Discoveries


The first economic interest moving the Portuguese Discoveries’ Project of establishing a maritime route to India was due to the blockage suffered by the oriental markets of spices and silk tissues (among others), caused by the Turkish war (1453).
European royal courts, who counted on these merchandises for increasing their prestige (garments), as well as for the improving of food taste (spices) and comfort, had used Venice as the interchange trade point in Europe.

With the war event, which obstructed the usual route, the Portuguese looked for the possibility of acquiring that trade, by establishing a new line of transport and by substituting the camels’ caravans by ships, along the West cost of Africa (although still ignoring if the crossing to Indic Ocean, through the South of Africa, could be a possibility).

In starting the sea route, they soon discover the impracticality of returning to Lisbon through the same line, due to the descendent maritime currents. Surrounding these currents through the West side, they discovered Madeira Island and then, the Azores. Taking advantage of the upward current of the Gulf Stream, moving towards North and passing through the Azores, as well as of the predominant winds blowing from West, from there on, it was relatively easy to make the trip back to Lisbon.

Another reason took the navigators to the Azores. They were looking for a passage, through the West, to India. This was tried by the Corte-Reais and others, departing from the Azores, in ships made there (in Angra bay), which reached American costs (the Newfoundland) much before Colombo.
The success of the enterprise immediately awaked international rivalry, bringing to the scenery countries possessing some maritime experience, like Holland, England and Spain, which became involved in the dispute of rights to the new market.

With problems on the succession to the thrown, Portugal looses independence to Spain, being ruled by the Phillips during 60 years, between 1580 till 1640.
Terceira Island resisted during two years (1580/1582) defeating the Spanish Armada in a tentative disembark in 1580 and being taken two years latter only due to betrayal, so good were their defences.
Once established in the island the Spanish increased its defences even more, by constructing the Castle of St Philip (now Castle of St John Baptist).

Famous pirates and corsairs like Sir Francis Drake and Lord Chamberlain, among others, never succeed on their attempts to step on Terceira land, (although doing so in other islands of the Azores).
As one part of the policies ruling the discoveries, the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama (Vice Roy of India, 1490s) obtained royal authority to establish Angra as an obligatory port-of-call. This measure allowed the kingdom of Portugal to charge taxes over any ship and merchandise crossing the Atlantic through Terceira Island. This duty control was done in Angra where the Armadas’ Purveyor was created for this and other proposes.

Discoveries and the sea fears
The history of the discoveries is tied to Terceira Island. The outstanding reputation of the island was due to the protection offered by its natural bay where services of support to the navigation were installed. But besides the importance of these material aspects, the island represented a psychological defence against the “evils” perceived as existing in the sea, and depicted as monsters.

 

 

This picture (attributed to Peter’s, Faial) became famous for expressing the belief that, “hidden” in the sea, were strange creatures, unknown but imagined then. At the end of the horizon line the sea would fall into a void.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Designs from antique Cartography existing at the Museum of Angra

The terror of finding these creatures was terrible. The understanding of having to fight them without possibility of survival, kept the Atlantic Ocean empty of consistent navigation, except for rare, legendary episodes, until the Portuguese Project of the Discoveries.

In this context, the city and the Bay of Angra played a decisive role, by offering all sorts of protection. With a bay shield from the predominant winds, thanks to Mount Brazil, a former volcano which is also responsible for a deep sea bay, Angra was able to receive heavy ships.

A safe rescue point, on the middle of the Atlantic, gave to the Project of the Discoveries the capacity of combating the monsters of the Ocean.


By Antonieta Costa