Bartolomeu Perestrello facts for kids

Bartolomeu Perestrello (born around 1395 – died 1457) was a famous Portuguese explorer and navigator. He is known for helping to discover and settle Porto Santo Island in 1419. He worked alongside other explorers like João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira. Some historians, however, have different ideas about how much he was involved in this discovery.

Biography

Early Life and Family

Bartolomeu Perestrello's father was Micer Filippo Pallastrelli, a knight from Lombardy (a region in Italy). His father came to Portugal and became a nobleman under John I of Portugal. Bartolomeu's mother was Caterina Visconti.

Bartolomeu himself was a nobleman and a trusted member of the household of Infante João, Lord of Reguengos. He was also a master of the Portuguese Order of Saint James.

Exploring Porto Santo

In 1446, Bartolomeu Perestrello was given the island of Porto Santo as a hereditary fief. This meant he and his family would govern the island for generations. He then began the important work of colonizing and settling the island with other fleet commanders.

One of his daughters, Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, was born around 1455. She later married the famous explorer Christopher Columbus around 1479. Columbus lived in Madeira and Porto Santo for some time.

The Rabbit Legend

There's a story about why Porto Santo Island has very little vegetation today. The legend says that when Bartolomeu first landed on the island, he brought a pregnant female rabbit with him. This rabbit escaped, and its babies quickly multiplied. In just a few years, the island was overrun with rabbits, which ate most of the plants.

The island also didn't have much fresh water. Because of these challenges, what seemed like a good opportunity for Bartolomeu actually led to financial difficulties for his family.

Family Connections

Bartolomeu Perestrello was married four times. His first marriage was to Margarida Martins. He then married Branca Dias. With Branca Dias, he had a daughter named Branca Dias Perestrello. This daughter later had children with Dom Pedro de Noronha, who was the Archbishop of Lisbon.

His third marriage was to Brites Furtado de Mendonça in 1446. They had a child named Izeu Perestrelo. Izeu married Pedro Correia, who became the First Captain of Graciosa Island in the Azores.

Bartolomeu's fourth marriage was to Isabel Moniz. They had several children, including Filipa, who married Christopher Columbus. Another daughter, Violante, lived in Seville, Spain. He also had a son named Bartolomeu Perestrello II, who became the Third Captain of Porto Santo.

Bartolomeu also had a brother named Rafael Perestrello and two sisters. One sister, Catarina Perestrello, was married to Aires Anes de Beja, who was a secretary to King John I of Portugal.

See also

In Spanish: Bartolomeu Perestrelo para niños