azores

The first of the Azores group of islands was said to be discovered in 1427 but this 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 3000 BC. Lying some 900 miles from the coast of Portugal in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the islands cover an area of 600 km. Plato in his reference to the Empire of Atlantis must have been based on some knowledge of their existence, 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 Jafund Cresquez. Some 100 years later in 1427 a ship commanded by Diogo da Silva is recorded to have visited the Azores. Based in 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 who was later instructed under royal edict to find the island 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 gowshawks which were mistakenly thought to be seen flying overhead.

The islands of Flores and Corvo were recorded as being discovered by Diogo de Teive. These names were later applied to the collection of nine islands which are normally considered in three individual groups. The eastern group comprises Ilha de Santa Maria and Ilha de São Miguel, the central group Ilha do Faial, Ilha Graciosa, Ilha do Pico, Ilha de São Jorge and Ilha Terceira, and the western group 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 Act known as ‘Seismarias’. This law was introduced in Portugal in 1375 by King Fernando, who stated that landlords could forfeit their land if not properly cultivated. In 1494, King Dom Manuel I 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 15 and 16th centuries settlers from Portugal and Flanders began to cultivate and read cattle in the balmy climate. During the reign over Portugal of Philip II of Spain (1580-1640), the islands prospered greatly from it their logistical position with the wealthy trading with the ‘new world’. The ports of Angra do Heroismo on the island of Terceira and Ponta Delgada in the island of São Miguel developed into important centres of trade. In the early 19th century the islands became a necessary staging post for the whaling trade. There was an unsettled period in the 16th century when Dom António and Prior of Crato, with local support declared himself King of Portugal much to the annoyance of Phillip II. 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 mainland Portugal near Porto. After three years of conflict his forces defeated his brother Dom Miguel and established his constitutional rights to the throne.

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 such happening during the creation of an islet about 90 meters high west of the coast of Ilha de São Miguel. As soon as it was safe the captain of the ship landed on the islet and hoisted the Union Jack in the name of the Great Britain and named the islet Sabrina after his ship. Imagine his disappointment when shortly afterwards the islet and the flag sank back under the ocean! Last 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 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 the air the light is of such 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 tourist as the service varies depending on the destination and, of course, the local weather conditions.