António Raposo Tavares facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
António Raposo Tavares
|
|
|---|---|
Statue of António Raposo Tavares at the Museum of Ipiranga
|
|
| Born | 1598 São Miguel do Pinheiro, Kingdom of Portugal
|
| Died | 1658 (aged 59–60) |
| Nationality | Portuguese |
| Occupation | Explorer |
| Known for | Expanding the Portuguese territory in the colony of Brazil. |
António Raposo Tavares (1598–1658) was a famous Portuguese explorer. He was known as o Velho, which means "the old one" in Portuguese. He explored a huge part of eastern South America. He claimed these lands for Portugal. This helped expand the Portuguese territory far beyond its original borders.
António Raposo Tavares also led one of the biggest expeditions ever in the Americas. This journey covered more than 10,000 kilometers (over 6,200 miles). He traveled across South America, connecting two large river systems and the Andes mountains. He started from São Paulo and followed rivers like the Paraguay River. From there, he went towards the Andes and then all the way to Belém. Belém is at the mouth of the Amazon.
Biography
António Raposo Tavares was born in 1598. His birthplace was São Miguel do Pinheiro in Alentejo, Portugal. In 1618, he sailed to South America with his father, Fernão Vieira Tavares.
After his father passed away in 1622, António settled near São Paulo. Six years later, in 1628, he began his first big expedition. He led a group of 900 settlers and 2000 Tupi warriors. These groups were called bandeiras.
This journey aimed to explore new lands and expand Portuguese control. The bandeirantes first explored Guarani villages in the upper Parana valley. These villages were often protected by Spanish Jesuits. This expedition helped Portugal claim new lands. These lands were east of the Uruguay River. Today, they are the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina.
Tavares returned to São Paulo in 1633. He then became a judge for a while. Three years later, he started another journey. This time, he explored Spanish Jesuit settlements. These were located southeast of the Uruguay River, in what is now Rio Grande do Sul.
From 1639 to 1642, Tavares also joined the military. He fought against the Dutch. The Dutch had taken control of some settlements on the north-eastern coast. These included Bahia and Pernambuco.
His final big journey began in 1648. He led another bandeira to search for gold, valuable minerals, and new territories. About 200 white explorers from São Paulo joined him. More than a thousand indigenous people also went along. The bandeirantes traveled over 10,000 kilometers. They followed many rivers, such as the Paraguay River, the Grande River, the Mamoré River, the Madeira River, and the Amazon River.
Only Tavares, 59 other white explorers, and some indigenous people reached Belém. Belém is located at the mouth of the Amazon River. After this incredible journey, the survivors returned to São Paulo. António Raposo Tavares passed away there in 1658.
See also
In Spanish: Antonio Raposo Tavares para niños
