Full Name Gaspar Name Gaspar Corte-Real Nationality Portuguese Died 1501 | Siblings Miguel Corte-Real | |
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Known for Exploring the North American coast. | ||
Occupation Navigator and explorer | ||
Gaspar Corte-Real (1450 – 1501) was a Portuguese explorer. Gaspar Corte-Real, alongside his father João Vaz Corte-Real (c. 1420-1496) and brother Miguel, participated in various exploratory voyages sponsored jointly by the Portuguese and Danish Crowns. These voyages are said to have been some of the first to reach Newfoundland and possibly other parts of northeastern Canada.
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Early life
He was the youngest of three sons of João Vaz Corte-Real, also a Portuguese explorer, and had accompanied his father on his expeditions to North America. His brothers were also explorers, members of the Corte-Real family.
Career
In 1500, King Manuel I of Portugal sent Gaspar to discover lands and search for a Northwest Passage to Asia.
He reached Greenland, believing it to be east Asia, but chose not to land. He set out on a second voyage to Greenland in 1501, with his brother Miguel Corte-Real and three caravels. Encountering frozen sea, they changed course to the south and reached land, believed to be Labrador and Newfoundland. There they captured 57 native men, who would later be sold as slaves. Gaspar then sent his brother and two ships back to Portugal before continuing southwards.
Death
Nothing more was heard of Gaspar Corte-Real after 1501. His brother Miguel attempted to find him in 1502, but he too never returned.
Tribute
There is a statue of Gaspar Corte-Real located in front of the Confederation Building in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. It was donated by the Canadian Portuguese Fisheries Organisation in 1965 in recognition of the hospitality of Newfoundlanders towards Portuguese Grand Banks fishermen. A building in Memorial University's Burtons Pond complex in St. John's is named for Corte-Real.