Jerónimo Corte-Real

Who was Jerónimo Corte-Real?

Jerónimo Corte-Real was a Portuguese epic poet, who came of a noble Portuguese stock. He is sometimes regarded as the Portuguese Virgil.

He was born in the Azores, from the same family of Gaspar Corte-Real, who in 1500 and 1501 sailed to Labrador and the Arctic seas; and his brothers Miguel and Vasco. Their voyages opened the way for important Portuguese fisheries on the Newfoundland coast.

In his youth Jerónimo fought in Africa and Asia according to the custom of noblemen in that age. There is a tradition that he was present at the affair of Tangier on May 18, 1553, when Dom Pedro de Menezes met his death. Returning home, it is supposed about 1570, he spent the rest of his days in retirement.

In 1578 he placed his sword at the disposal of King Sebastian for the fatal expedition to Africa, but the monarch dispensed him from the journey on account of his age, and in 1586 we find him acting as proved or of the Misericórdia of Évora. He married D. Luísa da Silva, but left no legitimate issue.

Corte-Real was painter as well as soldier and poet, and one of his pictures "Almas" is still preserved in the church of S. Antão at Évora.