Abstract
O humanista florentino Filippo Sassetti, em determinado momento da sua carreira, decidiu dedicar-se a atividades mercantis, e para o efeito viajou para Portugal em 1578. Durante cinco anos residiu em Lisboa, envolvendo-se nos negocios que nesta cidade lusitana eram desenvolvidos pela comunidade italiana. Movido pela curiosidade de ver novas terras e novas gentes, embarcou em 1582 num dos navios que anualmente largavam com rumo a India, mas a viagem nao correu da melhor forma, sendo a embarcacao obrigada a arribar a Lisboa. Uma nova tentativa no ano seguinte foi mais bem-sucedida, e Sassetti chegaria a India em Novembro de 1583, onde viveria ate 1588, data da sua morte. Durante o periodo de residencia em Portugal, o mercador florentino dirigiu regularmente cartas a familiares, amigos e conhecidos residentes em Italia. Conhecem-se hoje quarenta dessas missivas, que sao agora objecto de analise mais cuidada, ja que constituem um repositorio extraordinario de curiosissimas noticias nao so sobre o proprio Sassetti e o seu circulo de correspondentes, mas tambem sobre Portugal e o seu imperio, registadas pela pena de um homem muito indagador e extremamente culto. The Florentine humanist Filippo Sassetti, at a certain point in his career, decided to dedicate himself to mercantile activities, and for that purpose he traveled to Portugal in 1578. For five years he resided in Lisbon, getting involved in the businesses that were being developed in this Portuguese city by the Italian communities. Moved by the curiosity to see new lands and new people, he embarked in 1582 on one of the ships that annually set out for India, but the journey was interrupted, the vessel being forced to return to Lisbon. A new attempt the following year was more successful, and Sassetti would arrive in India in November 1583, were in lived until his death in 1588. During his period of residence in Portugal, the Florentine merchant regularly addressed letters to family, friends and acquaintances residing in Italy. Today, forty of these missives are known, which are now the subject of a more careful analysis, since they constitute an extraordinary repository of very curious news not only about Sassetti himself and his circle of correspondents, but also about Portugal and its empire, registered by the pen of a very inquisitive and extremely learned man.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have