Fernão Mendes Pinto
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Fernão Mendes Pinto | |
|---|---|
.png) Possible likeness of Fernão Mendes Pinto in the Visitation altarpiece (Giraldo Fernandes de Prado, 1589–1591) of the Church of Misericórdia of Almada, Portugal | |
| Born | 1509 |
| Died | 8 July 1583 |
| Nationality | Portuguese |
| Occupation(s) | Explorer and writer |
| Known for | Pilgrimage |
Fernão Mendes Pinto (Portuguese pronunciation: [fɨɾˈnɐ̃w ˈmẽdɨʃ ˈpĩtu]; c. 1509 – 8 July 1583) was a Portuguese explorer and writer. His voyages are recorded in Pilgrimage (Portuguese: Peregrinação), his autobiographical memoir, which was published posthumously in 1614. The historical accuracy of the work is debatable due to the many events that seem far-fetched or at least exaggerated, earning him the nickname Fernão Mentes Minto (wordplay with the Portuguese verb mentir, 'to lie', meaning "Fernão, are you lying? I am lying."). Still, many aspects of the work can be verified, particularly through records of Pinto's service to the Portuguese crown and by his association with Jesuit missionaries.
Early life
Pinto was born in about 1509, in
He was related to the wealthy Mendes family, who were descendants of
Pinto described his childhood as spartan. In 1521, hoping to improve the boy's prospects, an uncle took him to
Pinto eventually made his way to Setúbal, where he entered the service of
Voyages
Pinto's travels can be divided into three phases: firstly, from Portugal to India; secondly, through the region of the
First voyage to India
On 11 March 1537, Pinto left Lisbon for India via
Pinto then joined a Portuguese reconnaissance mission to the Red Sea via Ethiopia. The mission was to deliver a message to Portuguese soldiers guarding the mother of "
Pinto was sold to a
Second voyage to India
Soon after being freed, Pinto sailed on a Portuguese cargo ship to Goa. Against his will, Pinto was transferred en route to a naval fleet bound for the Mughal port city of Debal (modern Karachi) near Thatta. After enduring battles with Ottoman ships, Pinto reached Goa.
Malacca and the Far East
From 1539, Pinto remained in Malacca under Pedro de Faria, the newly appointed captain of Malacca. Pinto was sent to establish diplomatic contacts, particularly with small kingdoms allied with the Portuguese against the Muslims of northern Sumatra. In 1569, he discovered an Ottoman fleet led by Kurtoğlu Hızır Reis in Aceh.
Patani
Following Pinto's mission to Sumatra, he was sent to
China
Pinto entered China from the
Japan
Pinto claimed that his 1543 landing made him the first European to set foot in Japan. He also claimed to have introduced the
Pinto facilitated trade between the Portuguese and Japan. At one point, he was shipwrecked on the
Martaban
Pinto returned to Malacca and was then sent to
Java
On Pinto's return to Goa, Faria sent him to
Siam
Using borrowed money, Pinto bought passage to
Return to Portugal
On 22 September 1558, Pinto returned to Portugal. Fame preceded him in Western Europe due to one of his letters being published by the
Memoir Peregrinação
Pinto began his memoirs in 1569. The book was published posthumously by friar Belchior Faria in 1614. Although Pinto did not have the education of contemporary authors and did not reveal a knowledge of either classical culture nor aesthetics of the Renaissance, his experiential knowledge and intelligence enabled him to create a meaningful work. Pinto was critical of Portuguese colonialism in the Far East.[3]
The vivid tales of his wanderings were so incredible and far-fetched as to not be believed.[4] They gave rise to the saying "Fernão, Mentes? Minto!", a Portuguese pun on his name meaning "Fernão, do you lie? I do!"[5]
The publication may vary from Pinto's manuscript (some sentences are erased and others are edited). The disappearance of references to the Society of Jesus, one of the most active religious orders in the Orient, is notable, as there are clear indications of Pinto's relationship with the society. Pinto's memoirs are just that, his memories of events, giving rise to doubts regarding historical accuracy. However, it documents the impact of the Asian civilizations on the Europeans and is a reasonable analysis of Portuguese action in the Orient (in comparison to Luís de Camões' Os Lusíadas).
The most controversial of Pinto's claims is his being the first European to visit Japan and his introduction of the arquebus to Japan. Another controversial claim, that he fought in Java against the Muslims, has been analyzed by historians. The Dutch historian,
Legacy
In 1978, a crater on Mercury was named Mendes Pinto after Pinto.[6]
A high school in
See also
- Exploration of Asia
References
- ^ Rebecca D. Catz page xxxvii
- ISBN 9780870111389. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ Catz R. "Fernão Mendes Pinto and His Peregrinação." Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine Hispania magazine, Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes
- ISBN 1135788715, 9781135788711.
- ^ "The Travels of Mendes Pinto: Team Game." The Inside Scoop on Gaming, RPGnet
- ^ "Craters: Mendes Pinto on Mercury", Planetary Names: Crater
Sources
- Breve História da Literatura Portuguesa, Texto Editora, Lisboa, 1999
- A. J. Barreiros, História da Literatura Portuguesa, Editora Pax, eleventh edition.
- A. J. Saraiva, O. Lopes, História da Literatura Portuguesa, Porto Editora, twelfth edition.
- Enciclopédia Luso-Brasileira de Cultura, Editorial Verbo, Lisboa, Fifteenth edition.
- Lexicoteca – Moderna Enciclopédia Universal volume 15 Círculo de Leitores, 1987
- The Travels of Mendes Pinto, Edited and translated by Rebecca D. Catz, The University of Chicago Press, ISBN 0-226-66951-3
- Collis, M. The Grand Peregrination Faber and Faber 1949 ISBN 0-85635-850-9
- Fernão Mendes Pinto and the Peregrinação – studies, restored Portuguese text, notes and indexes, directed by Jorge Santos Alves, Fundação Oriente, Lisbon, 2010, ISBN 978-972-785-096-9
Online
Rebecca Catz. "Hispania". Fernão Mendes Pinto and His Peregrinação. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
External links
- Works by or about Fernão Mendes Pinto at Internet Archive
- Prestage, Edgar (1911). . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 21 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 629.
- Catz R. "Hispania" Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine Virtual Cervantes website. Accessed 30 August 2005.
- from the Catholic Encyclopedia
- Hispania – American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, Inc. Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- "The voyages and adventures of Ferdinand Mendez Pinto.1692." English Translation by Henry Cogan, of Nichibunken database
- Boris Filatov's Private Collection of Netsuke Archived 17 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine
