142 Cabral, Pedro Álvares
the Cartography of the Voyages(Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press for the Hakluyt Society, 1962); Samuel
Eliot Morison, The European Discovery of America: The
Northern Voyages(New York: Oxford University Press,
1971).
Cabral, Pedro Álvares(1467–ca. 1520)leader of the
second Portuguese expedition to India
Born to the noble Fernão and his wife Isabel de Gouveia,
the Portuguese Pedro Álvares Cabral was sent to serve at
the court of PORTUGALat the age of 17 and rose rapidly on
official offices. During Cabral’s years at court, the Por-
tuguese made the great discoveries that opened up the
ocean routes between Europe and Asia. Bartolomew DIAZ
had rounded the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of
Africa in 1488, and VASCOda Gama reached India in 1498.
On da Gama’s return to Portugal in September 1498, the
Portuguese king decided to send another expedition to
India immediately to take advantage of he new trading
opportunities. Cabral was chosen to lead the venture.
BRAZILCabral left LISBONon March 9, 1500, at the head of a fleet
of 13 ships, much larger than that of da Gama. They
reached the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa on
March 22. On da Gama’s advice Cabral then sailed farther
westward to avoid the doldrums and contrary currents
that had plagued earlier expeditions. As a result, on April
22, the Wednesday before Easter, he sighted land—BRAZIL.
The next day, the Portuguese landed on what was to
become the major colony of their empire. The explorers
Alonso de Ojeda, Amerigo Vespucci (1454–1512), and
Vicente Pinzón had previously sighted land along what is
now the northern coast of Brazil. The land he found had
already been given to Portugal by the papal Treaty of
Tordesillas in June 1494. It divided any new discoveries;
Portugal was given Africa and Asia, and SPAINthe Ameri-
cas. The dividing line was set at a point 370 leagues west
of the Cape Verde Islands, so Brazil was actually in the
Portuguese sphere.
MOZAMBIQUE AND CALICUTAfter Cabral left Brazil, he sailed south of the Cape of
Good Hope and finally touched land in Mozambique
with only three ships. He then sailed up the eastern coast
of Africa and across the Indian Ocean. His fleet reached
the great trading center of Calicut (Kozhikode) on
September 13, 1500.
The Muslim merchants of Calicut were not pleased
by the arrival of the Portuguese, because a new trade
route threatened their monopoly on the spice trade with
the West and Europe. The Portuguese built a trading post
on land, but it was soon attacked and 50 men were killed.
Cabral then seized 10 Arab ships and bombarded the city
with his guns. Since he had still not traded for anything
he wanted, he sailed south to the port of Cochin, where
he filled up his ships with merchandise then left in early
January 1501.
The ships in Cabral’s expedition landed in Lisbon
harbor during June and July 1501. The merchandise they
took back was extremely valuable; the expedition proved
that there was a way to trade with Asia via the Atlantic
and Indian Oceans. The king sent out another expedition
in February 1502, but this time once again under the
command of Vasco da Gama. Forgotten, Cabral died
about 1520 in Portugal.
Further reading:W. B. Greenlee, ed., The Voyage of
Pedro Alvares Cabral to Brazil and India(London: Hakluyt
Society, 1937); James Roxburgh McClymont, Pedraluarez
Cabral (Pedro Alluarez de Gouvea): His Progenitors, His
Life and His Voyage to America and India(London: B. Qua-
trich, 1914).Cade, Jack (d. 1450), and Cade’s or Kentish
RebellionJack Cade’s rebellion took place in England
in the summer of 1450. It followed months of discon-
tent in PARLIAMENTand throughout the kingdom, first
sparked by the capture of NORMANDYby the French.
This era also saw violence in the murder of a bishop,
the impeachment and killing of the duke of Suffolk,
and the forcing of reforms on the incompetent and
reluctant King Henry VI (r. 1421–71). The early details
of the uprising are not known. By June 5 the news
had reached Leicester, where Parliament was meeting.
Parliament was quickly dissolved and the king and his
nobles marched on its epicenter LONDONto confront
the rebellion.
As in the Peasant Rebellion of 1381, the center was
in Kent, which had a large number of free peasants and
independent cloth workers who were a volatile mix.
Though primarily comprising peasants and artisans, it
was likely encouraged by ambitious nobles, perhaps even
Richard (1411–60) duke of York. By June 11 a large force
had built a camp at Blackheath, southeast of London.
Its leader took the name of “John Mortimer,” presumably
to signify gentle birth and a connection with the duke
of York, who represented the Mortimer claim to the
throne. His real name appears to have been Cade. He was
probably Irish.
Several versions of the rebels’ demands survive. They
stressed misgovernment, both central and local. These
manifestos do not resemble the broad social demands of
the 1381 rebellion but sought only the return of the duke
of York from IRELAND, the formation of a council con-
trolled by the great magnates, and the trial of “traitors
and extortioners.”COMBAT
On June 18 the rebels retreated from Blackheath,
unwilling to face the advance of Henry VI’s army. News