Fernão Lopes

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Fernão Lopes
Supposed portrait of Fernão Lopes, from Nuno Gonçalves's Saint Vincent Panels.
Chief Chronicler of the Kingdom of Portugal
In office
19 March 1434 – 1448
MonarchEdward I of Portugal
Preceded byNone (position established)
Succeeded byGomes Eanes de Zurara
High Guardian of the Royal Archives
In office
c. 1418 – 6 June 1454
MonarchEdward I of Portugal
Preceded byGonçalo Gonçalves
Succeeded byGomes Eanes de Zurara
Personal details
Bornc. 1385
Alandroal?, Kingdom of Portugal
Diedc. 1460 (aged 74–75)
Alandroal?, Kingdom of Portugal
Signature

Fernão Lopes (Portuguese pronunciation:

Edward of Portugal. Fernão Lopes wrote the history of Portugal
, but only a part of his work remained.

His way of writing was based on oral discourse, and, on every page, it revealed his roots among the common people. He is one of the fathers of the European historiography, or a precursor of the scientific historiography, basing his works always on the documental proof, and, as he said, on his pages "one cannot find the beauty of words but the nudity of the truth." He was an autodidact. By the time of his death, a new kind of knowledge was arising, a Latinized scholasticism that involved imitations of the classics.

Life

It is assumed that he was born between the years 1380 and 1390, with a probable villainous family background. There is a chance that he was born and later buried in

Order of Avis.[1]

He belonged to the generation that came of age after the

Edward of Portugal, Nuno Álvares Pereira, and Dr. João das Regras. He saw the reign of three monarchs: John I, Edward I, and Afonso V, and he also lived during the regency of Peter, Duke of Coimbra
.

Portugal saw many social and political changes in his time, such as: the growth of the new nobility of the '

Portugal's maritime empire
.

In 1418, Fernão Lopes was appointed by John I as the head (guardião-mor) of the royal archives ('

Kings of Portugal. Lopes threw himself into the task. Fernão Lopes is acknowledged as the author of at least three chronicles: of the reign of king Peter I (r.1357-1367), of the reign of Ferdinand I (r.1367-1385) and the first two parts of the reign of John I (1385 up to year 1412, his successor Gomes Eanes de Zurara would produce the third and final part). Fernão Lopes is believed by some modern historians to also be the author of an anonymous history of the constable Nuno Álvares Pereira and, more contentiously, of a summary chronicle of the first several kings of Portugal (of which two drafts exist — one of the first five kings (Porto MS), another of the first seven (Cadaval or '1419' MS).[2]

Fernão Lopes held his official positions until around 1454, when he was forced to retire on account of his advanced age, and was succeeded by Gomes Eanes de Zurara. Lopes died sometime after 1459.

The last known information about Fernão Lopes states that he was still living in 1459, when he challenged the rights of an illegitimate grandson to his inheritance.[3] The date of his death is uncertain. According to information in the preface of the Chronica de El-Rei D. Pedro I, written by Luciano Cordeiro, after leaving the role of chief guard, Fernão Lopes would still have lived for another five years, dying close to the age of 80.[4]

Fernão Lopes was married to an aunt of the shoemaker Diogo Afonso's wife, leaving a son, Master Martinho, who was "physical" (doctor) of the infant D. Fernando. Martinho had a bastard son, Nuno Martins.[5]

It has been controversially alleged by some historians (starting with

plagiarizing them in whole or in part, to the point that Fernão Lopes is sometimes credited as their joint author. While there is some evidence that Galvão's chronicle of Afonso I might have copied parts from Lopes's manuscripts, historians generally agree that the accusation against Ruy de Pina is largely unmerited and unjust.[2]

Works

Uncontested (written by Fernão Lopes in 1430s & 1440s; original manuscripts lost; first published in 17th and 18th centuries on the basis of draft copies produced in the early 16th century.)

  • ("Chronicle of king Peter I") Crónica de el-rei D. Pedro (Chronicle of the King D. Pedro I), first published 1816 in J.F. Correia da Serra, editor, Collecção de livros ineditos de historia portugueza, Vol.IV Lisbon: Academia das Ciências de Lisboa.
  • ("Chronicle of king Fernando I") Crónica de el-rei D. Fernando, first published 1816 in J.F. Correia da Serra, editor, Collecção de livros ineditos de historia portugueza, Vol.IV Lisbon: Academia das Ciências de Lisboa.
  • ("Chronicle of king John I, Part I & Part II" ) Chronica del Rey D. Ioam I de Boa Memoria, e dos Reys de Portugal o Decimo, Primeira Parte, em Que se contem A Defensam do Reyno até ser eleito Rey & Segunda Parte, em que se continuam as guerras com Castella, desde o Principio de seu reinado ate as pazes , first published 1644, Lisbon: A. Alvarez.

Contested:

Notes

  1. ^ "Al-Madan Online 22-1". Issuu. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  2. ^ a b c Magalhães Basto (1959)
  3. ^ "A emergência do discurso histórico na crônica de Fernão Lopes" (PDF).
  4. ^ "Lopes, Fernão. Chronica de el-rei D. Pedro I".
  5. ^ Lopes, Fernão (1921). Fernão Lopes. [Obras]. Robarts - University of Toronto. Paris Aillaud & Bertrand.
  6. ^ Damião de Góis, 1566-67, Crónica do Felicíssimo Rei D. Manuel, pt.4, ch.38, esp. p.522
  7. ^ e.g. reported by Zurara, "Chronica do Conde D. Pedro de Menezes", end of ch.26
  8. ^ Magalhães Basto (1959) argues strongly for identifying Lopes as the author of the 1419 MS. This is strongly doubted by Vasconcelos e Sousa

References

  • Magalhães Basto, A. de, editor, (1959) Estudos: Cronistas e Crónicas Antigas. Fernão Lopes e a "Crónica de 1419". Coimbra. online
  • Vasconcelos e Sousa, B. "Medieval Portuguese Royal Chronicles.Topics in a Discourse of Identity and Power", retrieved at Brown University online

External links