"Affonso d'Albuquerque a Fortaleza de Ormuz"

Santarem, Manuel Francisco de Barros e Sousa, Visconde de. Noticia dos manuscriptos pertencentes ao direito publico externo diplomatico de Portugal e a historia, e litterature do mesmo paiz, que existem na Bibliotheca R. de Paris, e outras, da mesma capital, e nos archivos de França.

€ 2,500.00

First edition of an important early catalogue of Portuguese manuscripts in French archives, compiled by one of Portugal's most outstanding bibliophiles of the 19th century. Santarem lists and discusses documents and manuscripts related to Portuguese history and literature in the Royal Library, Bibliothèque de Ste Genevieve, Bibliotheque de Arsenal, Bibliotheque de Mazarine, and Bibliotheque des Invalides. Includes material on Afonso de Albuquerque's expedition to the Gulf and the "guerra d'Ormuz" (p. 76: Codice 10:023, Jornal das viagens dos Portuguezes ás Indias).

The second Visconde de Santarem (1791-1856), who specialized in paleography and diplomatics, is known as one of the most important historiographers of 19th century Portugal. He has been called "the greatest figure in the history of Portuguese cartography" (Cortesão, History of Portuguese Cartography I, 23); in fact, it was Santarem who coined the term "cartographia". He served as state archivist, diplomat, and minister of the overseas territories in Portugal until 1833. In 1807, he went to Brazil with the royal family, where he became interested in historical studies and began to collect and study documents and manuscripts regarding the relations between Portugal and foreign countries. When he had to relocate to Paris for political reasons in 1833, he continued his studies on Portuguese history, especially on the role of the country in the Age of Discovery. Although he spent the remainder of his life in Paris, his standing with the Portuguese government later improved to the point that the government funded many of his publications, and appointed him Keeper of the Torre do Tombo without requiring him to return.