João Gonçalves Zarco (c. 1390 – 21 November 1471)[1] was a Portuguese explorer who established settlements and recognition of the Madeira Islands, and was appointed first captain of Funchal by Henry the Navigator.
João Gonçalves Zarco
A posthumous portrait attributed to Nicolau Ferreira, c. 1790
A statue of Zarco stands on the Avenida Arriaga, one of the main streets in the Madeiran capital of Funchal.
Zarco was born in Portugal, and became a knight at the service of Prince Henry the Navigator's household. In his service at an early age, Zarco commanded the caravels guarding the coast of the Algarve from Muslim incursions, was at the conquest of Ceuta, and later led the caravels that recognized the island of Porto Santo in 1418 to 1419 and afterward, the island of Madeira 1419 to 1420. He founded the city of Câmara de Lobos. He was granted, as hereditary leader (Capitania), half the island of Madeira (the Capitania of Funchal, being its first Captain-major). Together with his fellow fleet commanders, Tristão Vaz Teixeira and Bartolomeu Perestrelo, he initiated the colonization of the islands in 1425. As a knight of the House of Avis, he participated in the siege of Tangier, in 1437, which ended in failure. He died at Funchal, Madeira.
Ancestry and descendencyedit
He married Constança Rodrigues, daughter of Rodrigo Lopes de Sequeiros (?) and wife, and had the following issue:
João Gonçalves da Câmara (d. Funchal, Madeira, 26 March 1501), married to Dona Mécia de Noronha, daughter of Dom João Henriques de Noronha (bastard son of Alfonso, Count of Gijón and Noroña) and wife Beatriz, Lady de Mirabel and sister of Dom Garcia Henriques, and had issue, and also one son by an unknown mother
Rui Gonçalves da Câmara, 3rd Donatary Captain of São Miguel Island, married to Maria de Bettencourt, natural daughter of Maciot de Bettencourt by Teguise, without issue, he had a son by one Maria Rodrigues and three more children by an unknown mother
Garcia Rodrigues da Câmara, married to Violante de Freitas, and had issue
Beatriz Gonçalves da Câmara, married to Diogo Cabral, and had issue
Isabel Gonçalves da Câmara, married to Diogo Afonso de Aguiar, o Velho (the Old), and had issue
Helena Gonçalves da Câmara, married to Martim Mendes de Vasconcelos, and had issue
Catarina Gonçalves da Câmara, married to Garcia Homem de Sousa
Possible Jewish ancestryedit
There are discussions as to whether João Gonçalves Zarco could have been of JewishConverso origin. Zarco was a prominent Jewish family from Santarém and Lisbon. Mossé Zarco was King João II's tailor. There was also a Portuguese doctor named Joseph Zarco, whom some authors claim to be Joseph Ibn Sharga, the great kabbalist, and a sixteenth-century poet named Yehuda Zarco.[2][3][4] Augusto Mascarenhas Barreto suggested that Christopher Columbus could have been of Jewish descent from Portugal and his real name was Salvador Fernandes Zarco.[5][6] Isabel Violante Pereira also attributes Jewish ancestry to João Gonçalves Zarco.[7]
In cultureedit
The novel of Arkan Simaan, L'Écuyer d'Henri le Navigateur (Harmattan, Paris, 2007), deals with Zarco's life.
Footnotesedit
^Tombo 1º do registo geral da Câmara Municipal do Funchal
^"The Portuguese Christopher Columbus: Secret Agent of King John II", Augusto Mascarenhas Barreto, McMillan (UK):1992
^"Portuguese village opens up new world of speculation as it lays claim". 9 October 2011.
^"De Mendo da Guarda a D. Manuel I,", Isabel Violante Pereira, Lisbon: Livros Horizonte, 2001, p. 83.
Referencesedit
António da Costa de Albuquerque de Sousa Lara, 2nd Count de Guedes, Vasco de Bettencourt de Faria Machado e Sampaio and Marcelo Olavo Correia de Azevedo, Ascendências Reais de Sua Alteza Real a Senhora Dona Isabel de Herédia Duquesa de Bragança, I, pelos Costados Herédia, Bettencourt e Meneses da Ilha da Madeira" (Universitária Editora, 1999)
External linksedit
February 15, 2024
joão, gonçalves, zarco, 1390, november, 1471, portuguese, explorer, established, settlements, recognition, madeira, islands, appointed, first, captain, funchal, henry, navigator, posthumous, portrait, attributed, nicolau, ferreira, 17901st, donatary, captain, . Joao Goncalves Zarco c 1390 21 November 1471 1 was a Portuguese explorer who established settlements and recognition of the Madeira Islands and was appointed first captain of Funchal by Henry the Navigator Joao Goncalves ZarcoA posthumous portrait attributed to Nicolau Ferreira c 17901st Donatary Captain of FunchalIn office 1425 1467MonarchsJohn IEdward IAfonso VSucceeded byJoao Goncalves da CamaraPersonal detailsBornc 1390Kingdom of PortugalDied21 November 1471FunchalOccupationExplorer colonial administratorKnown forSettler of the Archipelago of MadeiraSignature Contents 1 Life 2 Ancestry and descendency 3 Possible Jewish ancestry 4 In culture 5 Footnotes 6 References 7 External linksLife edit nbsp A statue of Zarco stands on the Avenida Arriaga one of the main streets in the Madeiran capital of Funchal Zarco was born in Portugal and became a knight at the service of Prince Henry the Navigator s household In his service at an early age Zarco commanded the caravels guarding the coast of the Algarve from Muslim incursions was at the conquest of Ceuta and later led the caravels that recognized the island of Porto Santo in 1418 to 1419 and afterward the island of Madeira 1419 to 1420 He founded the city of Camara de Lobos He was granted as hereditary leader Capitania half the island of Madeira the Capitania of Funchal being its first Captain major Together with his fellow fleet commanders Tristao Vaz Teixeira and Bartolomeu Perestrelo he initiated the colonization of the islands in 1425 As a knight of the House of Avis he participated in the siege of Tangier in 1437 which ended in failure He died at Funchal Madeira Ancestry and descendency editHe married Constanca Rodrigues daughter of Rodrigo Lopes de Sequeiros and wife and had the following issue Joao Goncalves da Camara d Funchal Madeira 26 March 1501 married to Dona Mecia de Noronha daughter of Dom Joao Henriques de Noronha bastard son of Alfonso Count of Gijon and Norona and wife Beatriz Lady de Mirabel and sister of Dom Garcia Henriques and had issue and also one son by an unknown mother Rui Goncalves da Camara 3rd Donatary Captain of Sao Miguel Island married to Maria de Bettencourt natural daughter of Maciot de Bettencourt by Teguise without issue he had a son by one Maria Rodrigues and three more children by an unknown mother Garcia Rodrigues da Camara married to Violante de Freitas and had issue Beatriz Goncalves da Camara married to Diogo Cabral and had issue Isabel Goncalves da Camara married to Diogo Afonso de Aguiar o Velho the Old and had issue Helena Goncalves da Camara married to Martim Mendes de Vasconcelos and had issue Catarina Goncalves da Camara married to Garcia Homem de SousaPossible Jewish ancestry editThere are discussions as to whether Joao Goncalves Zarco could have been of Jewish Converso origin Zarco was a prominent Jewish family from Santarem and Lisbon Mosse Zarco was King Joao II s tailor There was also a Portuguese doctor named Joseph Zarco whom some authors claim to be Joseph Ibn Sharga the great kabbalist and a sixteenth century poet named Yehuda Zarco 2 3 4 Augusto Mascarenhas Barreto suggested that Christopher Columbus could have been of Jewish descent from Portugal and his real name was Salvador Fernandes Zarco 5 6 Isabel Violante Pereira also attributes Jewish ancestry to Joao Goncalves Zarco 7 In culture editThe novel of Arkan Simaan L Ecuyer d Henri le Navigateur Harmattan Paris 2007 deals with Zarco s life Footnotes edit Tombo 1º do registo geral da Camara Municipal do Funchal O Bau de Abravanel ISBN 9788571641112 Alberto Dines Voices in Exile a Study in Sephardic Intellectual History ISBN 0 88125 370 7 Marc Angel Sangre Judia Pere Bonnin The Portuguese Christopher Columbus Secret Agent of King John II Augusto Mascarenhas Barreto McMillan UK 1992 Portuguese village opens up new world of speculation as it lays claim 9 October 2011 De Mendo da Guarda a D Manuel I Isabel Violante Pereira Lisbon Livros Horizonte 2001 p 83 References editAntonio da Costa de Albuquerque de Sousa Lara 2nd Count de Guedes Vasco de Bettencourt de Faria Machado e Sampaio and Marcelo Olavo Correia de Azevedo Ascendencias Reais de Sua Alteza Real a Senhora Dona Isabel de Heredia Duquesa de Braganca I pelos Costados Heredia Bettencourt e Meneses da Ilha da Madeira Universitaria Editora 1999 External links editZarco s statue on Madeira Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joao Goncalves Zarco amp oldid 1189423192, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
