Origins & Early Life

Pero Vaz de Caminha (c. 1450 – 15 December 1500; European Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpeɾu ˈvaʒ ðɨ kɐˈmiɲɐ]; also spelled Pedro Vaz de Caminha) was a Portuguese knight that accompanied Pedro Álvares Cabral to India in 1500 as a secretary to the royal factory. Caminha wrote the detailed official report of the April 1500 discovery of Brazil by Cabral's fleet (Carta de Pêro Vaz de Caminha, dated 1 May 1500). He died in a riot in Calicut, India, at the end of that year.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Pero Vaz de Caminha was the son of Vasco Fernandes de Caminha, a knight of the household of the Duke of Guimarães (later Braganza). His ancestors were among the first settlers of Neiva during the reign of Ferdinand I (r.1367–83). On 8 March 1476, Pêro Vaz de Caminha was appointed mestre da balança (master of the scale) of the royal mint of Porto, one of the many positions held by his father at the time. The appointment letter, which characterized Pêro Vaz as a knight of the royal household, was written from Toro, suggesting that Pêro Vaz had accompanied King Afonso V of Portugal on a campaign against Castile, and probably participated in the Battle of Toro (2 March 1476). In 1497, he was chosen to write,...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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