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Azores - Pousada
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Introduction to Azores
The first of the Azores group of islands were said to be
discovered in 1427 but his fact is somewhat disputed by
other records. There is a belief that the Island of Corvo
was already known to exist to the Carthaginians in 3.000
before Christ.
Lying some 900 miles from the coast of Portugal in the
middle of the Atlantic Ocean the Islands cover an area
of some six hundred kilometres in length and a land area
of 2.333 square kilometres. Plato in his reference
to the "Empire of Atlantis" must have been
based on some knowledge of the existence of these Islands,
and equally Plutarch refers to the "Atlantic
Islands". It is almost certain that they were
previously known about and there is reference to their
existence in the Catalan Atlas of 1375 by Jafunda
Cresquez. Some 100 years later in 1427 a ship
commanded by Diogo da Silva is recorded to have
visited the Azores. Based on all this information
Henry the Navigator organized two voyages in 1431
and 1432 under the command of Frei Gonçalo Velho
a Knight of the Order of Christ, and who was later
instructed under royal edict to find the islands and
take possession in the name of Portugal.
The first of the Islands, Santa
Maria, was given the name "Azores"
from the Portuguese word for "goshawks" which
was mistakenly thought to be seen flying overhead. Both
the Island of Flores and
Corvo were recorded as
being discovered by Diogo do Teive. This name was
later applied to the collection of nine Islands which
are normally considered in three individual groups. The
eastern group of Ilha de
Santa Maria and Ilha
de São Miguel, the central group of
Ilha do Faial,
Ilha Graciosa,
Ilha do Pico,
Ilha São Jorge and
Ilha Terceira,
and the western group of Ilha do
Corvo and Ilha das
Flores.
As each island was occupied by the Portuguese an
appointee was given total and hereditary powers.
Initially the colonization of the Islands proceeded in
an organized and progressive manner due to the the Act
know as "Seismarias". This law was
introduced in Portugal in 1375 by King Fernando
and stated that landlords could forfeit their land and
possessions if not properly cultivated. In 1494, King
Dom João II revoked the Act and in doing so
created an economic decline in the Azores and abuse of
power by local dignitaries. In was in this period that
the recently arrived Flemish settlers took advantage
of the situation and encouraged their countrymen to
join them.
During the 15th and 16th Century settlers from both
Portugal and Flanders began to cultivate and rear
cattle in the balmy climate. During the reign over
Portugal of Phillip II of Spain (1580-1640),
the Islands prospered greatly from its logistical
position with the wealthy trading with the "new world".
The ports of Angra do Heroísmo on the
Island of Terceira and
Ponta Delgado on the
Island of São Miguel
developed into important centres of trade. In the
early 19th Century the Islands also became a
necessary staging post for the Whaling industry.
There was an unsettled period in the 16th Century
when Dom António and Prior of Crato and
locally supported declared himself King of Portugal
much to the annoyance of Felipe II, the real
King and also being at the same time the King of
Spain. In 1583 a Spanish force put an end to this
idea and Dom António fled to France. In 1831
the followers of Dom Pedro IV sailed from
Ilha de São Miguel
to the mainland Portugal near Porto. After three
years of conflict in Portugal his forces defeated
his brother Dom Miguel and contender to the
throne of Portugal.
Due to its volcanic composition there has been
throughout its existence fairly constant eruptions
and upheavals either within the landmass or from
the bed of the sea. In 1811 an English ship
witnessed one of such happenings as they saw the
creation of an islet about 90 meters high west of
the coast of Ilha de
São Miguel. As soon as it appeared safe,
the Captain of the ship landed on the islet and
hoisted the Union Jack in the name of Great Britain
and named the islet "Sabrina" after that
of his ship. Imagine his great disappointment when
shortly afterwards the islet and flag sank back
under the ocean! In this past century the Islands
have played a strategic role as a military air
base between the USA and the rest of the world in
the Second World War and also in other later
conflicts.
The Archipelago of the Azores is on the same
latitude as that of Lisbon and is about two hours
flight from Portugal. Due to the purity of air the
light is of such a quality that it emphasizes the
colours of vegetation, flowers, and the difference
between light and shade. Regardless of their
remoteness the Islands are a segment of the EU
being an integral part of Portugal.
From the tourists point-of-view they should note
that there are flights between all the islands
and ferryboat services. This latter should be
checked by the visitor as the local services vary
depending on the destination and naturally the
condition of the local weather. (Visit - Portugal History)
Azores Islands
Corvo
· Faial
· Flores
· Graciosa
· Pico
· Santa Maria
· São Jorge
· São Miguel
· Terceira
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