vol. I, p. 409.
   Google Scholar
• Marques , A. Pinheiro . 1989 . ‘Realidades e mitos da ciencia dos descobrimentos quatrocentistas (a propósito da “Escola de Sagres") e do célebre Mestre . Jaime de Maiorca.)’ in Congresso Internacional Bartolo‐meu Dias e a sua época, Actas, Oporto , II : 347 – 361 .
   Google Scholar
• Marques relies on Jaume Riera Sans in his facsimile edition of the
   Google Scholar
• Atlas , Catalan . 1975 . El Atlas Catalan de Cresques Abraham , 14 – 21 . Diáfora : Barcelona .
   Google Scholar
• According to a document in the Portuguese National Archives published by
   Google Scholar
• de Sousa Gomes , Armando . 1940 . Memórias do Congresso do Mundo Português Vol. I , 647 – 5 . Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• Mestre Jacome is known to have rented lands near Lisbon in 1426. This still does not prove any connection with Jafuda Cresques as A. Cortesão appears to suggest in his
   Google Scholar
• 1970 . História da Cartografia Portuguesa Vol. II , 95 Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• do Prado , André . 1062 . Horologium fidei Biblioteca Vaticana, Ms
   Google Scholar
• (sec. XV), reproduced by Fernando Felix Lopes, ‘A volta de Fr André do Prado’ in Colectâneade Estudos, 2e série, Ano II, No 1, Braga, 1951, pp. 121–131. Cf also Mário Martins, ‘O Diálogo entre o Infante D. Henrique e Fr André do Prado, in Revista Portuguesa de Filosofia, Tome XVI, fasc. 3, 1960, pp. 281–295. This study however adds nothing concerning the context in question to the article of Fernando Felix Lopes.
   Google Scholar
• Góis , Damião de . 1540 . Fides, religio moresque aethiopum Louvain sign. A.iv. (r)
   Google Scholar
• Information from Snr José de Deus Vieira Rodrigues, Mayor of the village of Castelejo on the Atlantic coast near Sagres.
   Google Scholar
• Cadamosto , Alvise da . 1550 . “ ‘Navigatione, Proemio’ ” . In Navigationi et Viaggi Edited by: Ramusio , Giovanni Battista . Vol. 1 , f. 105 Venice
   Google Scholar
• Cadamosto , Alvise da . 1507 . “ ‘Navigation’ ” . In Paesi nouamente ritrouati Edited by: Montalboddo , Fracanzano da . Vicenza
   Google Scholar
• ed. Milan, 1508, facsimile edition Princeton University Press, 1916, sign.a.i. (r.).
   Google Scholar
• Printed in Viagens de Luís de Cadamosto e de Pedro de Sintra, Academia Portuguesa de História, Lisbon, 1948, p. 4.
   Google Scholar
• Duarte Leite, op, cit. Vol. I, pp. 131–134.
   Google Scholar
• Cortesão , Armando . 1975 . “ ‘A “Carta de Marear” de Pêro da Covilhä’ ” . In Esparsos Edited by: Idem . Vol. III , 218 Coimbra
   Google Scholar
• Beaujouan , Guy . 1961 . ‘Fernand Colomb et le traité d'astrologie d'Henri le Navigateur’ . Romania , LXXXII : 96 – 105 .
   Google Scholar
• Carvalho , Joaquim de . 1949 . “ ‘A propósito da atribuição do Secreto de los Secretos de Astrologia ao Infante D. Henrique’ ” . In Estudos sobre a Cultura Portuguesa do século XV Edited by: Idem . Vol. 1 , 283 – 361 . Coimbra
   Google Scholar
• Duarte Leite, op. cit. Vol. I, p. 420 n. 2.
   Google Scholar
• V. Magalhães Godinho, in Duarte Leite, op. cit. Vol. II, pp. 492–493.
   Google Scholar
• Duarte Leite, op. cit. Vol. I, p. 159, and
   Google Scholar
• Idem. 1941 . Ácerca dos feitos da Crónica de Guiné 102 – 103 . Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• Peres , Damião . 1961 . “ ‘A acção do Infante D. Henrique no desenvolvimento da ciência’ ” . In Congresso Internacional dos Descobrimentos, 1960, Actas Vol. I , 124 Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• Gomes , Diogo . 1847 . “ ‘De Prima Inventione Guineae’ ” . In Abhandlungen der Philosophisch‐Philolog. Classe der Königlich Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften , Edited by: Schmeller , J. M. 33 Munich : Bd IV, Dritte Abth. . ‘Über Valentin Fernandez Alemán und seine Sammlung von Nachrichten über die Entdeckungen und Besitzungen der Portugiesen in Afrika und Asien bis zum Jahre 1508’
   Google Scholar
• Duarte Leite, op. cit. Vol. 1, p. 148.
   Google Scholar
• Rau , Virginia . 1971 . ‘Bartolomeo di Ser Vanni, mercador‐banqueiro florentino “estante” em Lisboa nos meados do século XV . Do Tempo e da História , Vol. IV : 113
   Google Scholar
• João de Barros, op. cit. ed. cit. Déc. I, Liv. I, Cap. 2, p. 14.
   Google Scholar
• Bull of Pope Calixto III, 13/3/1456 in
   Google Scholar
• 1971 . Monumento Henricina Vol. XII , 288 Coimbra
   Google Scholar
• Duarte Leite, op. cit. Vol. I, pp. 96–122.
   Google Scholar
• Jordan Catalani de Severac . 1839 . “ ‘Description des Merveilles de l'Asie’ (XIVe siècle) ” . In Recueil de Voyages et de Mémoires , 55 Paris : publié par la Société de Géographie de Paris . Tome III
   Google Scholar
• Pereira , Duarte Pacheco . 1508 . Esmeraldo de Situ Orbis 78 ed. cit. Bk. I, Chap. XXVII
   Google Scholar
• Damião de Góis, op. cit. loc. cit.
   Google Scholar
• Góis , Damião de . 1977 . Crónica do Principe D. João [II], Lisbon, 1567 20 – 22 . Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• Diller , A. 1975 . The Textual Tradition of Strabo's Geography 97 132 Amsterdam
   Google Scholar
• Mela , Pomponius . De Chronographia , III 90 – 93 .
   Google Scholar
• Manuscripts of Pomponius Mela, although known in Italy in the 15th century, do not appear to have circulated in Portugal in the Prince's life‐time. Pomponius Mela's work was first translated in Portugal into Spanish by Joan Faras from the Rome 1492–93 edition. Cf
   Google Scholar
• Gormley , C. M. , Rouse , M. A. and Rouse , R. H. 1984 . ‘The Medieval circulation of the De Chronographia of Pomponius Mela’ . Medieval Studies , 46 : 266 – 320 .
   Google Scholar
• Zurara, the Prince's biographer, only knew Pliny at second hand. See
   Google Scholar
• Leite , Duarte . 1941 . Acerca da ‘Crónica dos feitos de Guiné’ 98 – 99 . Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• Carvalho , Joaquim de . 1949 . (Estudos sobre a Cultura Portuguesa do século XV Vol. I , 69 – 70 . Coimbra
   Google Scholar
• readers of Pliny were rare in Portugal in the Prince's time.
   Google Scholar
• Dinis , A. J. Dias . 1960 . Estudos Henriquinos Vol. I , 287 – 297 . 470 – 476 . Coimbra
   Google Scholar
• Duarte Leite (op. cit. Vol. II, pp. 313–318) dismissed out of hand any influence of ancient writers on the Prince in this connection.
   Google Scholar
• Galvão , António . 1563 . Tratado [. . .] dos diversos & desvayra‐dos caminhos Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• Galvão , António . 1601 . The Discoveries of the World London
   Google Scholar
• ed Hakluyt Society, 1st Series, No 30, London, 1862, reprint Burt Franklin, New York, n.d. pp. 66–67.
   Google Scholar
• Idem. loc. cit.
   Google Scholar
• Almagià , R. and Leporace , T. G. 1956 . Il Mappamondo di Fra Mauro Rome Facsimile reproduction and transcription of the legends
   Google Scholar
• Albuquerque , Luís de . 1983 . Ciencia e Experiencia nos Descobrimentos Portugueses 63 – 64 . Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• The document, dated 3/3/1462, recognizes that acertain Dr Joäo Fernandes da Silveira had made payments to the artists who worked on the Fra Mauro map, ‘so that what they had already accomplished should not be wasted.’ (Eesto por sse no perder o queja em elle era fecto), Document in João Martins da Silva Marques, Descobrimentos Portugueses,Vol. III (1461–1500) Lisbon, 1971, p. 20.
   Google Scholar
• Georges Fournier , S. J. 1643 . Hydrographie contenant la théorie et la pratique de toutes les parties de la navigation Paris
   Google Scholar
• 2nd edition, Paris, 1667, reproduced in facsimile, Grenoble, 1973, Chap. III, p. 505.
   Google Scholar
• Pimentel , Manuel . 1712 . Arte de Navegar, , 2nd edition 67 – 68 . Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• Modem edition published from the 2nd edition by A. Cortesäo and Luís de Albuquerque, Agrupamento de Estudos de Cartografia Antiga, Vol. 7, Lisbon, 1969, pp. 135–142. The first edition of Pimentel's work appeared in 1699.
   Google Scholar
• Cortesão , A. and da Mota , A. Teixeira . 1960 . Portugaliae Mon‐umenta Cartographica Vol. I , 8 Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• Almagià , R. 1936 . ‘Intorno a quattro codici fiorentinie ad uno ferrarense dell'erudito Alessandro Zorzi’ . La Bibliofilia , XXXVIII : 313 – 347 .
   Google Scholar
• Letter of the Regent D. Pedro, 22 October 1443, in
   Google Scholar
• 1967 . Monumenta Henricina Vol. VIII , 107 Coimbra
   Google Scholar
• Diogo Gomes, op. cit. loc. cit.
   Google Scholar
• Duarte Leite, op. cit. Vol. I, pp. 376–81.
   Google Scholar
• Albuquerque , Luís de . 1965 . Os Guias Náuticos de Munique e de Evora 28 – 31 . Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• Idem. 1970 . “ ‘A Navegação Astronómica’ ” . In História da Cartografia Portuguesa Edited by: Cortesão , A. Vol. II , 239 – 240 . Coimbra
   Google Scholar
• October 1963 . Monumenta Henricina Vol. IV , October , 1431 7 Coimbra Doc. 3,12
   Google Scholar
• Sá , A. Moreira de . 1960 . O Infante D. Henrique e a Universidade 67 Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• This point has been emphasized to us by Luís de Albuquerque in a private communication, as well as the fact that there is no proof that the Gil Eanes of Lagos, a student at the University in 1431, is the same person as the navigator who rounded Cape Bojador in 1434. Cf Idem. p. 97 & p. 117.
   Google Scholar
• Poggio Bracciolini, Letter to Prince Henry of Portugal, n.d. in Spicekgium Romanum, Vol. X, Rome, 1844, p. 255.
   Google Scholar
• Dinis , A. J. Dias and O.F.M. 1955 . ‘Limite meridional dos Descobrimentos henriquinos’ . Itinerarium, Colectânea de Estudos , : 798 – 845 . Ano I
   Google Scholar
• Leite , Duarte . 1941 . Ácerca da Crónica dos feitos de Guiné 243 – 69 . Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• Peres , Damião . 1983 . História dos Descobrimentos Portugueses , 3rd edition 123 – 133 . Oporto
   Google Scholar
• The above writers all refute the claims of Jaime Cortesão that Portuguese navigators had gone much further in the Prince's life‐time.
   Google Scholar
• Cortesäo , Jaime . 1984 . Os Descobrimentos Portugueses, , 4th edition , Vol. II , Lisbon : Livros Horizonte . Chap. X.
   Google Scholar
• Damião Peres (op. cit. p. 187) quotes the authoritative opinions of two naval officers, Fontoura da Costa and Moreira Campos that regular voyages to and from the Azores could not have occurred without a nautical astronomy to guide sailors. This may well be true but a historian cannot accept such a conjecture without supporting documents to prove it.
   Google Scholar
• Albuquerque , Lus de . “ ‘A Navegação Astronómica’ ” . Edited by: Cortesão , A. Vol. II , 225 – 461 . op. cit.
   Google Scholar
• An English edition of this work was published simultaneously.
   Google Scholar
• Tables for the Rule of the Sun of Portuguese provenance were reproduced by the Spaniard Martin Fernandes de Enciso, Suma de Geographia, Seville, 1519.
   Google Scholar
• The Rules for the Sun and the Pole Star appear in French in the ‘Traité de la Sphère avec le Régime du Soleil et du Nord’, attached tojean Alphonse's Cosmographie (c. 1544), éd. Georges Musset, Paris, 1904, pp. 89–112 and pp. 117–127. Alphonse was of Portuguese origin and his French has many lusitanisms.
   Google Scholar
• Barlow , Roger . 1540–41 . A Brief Summe of Geography
   Google Scholar
• introduced to English navigators the Rule of the Sun and of the Pole Star, taken from Enciso's work. Cf
   Google Scholar
• Taylor , E. G. R. , ed. 1932 . A Brief Summe of Geography by Roger Barlow , 2nd series, No. 69 London : Hakluyt Society .
   Google Scholar
• Köberer , Wolfgang . 1990 . “ ‘Ein nederdeutsches Navigations handbuch aus dem 16 Jahrhundert’ ” . In Mare Liberum Vol. I , 153 – 170 . Lisbon
   Google Scholar
• On the spread of Portuguese nautical science to the rest of Europe, cf
   Google Scholar
• Albuquerque , Luís de . 1991 . Dúvidas e Certezas na História dos Descobrimentos 93 – 11 . Lisbon 2a parte
   Google Scholar
• Idem . 1974 . “ ‘A Pro‐jecção da Náutica Portuguesa Quinhentista na Europa’ ” . In Estudos de História Edited by: Idem . Vol. 1 , 199 – 240 . Coimbra
   Google Scholar