Miguel Côrte-Real was a Portuguese explorer who is best known for his three voyages of discovery to the North Atlantic in the early 16th century. He was born in 1450 in the Portuguese city of Porto and was the son of João Vaz Côrte-Real, a wealthy merchant and nobleman.
Miguel Côrte-Real was a part of the Portuguese Age of Discovery, a period of exploration and colonization that began in the 15th century. During this time, Portugal was the most powerful maritime nation in Europe and was looking to expand its influence and wealth. Côrte-Real was one of the first Portuguese explorers to venture into the North Atlantic in search of new lands and resources.
In 1473, Côrte-Real set sail on his first voyage of discovery. He sailed along the coast of Africa and eventually reached the Canary Islands. He then continued on to the Azores, where he made landfall and claimed the islands for Portugal. He then sailed north, reaching the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. He explored the area and made contact with the local Indigenous people, who he named the “Skraelings”. He then returned to Portugal with a cargo of fish and timber.
In 1498, Côrte-Real set sail on his second voyage of discovery. He sailed along the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador and eventually reached the coast of Greenland. He explored the area and made contact with the local Inuit people, who he named the “Esquimaux”. He then sailed south and reached the coast of North America, where he made landfall in what is now Nova Scotia. He explored the area and made contact with the local Mi’kmaq people. He then returned to Portugal with a cargo of fish and timber.
In 1500, Côrte-Real set sail on his third and final voyage of discovery. He sailed along the coast of North America and eventually reached the coast of South America. He explored the area and made contact with the local Indigenous people, who he named the “Caribs”. He then sailed north and reached the coast of Florida, where he made landfall and claimed the area for Portugal. He then returned to Portugal with a cargo of fish and timber.
Miguel Côrte-Real’s voyages of discovery were significant in that they helped to expand Portugal’s influence and wealth. He was the first European explorer to make contact with the Indigenous peoples of North America and to claim the area for Portugal. His voyages also helped to open up the North Atlantic to further exploration and colonization.
Miguel Côrte-Real died in 1501, shortly after returning from his third voyage of discovery. He is remembered as one of the most important Portuguese explorers of the Age of Discovery. His voyages of discovery helped to expand Portugal’s influence and wealth and opened up the North Atlantic to further exploration and colonization.