Pêro da Covilhã
15th/16th-century Portuguese explorer and diplomat / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Pêro da Covilhã (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpeɾu ðɐ kuviˈʎɐ̃]; c. 1460 – after 1526), sometimes written Pero de Covilhăo, was a Portuguese diplomat and explorer.[1]
Pêro da Covilhã | |
---|---|
Born | c. 1460 |
Died | After 1526 |
Nationality | Portuguese |
Occupation(s) | Explorer, spy, diplomat |
Known for | Explorations in the Near East and the adjoining regions of Asia and Africa. |
He was a native of Covilhã in Beira. In his early life he had gone to Castile and entered the service of Don Juan de Guzmán, brother of Enrique de Guzmán, 2nd Duke of Medina Sidonia. Later, when war broke out between Castile and Portugal, he returned to his own country, and attached himself, first as a groom, then as a squire, to Afonso V of Portugal and his successor John II of Portugal.[2] In 1487, his overland expedition made its way to India, exploring trade opportunities with the Indians and Arabs, and winding up finally in Ethiopia. His detailed report was eagerly read in Lisbon, as Portugal became the world's best informed center for global geography and trade routes.[3]