Route map of the Corte-Real expedition (speculative)
João Vaz Corte-Real, ?? –1496) was a Portuguese colonist and explorer. Before Columbus discovered the American continent, Corte-Real discovered a land area called the Land of the New Cod during a sailing expedition, which is speculated to be part of present-day North America.
Miguel Corte-Real (1448 – 1502?) and Gaspar Corte-Real (1450 – 1501) were the sons of João, who grew up sailing with João and became historically famous North American seafarers.
【João Vas Corte-Real】
Corte Real was a well-known colonial administrator of the Azores. In 1472, São Jorge Island was given to Corte-Real as a fiefdom. In 1474 he was transferred to the island of Terceira and was appointed governor of Angela (present-day Port of Heroes) by Princess Beatrice, Duchess of Viseu.
According to incomplete evidence, Portugal and Denmark jointly organized a joint seafaring expedition in 1473, in which João was involved with the German explorers Didrik Pining and Hans Pothorst (possibly the Nordic explorer John Scolvus).
The 16th-century Portuguese historian Gaspar Frutúoso, in a book circa between 1570 and 1580 titled Saudades de Terra, states that it was Corte-Real who discovered "Terra Nova do Bacalhau" (literally translated as "Land of the New Cod") and speculated that this unidentified land was Newfoundland in North America. Fruttuoso further noted that it was because of this discovery that Corte Real was awarded the post of Governor of Angela on the island of Tessera. However, this statement is not mentioned in other historical sources at the time. Due to the lack of strong evidence for this discovery, Fruttuoso's arguments are based on subjective speculation, which is not generally shared by later historians.
【Miguel and Gaspar】
Gaspar arrived in Greenland in 1499 and returned to Spain after staying on the island for 7 months.
In 1500, King Manuel I of Portugal sent Gaspar to search for the northwestern sea route to the East. Gaspar and Miguel reached Greenland and named it Ponta d'Asia, probably Cape Farewell, the southernmost point of Greenland. Because of the weather and ice floes, Gaspar did not make a successful landing. Then continue sailing along the Davis Strait and make a successful landing in Newfoundland. Finally, he returned to Lisbon to report to the King on the expedition.
In 1501, Gaspar and Miguel explored Greenland again, but encountered an icy ocean, so they turned south and landed. The landing sites are likely to be Labrador and Newfoundland. They captured 57 natives and sold them as slaves. Gaspar continued south, while Miguel returned to Portugal. Gaspar has not been heard from since.
Route after Miguel's disappearance (less likely)
In 1502, Miguel went in search of his brother, but he also disappeared, and he is believed to have been killed in a storm. There is also a theory that Miguel sailed south along the North American coastline to Narragansett Bay on Rhode Island, then along the Taunton River north to present-day Massachusetts, where Miguel was considered a god by the Wampanoag to live until 1511. Dighton Rock in fall river, in the Taunton River Valley, Massachusetts, is carved with bizarre graphics and text-like symbols, some of which are suspected of latin "Miguel Corte-Real, led the Indians as a god, 1511"
After the disappearance of the two younger brothers, Vasco Anes Corte-Real (who succeeded his father) applied to the king to find them, but the Portuguese king, not wanting to lose the only male among the Corte-Real brothers, refused Vasco's application.
【Commemoration】
The Monument to the Discoverers is a landmark built to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of "Navigator" Prince Enrique. The stele is 52 meters high and is designed to resemble a Caravel sailboat with its bow facing the Tejo River, on which is first and foremost a statue of Prince Enrique. On the east and west ramps behind him are lined with 16 figures, all of whom were influential Portuguese in the age of geographical discovery, including Gaspar.
Statue of João in a museum in Heroes Harbor, Terceira.
Gaspar statue in St. John's, Newfoundland.