Jerónimo Corte-Real
| Jerónimo Corte-Real | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 1533 Azores, Portugal |
| Died | 1588 (aged 55) Évora, Portugal |
| Nationality | Portuguese |
| Occupation | Epic poet |
Jerónimo Corte-Real (1533–1588) was a Portuguese epic poet, who came of a noble Portuguese stock. He is sometimes regarded as the Portuguese Virgil.
Jerónimo was born in the Azores; from the same Corte-Real family as Gaspar Corte-Real, who in 1500 and 1501 (along with his brothers Miguel and Vasco) sailed to Labrador and the Arctic seas. Their voyages opened the way for important Portuguese fisheries on the Newfoundland coast.
In his youth Jerónimo fought in Africa and Asia according to the custom of noblemen in that age. There is a tradition that he was present at the affair of Tangier on May 18, 1553, when Dom Pedro de Menezes met his death. Returning home, it is supposed about 1570, he spent the rest of his days in retirement.
In 1578 he placed his sword at the disposal of King Sebastian for the fatal expedition to Africa, but the monarch dispensed him from the journey (it is said) on account of his age, and in 1586 we find him acting as proved or of the Misericórdia of Évora. He married D. Luísa da Silva, but left no legitimate issue.
Corte-Real was painter as well as soldier and poet, and one of his pictures "Almas" is still preserved in the church of S. Antão at Évora. His poetical works are believed to have been composed in his old age at the mansion on his estate near Évora, known as Valle de Palma.
He was buried in Évora on 16 November 1588.
O Segundo cerco de Diu (The Second Siege of Diu), an epic in 21 cantos, deals with the historic siege of that Indian island-fortress of the Portuguese. First printed in 1574, it had a second edition in 1783, while a Spanish version appeared at Alcalà in 1597. Austriada, an epic in 15 cantos celebrating the victory of John of Austria (Don Juan de Austria) over the Turks at Lepanto, was written in Spanish and published in 1578. King Philip II accepted the dedication in flattering terms and visited the poet when he came to Portugal.
...
Wikipedia