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In-Depth Information
Almeida, Francisco de (1450-1510)
Portuguese soldier and colonial
administrator
Member of a noble family, Almeida began
his military career in Portugal's Moroccan
campaigns and subsequently volunteered
for the final stage of the Castilian capture of
Muslim territory that culminated in the CON -
QUEST OF G RANADA (1492). He was chosen in
1503 to lead the first great Portuguese expe-
dition to conquer land and trade in the
Indian Ocean region. With a fleet of some
two dozen warships he pursued a tactic of
destroying rival trading posts and establish-
ing new Portuguese strongholds along the
East African coast. Crossing to the western
shores of India, he set up headquarters at
Cochin from which he negotiated treaties
with local rulers and launched naval expedi-
tions against rivals. His most spectacular vic-
tory was achieved in 1509 when he destroyed
a large combined fleet of Egyptians, Arabs,
and Indians outfitted by Venice, which feared
the loss of its domination of the Indian
Ocean trade. Almeida was evidently the first
European to visit Mumbai (Bombay) and to
open trade with what is presently known as
Malaysia. His son led the first expedition to
what is now Sri Lanka.
Almeida was suspended in his position as
first viceroy of Portugal's Estado da India
and set out for home late in 1509. On reach-
ing the area near present-day Capetown,
South Africa, his ships stopped to take on
freshwater, and Almeida was killed in a
skirmish with the local population.
(Constitutional) Party, Almeida Garrett was
forced into political exile in 1823. Residing
at first in England, he became fascinated by
the work of Sir Walter Scott, which influ-
enced his epic poem Camões (1825) in which
he dwells upon the 16th-century Portu-
guese poet's longing for home. Later, in
France, he fell under the spell of romanti-
cism, a commitment that would lead to his
becoming the founder of the romantic
school of Portuguese poetry. Almeida Gar-
rett returned to Portugal in 1832 to aid in
the struggle against the Miguelites and after
the victory of 1833 was appointed minister
of the interior and began a long period of
service in the national legislature. In addi-
tion to his political activities, he took a
major part in the creation of the National
Theater. In support of this theater he wrote
a number of historical dramas, including
Um auto de Gil Vicente (A short play of Gil
Vicente, 1838) and O alfageme de Santarém
(The armorer of Santarem, 1841). His 1843
play Frey Luís de Sousa is considered by many
to be the greatest achievement of Portu-
guese drama. Still another contribution of
major importance was his Romanceiro
(1851-53), a collection of medieval Portu-
guese romances and ballads. As he drew
near the end of his life, Almeida Garrett
produced a collection of love poems, Folhas
caídas (Fallen leaves, 1853), considered to
be the finest poems in the Portuguese
language.
Altamira Crevea, Rafael (1866-1951)
Spanish historian
Rafael Altamira was one of the generation
of Spanish intellectuals who became active
in public life just before the great crisis of
1898. Like so many of his peers, he was
trained at the Institución Libre de Ense-
Almeida Garrett, João Baptista da
Silva Leitão, visconde de
(1799-1854)
Portuguese writer and statesman
A graduate in law from the University of
Coimbra and a supporter of the Liberal
 
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