Antão Gonçalves was a 15th-century Portuguese

explorer Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...

who was the first European to capture

Africans African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...

in the Rio do Ouro region.

Biography

In 1441, Gonçalves was sent by

Henry the Navigator ''Dom'' Henrique of Portugal, Duke of Viseu (4 March 1394 – 13 November 1460), better known as Prince Henry the Navigator ( pt, Infante Dom Henrique, o Navegador), was a central figure in the early days of the Portuguese Empire and in the 15t ...

to explore the

West African West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, ...

coast in an expedition under the command of Nuno Tristão. As Gonçalves was considerably younger than Tristão, his duty was less exploration than it was

hunting Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

the Mediterranean monk seals that inhabit West Africa. After he had filled his small vessel with seal skins, Gonçalves, on his own initiative, decided to capture some Africans to return to Portugal. With nine of his crewmen, Gonçalves captured a tribesmen and a black women who was working as a servant for the group. By this time, Tristão had arrived at the same place, and the two crews joined together for another capturing trip, on which they captured 10 tribesmen, one of them a nobleman named Adahu. According to the Chronicle of Zurara, these people spoke "Sahara Azenegue". An Arab which had come with Tristão expedition was sent inland to tell the local populations about ransom negotiations for the captives, as well eventual business they would like to do. About 150 men on foot, as well as 35 in horses and camels went to the coast to meet the expedition. All but three went on hide, attempting to ambush the Portuguese. The trick was perceived, and the expedition quickly went back to the ships. The native people then showed up in the beach, displaying the Arab which had come with the Portuguese, now enslaved by them.Crónica dos Feitos da Guiné, Gomes Eanes de Zurara, 1841, cap. XIII After this, Tristão continued exploration southwards while Gonçalves returned to Portugal. He embarked on another expedition in 1442, taking the nobleman he had captured the year before. Gonçalves hoped to barter the chief for a number of black slaves. He received 10 slaves, some

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...

dust and, curiously, a large number of

ostrich eggs The egg of the ostrich (genus ''Struthio'') is the largest of any living bird. The shell has a long history of use by humans as a container and for decorative artwork. The eggs are not commonly eaten. Biology The female common ostrich lays her ...

. However, this expedition contributed nothing to the cause of exploration; Gonçalves had not even sailed past the Rio do Ouro. He was granted a new

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

for his name. Not to be mistaken with another Antão Gonçalves, who coasted the Island of

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Afric ...

at the beginnings of the 16th century.

References

* Castlereagh, Duncan. ''Encyclopedia of Discovery and Exploration - The Great Age of Exploration''. Aldus Books London, 1971. * Afonso Eduardo Martins Zúquete ''Armorial Lusitano'', Enciclopédia, 3rd Edition, Lisbon, 1987, p. 256. * Manuel Abranches de Soveral ''Ascendências Visienses. Ensaio genealógico sobre a nobreza de Viseu. Séculos XIV a XVII'' , Author's edition, 1st Edition, Porto, 2004, Vol. II., p. 42-3. Year of birth missing Year of death missing Portuguese explorers 15th-century explorers of Africa 15th-century Portuguese people {{portugal-explorer-stub

Biography

See also

References