Rui Faleiro
Encyclopedia
Rui Faleiro was a Portuguese cosmographer
, astrologer
, and astronomer
who was the principal scientific organizer behind Magellan
's circumnavigation
of the world.
Born in Covilhã
at the end of the fifteenth century, Faleiro and his brother Francisco Faleiro, also a cosmographer, served the Spanish
king Charles I
in Seville
. Faleiro, one of the first to apply the most rigorously scientific method of determining latitude
and longitude
, had earlier served John II of Portugal
and his successor, Manuel I of Portugal
.
Faleiro was certain that south of the "Terras de Vera Cruz" (i.e. Brazil
), at 40 degrees latitude
, there was an Atlantic passage that led to the South Seas
. The sought-after Spice Islands
would, by Faleiro's calculations, fall on the Spanish side of the line of Tordesillas
.
The merchant Christopher de Haro
helped Faleiro and Magellan present their proposal before the Spanish royal counselors.
Faleiro planned to accompany Magellan on his voyage around the world. However, it is said that on the evening prior to embarkation, Faleiro worked out his own horoscope
for the voyage. The stars predicted a violent death. Consequently, he remained behind. Other sources claim he went mad
before the voyage, and thus did not join the expedition.
Cosmography
Cosmography is the science that maps the general features of the universe, describing both heaven and Earth...
, astrologer
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
, and astronomer
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
who was the principal scientific organizer behind Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer. He was born in Sabrosa, in northern Portugal, and served King Charles I of Spain in search of a westward route to the "Spice Islands" ....
's circumnavigation
Circumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
of the world.
Born in Covilhã
Covilhã
Covilhã is a city in Covilha Municipality in Centro region, Portugal. The city proper has 36,723 inhabitants, and the municipality has an area of 555.6 km² with a total population of 53,501, being composed of 31 parishes. It is located in the Cova da Beira subregion, in the district of...
at the end of the fifteenth century, Faleiro and his brother Francisco Faleiro, also a cosmographer, served the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
king Charles I
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
. Faleiro, one of the first to apply the most rigorously scientific method of determining latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
and longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
, had earlier served John II of Portugal
John II of Portugal
John II , the Perfect Prince , was the thirteenth king of Portugal and the Algarves...
and his successor, Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
.
Faleiro was certain that south of the "Terras de Vera Cruz" (i.e. Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
), at 40 degrees latitude
40th parallel south
The 40th parallel south is a circle of latitude that is 40 degrees south of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, Australasia, the Pacific Ocean and South America....
, there was an Atlantic passage that led to the South Seas
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The sought-after Spice Islands
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone...
would, by Faleiro's calculations, fall on the Spanish side of the line of Tordesillas
Treaty of Tordesillas
The Treaty of Tordesillas , signed at Tordesillas , , divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal along a meridian 370 leagueswest of the Cape Verde islands...
.
The merchant Christopher de Haro
Christopher de Haro
Christopher de Haro was a Lisbon-based merchant of Flemish origin. He provided the financial backing to Ferdinand Magellan's 1519 voyage, the first circumnavigation around the world....
helped Faleiro and Magellan present their proposal before the Spanish royal counselors.
Faleiro planned to accompany Magellan on his voyage around the world. However, it is said that on the evening prior to embarkation, Faleiro worked out his own horoscope
Horoscope
In astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning "a look at the hours" In...
for the voyage. The stars predicted a violent death. Consequently, he remained behind. Other sources claim he went mad
Lunacy
Lunacy may refer to:* Lunacy, the condition suffered by a lunatic, now used only informally* Lunacy , a 2005 Jan Švankmajer's film* Lunacy , a video game for Sega Saturn* Luna Sea, a Japanese rock band originally named Lunacy...
before the voyage, and thus did not join the expedition.