Zurara (Gomes Eanes de)

This distinguished chronicler of ours from the 15th century dealt with the discovery of the Madeira archipelago in his Chronica do Descobrimento e Conquista da Guiné. He was almost contemporary with the events he narrated, spoke with people who had lived through them, and had at his disposal the documents that could enable him to write history with complete truthfulness and with direct knowledge of the facts. His testimony in narrating the events recorded in his Chronica therefore has great value and unquestionable authority. The circumstances of the discovery of Madeira that he describes, albeit briefly, offer the conscientious researcher the surest material for reconstructing the historical truth on this very interesting and crucial point of the discovery of our archipelago. On this subject, see note III to ‘Longing for the Homeland’ (Saudades da Terra). The Chronica da Guiné remained unpublished for about four hundred years, until it was published in Paris in 1841 by the Viscount of Santarém.