Gaspar Frutuoso
1522–1591
priest · chronicler · historian · writer
Gaspar Frutuoso (1522–1591) was an Azorean priest and humanist, author of the Saudades da Terra, a key early source for the history of the Atlantic islands including Madeira.
1Mentioned in
- Madeiran wall lizard (Lacerta Dugesii) — Azorean chronicler whose Saudades da Terra records small harmless lizards in Madeira and Porto Santo at discovery.
- Donataries — Chronicler, author of Saudades da Terra, cited for the Simão Gonçalves episode.
- Settlement and colonisation — Author of Saudades da Terra, cited on the early settlers and donataries' instructions.
- Castilian rule — Author of Saudades da Terra (1590), the source for several episodes described here.
- Misericórdias — Chronicler who in 1590 praised the wealth and charity of the Misericórdia.
- Bishop’s palace — Chronicler cited for the residence of D. Jerónimo Barreto.
- Levadas — Azorean priest-chronicler, author of the Saudades da Terra, quoted here on early levadas.
- Levadas — Author of Saudades da Terra, cited as a source transcribing royal charters on levadas.
- Vineyards — Chronicler, author of Saudades da Terra, cited on early Madeiran vines.
- Bays — Chronicler cited among authors who classified Madeira's coastal inlets.
- Customs houses — Author of Saudades da Terra, who praised the customs house in 1590.
- Borges (Gaspar) — Chronicler whose Saudades da Terra devotes eight pages to Gaspar Borges.
- Orchil — Author of Saudades da Terra, cited as showing orchil was already gathered in Madeira in his time.
- Convent of St Clare — Chronicler quoted on the founder's daughters and the nuns' flight in 1566.
- Direita (street) — Chronicler who in 1590 described Rua Direita as the largest street in Funchal.
- St James the Less (chapel) — Chronicler cited as the source for Zargo's role in founding the chapel.
- St Clare (church) — Azorean chronicler quoted on Zarco's founding of the chapel.
- Wine industry — Author of Saudades da Terra (1590), praising Madeira malmsey as the world's best.
- Wine industry — Chronicler cited as judging malvasia the most valuable Madeira wine.
- Gonçalo Aires (stream) — Azorean chronicler whose account explains the origin of the stream's name.
- Discovery of the archipelago — Azorean author of Saudades da Terra, who dated Madeira's discovery to July 1419.
- Historical dates — Azorean author of Saudades da Terra (1590), whose Madeira section was published in 1873.
- Procession of the Bull of the Holy Crusade — Sixteenth-century Azorean chronicler whose account of the origin of the 1 May procession is cited.
- St John the Baptist (chapels) — Chronicler quoted on the early Franciscan house beside the chapel.
- Pé de Pau — Azorean chronicler whose account is the source for the corsair Pé de Pau's visit to Funchal.
- Pina (family) — Author of Saudades da Terra, cited for listing the Pinas among Madeira's noble settlers.
- Koebel (W. H.) — Chronicler whose old manuscript Azevedo annotated in 1873.
- Santana (parish) — Chronicler who described Santana in 1590 as rich in grain, livestock, chestnuts, walnuts and water.
- Girão (cape) — Sixteenth-century chronicler, author of the Saudades da Terra, who explained the name Cabo Girão as the end of the first day's circuit of the discovery voyage.
- Holy Spirit (chapels) — Azorean chronicler quoted here describing Zarco's choice of the site for a Holy Spirit church above Câmara de Lobos.
- Public rejoicing — Chronicler cited for the bullfights held in Funchal for the birth of Prince João.
- Nossa Senhora da Estrela (chapel) — Chronicler whose account of the chapel's origin is quoted.
- Porto Santo rabbit — Chronicler who related the rabbit story.
- Chief authorities of the archipelago — Author of Saudades da Terra, the chronicle annotated by Azevedo.
- St Francis in Funchal (convent) — Chronicler, author of Saudades da Terra, quoted describing the church.
- Poço Novo — 16th-century chronicler quoted describing the street and the well that gave it its name.
- Câmara (Simão Gonçalves da) — Chronicler who described the donatary's deeds in detail.
- Garajau (cape) — Chronicler quoted on how the headland was named at the discovery.
- Tábua (parish) — Author of the Saudades da Terra, who described Tábua in 1590.
- Notaries — Chronicler quoted on the number of Funchal notaries.
+152 more
2Chronology
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Gaspar Frutuoso, the chronicler, was born in Ponta Delgada.
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A strong earthquake struck Funchal and a severe plague followed until May, ending, according to Frutuoso, after a procession to St James's chapel; the vow is commemorated by the 1 May procession.
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Gaspar Frutuoso wrote the Saudades da Terra in São Miguel, a key source for Madeira's history; the same year Jerónimo Dias Leite was named full-prebend canon.
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Gaspar Frutuoso described Rua Direita as the largest street in Funchal, and described the parish of Tábua.
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Gaspar Frutuoso described Santana as rich farmland.
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Frutuoso recorded the reduced number of notaries then serving in Funchal.
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Gaspar Frutuoso described the south-west coast localities, including Paul do Mar.
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Gaspar Frutuoso recorded household counts for parishes such as Caniço (200), Faial (about 100) and Porto do Moniz (thirty).
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Gaspar Frutuoso wrote that the parish of Porto Santo was dedicated to the Salvador.
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According to Frutuoso, Porto Santo had about 400 households, some 1,600 inhabitants.
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Gaspar Frutuoso already called the springs by the name of João Diniz.
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Gaspar Frutuoso described the Pico do Castelo on Porto Santo as naturally defensible.
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Gaspar Frutuoso recorded that the landing place at Machico was called the Desembarcadouro, and recorded the name Ponta Delgada.
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Gaspar Frutuoso described Malvasia as the best wine in the world, exported to India.
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Gaspar Frutuoso described Seixal as a parish of about twenty households with a church of São Brás.
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Álvaro Rodrigues de Azevedo published in Funchal his annotated edition of Gaspar Frutuoso's Saudades da Terra (Book II), made from Agrela's copy, with extensive notes including a list of governors.
