I can "rewrite world history"

Dear friends and followers, sometimes as you well know, not all that is written in this Blog is 100% about Gourmet world. The reason is that I also use my Blog as a space to inform, to share and to express myself.

Today’s Post is about rewriting word history. Well, not all of course, but a part of it with some obvious consequences regarding the countries in question.

It is not an easy topic as culture, national pride, background, short sight and established history records, play an important part. For the very same reason individuals can not have an objective view.

Thus, I kindly ask you to slowly follow a few facts and piece by piece build a logical path to what I am trying to inform you. Please, bare with me…

Fact 1)

During the 15^th century Portugal was the n°1 World Power. With the best of the technology of those days (boats, arms, maps, compass, astrolab, etc) they have achieved  many maritime enterprises. Portuguese Navigators have discovered the Atlantic Islands (Azores Madeira, Canary, Cape Verd, St. Tome & Prince and others) and navigate all the African Coast till the Cape of Good Hope.

Fact 2)

The Pope divided the word in two halfs between the Kingdom of Portugal (King D. John II) and the newly born Kingdom of Spain (King Fernando & Isabella). This treaty “Tordesilhas” was signed in 1494.

Fact 3)

This treaty is an imaginary line (North to South) and splits the world between Spain(West) and Portugal(East). Such line was actually renegotiated b the Portuguese King in order to be moved further to West. Why was that??? You have to keep on reading to find out.

Fact 4)

Did you know that only Portuguese Sailors were allowed in board of the Portuguese Caravellas during the Discoverie’s (What? If so, why Colombus was allowed then?!). King D. John was famous by his high level of secrecy and by creating one of the first known Spy Agencies. During this period only the Captains of the Ships had access to the Maps and only them knew the final destination or objective of the mission. In the case of an attack or an accident, maps were destroyed in order not to fall in enemy hands. Also, the builders of the Caravellas and Naus (ships) were forbiden to emigrate to other countries (to avoid foreign nations to have Portuguese technology).

Fact 5)

The Portuguese have made numerous discoveries that were not be advertised and known to the rest of the world. Why? Quite simply because such lands were inside the Spanish half, and Portuguese did not want to give more land to Spain. Did you know that Terranova (also known as Newfoundland) was actually discovered by the Navigators Corte Real and Lavrador (yes the Dogs of those parts are now called Labrador) and Canada. It is so funny that Canadians do not have a clue about the origins of the name of their homeland. Did you know that the name Canada comes from a simple note in a chart mentioning that in those parts there were no richness (Gold or Spices), in Portuguese “Cà nada” means, Nothing here, very interesting.

Fact 6)

Did you know that in Portugal and also in Brazil the Discovery of Brazil is not celebrated but instead the Countries celebrate its official recognition?! You see, only when the treaty (see fact 1) was inforce and changed further west, Portugese Sailors could finally passed there and officially claim it. Navigator Pedro Alvares Cabral under the King orders changed in his way to India the route and stoped in Brazil, that was when Portugal officialy claimed the biggest country in South America. Understand that only knowing where it was in the first place and renegotiating a complex world treaty such enterprise could ever be acomplished. It might came as a surprise for you folks but America was known to Portuguese Sailors before the Colombus trip. Did you know that the first name of Brazil was Terras de Vera Cruz? It was then changed to Brasil, from the Portuguese word "Brasa" that means hot coal. The land in Brazil is red and also the colour of the expensive wood "Pau Brasil", it was that reason that generated the name change.

Fact 7)

In Portugal we do not study Colombus as an Italian. We study that official history says that he was from Genova (Italy) but in fact he was a Portuguese spy. Sent to Spain under the order of the Portuguese King, pretending to be Italian and trying to sell Portuguese Secrets to them. Portugal knew in the first place that America was not India and in order to avoid certain war with Spain (bigger country, bigger profesional army, poorer and thinking that Portugal belongeg to them) or tough competition in the Spices route, Portugal decided to lure the Spaniards to a vast land (were in fact the Spaniards stayed for centuries and did not disturbed Portugal);

Fact 8)

Columbus, if he really was Italian why is that there's no documents left by him writen in Italian? There are many Spanish with Portuguese words in the middle or in Portuguese. Explain me, how it was possible for a foreigner (from humble background) to have direct access to the Portuguese Court and discuss with the most important King of its days? How come (in those days) a humble man married a Portuguese Noble lady, daughter of the Captain of Porto Santo Island and cousin of the King? How come Colombus never named any of its many discovered Lands with Italian names? Instead he named almost everything with Portuguese known names. Did you know that the name of  birth place of the Portuguese Colon is Cuba?! Confused? Let me explain you that Cuba is a small village in Portugal (much older than the Island of Fidel Castro). And it continues with names of that region of the Alentejo, for example Guadalupe is the Patron Saint of the village of Cuba, etc...

Fact 9)

Did you know that Colombus only sailed off from Palos de la Frontera (South Spain) when he receive from a misterious knight the maps sent by the Portuguese King (the enemy of Spain and the chaser of Colombus according to know history). Did you know that such maps were written in Hebrew? In the 15th century who knew Hebrew? Only Jews. Very strange and very interesting.

Fact 10)

Don't you think that it is very strange the persuasion and determination of Colombus to continue West even if his crew have mutinied saying that they did not have enough food or water to the return trip? Such attitude can only be explained with the fact that he already knew were he was going. 

Fact 11)

Another strange episode is the return trip because Colombus stopped in Portugal for many days (for the surprise and shock of his sailors). First he met the Portuguese King in his hunting palace, then he met other friends (maybe family) and only after a week he decided to go to Spain. I do not know about you, but for me it is very odd that first you will tell your enemy (that wanted to kill you) and then without being touch you go and tell the Kings of Spain about one of the biggest discoveries in history. Well Folks, let me remind you that the official history books tells us that he thought that he arrived in India. Thus, the world, now-a-days celebrates someone that found an Island thinking to be India as one of the biggest world discoveries. Ah ah ah LOL. Odd, very odd.

Fact 12)

During the 16^th century already under the rule of King Manuel of Portugal, the Indian Ocean was under Portuguese rule. Lisbon was in centre of the world with a massive flow of Spices, Silk, Tea, Gold, Jewels, etc.

Portuguese have founded cities, established interports and strongholds in Africa, Arabian Golf, India, China, Japan, Indonesia, Malasya, etc.

Fact 13)

If Indonesia and Timor were Portuguese colonies don't you think that being so close to Australia, the experienced Portuguese Navigators did not know anything about it? Known history celebrates Captain Cook as the discover of Australia and New Zealand. Did you know that only recently Australian authorities are considering rewriting history because proofs of Portuguese presence have been found (fort, cannon, ship wreck) in the Australian coastline. Folks, Portuguese have found Australia 250 years before Cook.

Fact 14)

Did you know that Captain Cook used a Portuguese Map (Delfim Map) to sail on those pars. And on-board he had a Portuguese citizen in order to communicate with Natives that spoke a sort of Portuguese Creoule. The Navigator Captain Cristovao de Mendonça was the real discover of Australia and New Zealand, 250 years before Captain Cook. He left Malacca with an Armada of three ships and draw the Delfim Map, such map already represents 2/3 of Australia and has also New Zealand.

Fact 15)

Portuguese King couldn’t advertise such discovery because it was inside the Spanish half ruled by the Treaty of Tordesilhas (see Fact 1).

Fact 16)

Fernao de Magalhaes (or in English Magellan) was a Portuguese Navigator that discovered the West route to the Spices though the passage of the South America, today known as “Estreito de Magalhaes” (in English Magellan Strait). When he arrived in a new ocean he named it Pacifico (that is Portuguese for Peaceful). He did the first world circumnavigation (but he died in battle in Asia before finishing it) the trip was finished by the Spaniard El Cano.

Fact 17)

Did you know that America received its name from an Italian Cartograph, working for the Portuguese crown drawing maps of the new found continent. His real name was Amerigo Vespuccio, but in Portuguese the Italian name Amerigo becomes Américo. Then German Cartographs while copying the Portuguese Maps have decided to write inside the new found continent the name of  Italian Cartographer. Thus, the new world was by mistake named after the Cartographer that draw the first map. Like that from Portuguese Américo (Amerigo) came América (the land of Américo).

Fact 18)

Did you know that the Vatican have in their vaults World Maps prior to Colombus discovery of America where lands could already be seen in the west. The Vatican have also letters where it's written that Colombus real name was Colon and not Colombus. Did you know that Italians have only claimed Colombus nationality when Italy was formed has a country in the late 19^th century  ad they needed National Hero’s to unify a nation.

Fact 19)

Did you know that the longest oceanic voyage was made by Vasco da Gama, he left Lisbon on 8^th July 1497 and arrived in Calecute (India) on the 20^th May 1498. Such enterprise, unfortunately, is not greatly empathized by the history books. He left Lisbon to go to India and he arrived there almost a year after crossing all the South Atlantic Ocean (for the first time ever), crossing the Equador, arriving in South Africa. And then in the Indian Ocean he sailed to Mozambique, Kenya and then India. It was an Epic voyage that Hollywood did not immortalize in film (yet).
On the 29^th of August of 1498, after commercial agreements with local authorities he left to Lisbon where he was received has an Hero on August 1499. This successful trip lasted 2 year and it is not celebrated, you could make comparison with the Moon landing (but in this case many Portuguese Sailors died). Vasco da Gama enterprise and determination should be acknowledge in all world history books and not the one of Colombus. It was in fact the voyage of Vasco da Gama and not the one of Colombus that started the so-called Globalization.

Fact 20)

The Portuguese Empire was the first world maritime empire and the also the last one to finish. The Empire started in 1415 (with conquer of the city Ceuta, Marocco) and finished in 1999 with the return of Macau back to China.

You should pay a visit to Lisbon and still see the may marks that such Empire left in the Portuguese population (mixed), language (words from other populations), culture, habits, food (with all the spices), etc.

P:S. Visit the Monastery of Jeronimos in the Belem district in Lisbon (built to celebrate the voyage to India), Vasco da Gama Tomb is there. It is the only church in world were Elephant statues can be found. Indian Elephants in the Tomb of King Manuel.

It was a huge achievement for such a small peripherical European Country to built such a vast world Empire.

Well, dear readers, it was a long and complex  Post but if you are fun of history you will appreciate for sure some clarification. History, as you well know, tends to be written by the ruling force, by the winners and as such many details are not made relevant.
After the collapse of Portugal as the ruling world nation it was up to the English to dominate and thus much glory was claimed by them. That is, only after the roads and highways were built it came the English, the French, the Dutch to claim their glories.

Please pay a visit Lisbon or to a Portuguese colony, you will have a wonderful experience of centuries of cultural exchange and influences.

Bon Apetit

Chef Gourmet Du Art