Francisco Álvares facts for kids

Francisco Álvares (born around 1465, died between 1536 and 1541) was a Portuguese missionary (someone who travels to spread their faith) and explorer. In 1515, he traveled to Ethiopia as part of a Portuguese group sent to meet Emperor Lebna Dengel. He was joined by the Ethiopian ambassador Matheus. The group finally reached Ethiopia in 1520. There, Álvares met another Portuguese explorer, Pêro da Covilhã. He stayed in Ethiopia for six years, returning to Lisbon in 1526 or 1527. He wrote a book about his travels called Verdadeira Informação das Terras do Preste João das Indias ("A True Relation of the Lands of Prester John of the Indies").

Journey to Ethiopia

Francisco Álvares was a priest who worked for King Manuel I of Portugal. He was chosen in 1515 to join a special Portuguese group. This group was traveling to meet the Emperor of Ethiopia, who was called the nəgusä nägäst. The Ethiopian ambassador Matheus also traveled with them.

Their first try to reach the port of Massawa did not work out. The governor of Portuguese India, Lopo Soares de Albergaria, caused problems. The group only got as far as the Dahlak Archipelago. The Portuguese ambassador, Duarte Galvão, sadly died there.

Álvares and Matheus had to wait for a new governor, Diogo Lopes de Sequeira. He helped the group continue their journey. Dom Rodrigo de Lima took over as the new ambassador. Finally, the group reached Massawa on April 9, 1520. They then traveled to the court of Emperor Lebna Dengel.

While there, Álvares became friends with other Europeans. These included Pêro da Covilhã and Nicolao Branceleon. Father Álvares stayed in Ethiopia for six years. He returned to Lisbon in either 1526 or 1527.

In 1533, he went with Dom Martinho de Portugal to Rome. They were on a mission to meet Pope Clement VII. Father Álvares gave the Pope a letter that Emperor Lebna Dengel had written.

We don't know the exact date Francisco Álvares died. It was sometime between 1536 and 1541. Some believe he died in Rome. His book was published in Lisbon in 1540.

Álvares' Book

In 1540, a man named Luís Rodrigues published a part of Álvares' travel story. It was called Verdadeira Informação das Terras do Preste João das Indias ("A True Relation of the Lands of Prester John of the Indies"). This book was about the lands of a legendary Christian king known as Prester John.

Later, another version of Álvares' writings was included in a collection of travel stories. This collection was put together by Giovanni Battista Ramusio and published in 1550.

Francisco Álvares' work has been translated into English two times. The first translation was done by Henry Stanley, 3rd Baron Stanley of Alderley in 1881. This translation was later updated and added to by C.F. Beckingham and G.W.B. Huntingford in 1961. Their version was called The Prester John of the Indies.

Álvares' book is very important for understanding Ethiopian history. It was written just before the country faced big invasions. He gave the first detailed descriptions of places like Axum and Lalibela. These descriptions are very helpful for historians today.

Experts say that Álvares was usually accurate. He might have made a few small mistakes. Sometimes, his descriptions of buildings were hard to understand. But he was honest and did not try to make himself seem more important than he was.

Images for kids

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  Verdadeira Informação das Terras do Preste João das Indias, 1540

See also

In Spanish: Francisco Álvares para niños