Aguiar (Dom Nuno)
Original title: Aguiar (D. Nuno)
Madeiran-born Cistercian monk, grandson of Zarco, who became the first bishop of Tangier and tried unsuccessfully to annex Madeira to his diocese; he died in 1491.
Dr Álvaro Rodrigues de Azevedo calls him Dom Martinho de Aguiar, but in various chronicles and nobiliaries, and in Paiva Manso’s interesting memoir on the Esquadras de Marrocos, his name is generally given as Dom Nuno de Aguiar. He is said to have been born in the parish (freguesia) of São Martinho, the son of Diogo de Aguiar and grandson of João Gonçalves Zarco, the first captain-donatary (capitão-donatário) of Funchal. He was a Cistercian monk and held important ecclesiastical offices. He accompanied King Afonso V to Africa for the conquest of Asilah and Tangier, and when the latter diocese was created he secured his appointment as its prelate. He sought to annex the Madeira archipelago to his bishopric, but this was vigorously opposed by the Infanta Dona Beatriz, as guardian of her son Diogo, Duke of Viseu, Grand Master of the Order of Christ (Ordem de Cristo), who was supported by the monarch and by the donataries (donatário) of this island. Dom Nuno de Aguiar spent little time in his diocese, and after twenty years as bishop he died in mainland Portugal in 1491.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 01Place
Places mentioned · 04
Abroad
- Asilah
Morocco. Moroccan town conquered by Afonso V with D. Nuno present.
Arzila is a Moroccan stronghold conquered by Afonso V, with D. Nuno de Aguiar present. Several Madeirans fought at its sieges and capture, including members of the Câmara family, the Leme brothers and António Correia. Simão Gonçalves da Câmara relieved it twice, and Padre João Soares served there.
- Funchal
Captaincy of which Zarco was first donatary.
The capital of the archipelago and seat of the principal captaincy, where settlement began; it was made a vila c.1451–52. Its bay, the widest in the archipelago, lies between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz and offers sheltered anchorage, though its harbour had never been studied oceanographically. The Elucidário discusses it as a health resort with climate data and records the January 1906 disturbances, the Danish prince's visit in May 1846 and recent volcanic cones in the area.
- São Martinho
Funchal. Reputed birthplace of D. Nuno de Aguiar.
São Martinho is a suburban parish west of Funchal, created in 1579 from São Pedro and partly added to the city in 1927. It had sugar factories, grew Tinta vines, and has characteristic volcanic bombs. It is the reputed birthplace of D. Nuno de Aguiar.
- Tangier
Morocco. Moroccan city whose new diocese D. Nuno headed.
Tânger is a Moroccan city at whose siege Zarco reputedly lost an eye and covered Prince Henry's retreat; Rui and Simão Gonçalves da Câmara also fought there. It was taken with the Lemes' participation and became the see of a new diocese headed by D. Nuno de Aguiar. It was later ceded to England instead of Madeira.
People
People mentioned · 08- Nuno de Aguiard. 1491
Cistercian monk and first bishop of Tangier, born in São Martinho, who sought to annex Madeira to his diocese.
-
King of Portugal whom D. Nuno accompanied to the conquest of Arzila and Tangier.
- Álvaro Rodrigues de Azevedo1825–1898
Madeiran historian who called the bishop D. Martinho de Aguiar.
-
Infanta and guardian of her son D. Diogo who opposed the annexation of Madeira to the Tangier diocese.
-
Father of D. Nuno de Aguiar.
-
Grand master of the Order of Christ, lord of Madeira, under his mother's tutelage.
- João Gonçalves Zarcod. 1467
First captain-donatary of Funchal and grandfather of D. Nuno de Aguiar.
-
Author of a memoir on the Moroccan fleets that names the bishop as D. Nuno de Aguiar.