João da Nova

João da Nova (pronounced|ʒuˈɐ̃w̃ dɐ ˈnɔvɐ) or Juan de Nova (born c. 1460 in Galicia, Spain; died 1509 in Kochi, India) was a Portuguese explorer of the Atlantic and Indian Ocean.

Biography

After being born in Galicia, Spain, João da Nova, was sent by his family to Portugal as a young boy, in order to escape the struggles between aristocratic factions that were destroying the country (the Irmandiña Revolts). He soon adopted Portugal as his home country and his skills and talent earned him the appointment by King Manuel I of Portugal as Alcaide (mayor) of Lisbon in 1496.

In early 1501, João da Nova was appointed as commander of the third Portuguese expedition to India. During this expedition, he was the first European to see Ascension Island (1501) and Saint Helena (1502). He returned safely to Portugal. In 1505, he undertook another voyage to India, in the company of the first Portuguese Viceroy of India, Francisco de Almeida. This event seems to be the beginning of a series of misfortunes in João da Nova's life. He returned to Portugal in conflict with Francisco de Almeida, who did not grant him the title of General-Capitain.

In 1506, João da Nova was commander of the ship "Flor do Mar", belonging to the fleet of Tristão da Cunha that was heading for the island of Socotra (about 350 km to the south of Yemen, off the Horn of Africa). In this expedition Afonso de Albuquerque, commander of six ships of the fleet, had to arrest João da Nova because he intended to sail to India, contradicting Albuquerque's orders of going to Arabia to collect supplies in preparation for the conquest of Ormuz. Eventually João da Nova was pardoned, because of the bravery he showed in the attack against Oman. In 1509, João da Nova died in Cochin, India.

The French Juan de Nova Island, lying in the Mozambique Channel, is named after him.

ee also

*Exploration of Asia
*List of maritime explorers

References

*Cite book |last=de Albuquerque |first=Afonso |coauthor=Walter de Gray Birch |authorlink=Afonso de Albuquerque |title=The Commentaries of the Great Afonso Dalboquerque, Second Viceroy of India |date=1877