Manuel Pessanha
Encyclopedia
Manuel Pessanha was a Genoese
merchant sailor who served in Portugal in the 14th century as the first admiral of Portugal
at the time of King Denis of Portugal
.
Manuel Pessanha was the son of Simone, lord of the Castle di Passagne. In 1316-17 he made an agreement with king Denis of Portugal, appointing him to rearrange the incipient Portuguese Navy
(for which he would bring twenty men from Genoa to exercise as mayors of vessels). In a letter dated February 1 of 1317, he was appointed with the title of Admiral of Portugal
(which would become hereditary in his family), entitled to a pension of 3,000 pounds, divided into three equal payments due the months of January, May and September, and from rural incomes from several land possessions in Portugal. This contract was subsequently confirmed to him in 1317, April 14 of 1321 and April 21 of 1327.
He participated in the naval battles that opposed the Crown of Castile
to Portugal during the reign of king Afonso IV of Portugal
and was made prisoner by the Castilians in 1337, after the Battle of Cape St. Vincent
, and released in 1339. In 30 October 1340 he commanded the Portuguese fleet that helped Castile in the Battle of Salado, fighting off Cádiz
, while the Moors
' ships blocked Tarifa
. In 1341, he participated in an attack on Ceuta
, considered a nest of Moroccan pirates who regularly attacked the coasts of Algarve. His performance in this confrontation led to the Pope Benedict XII
praising him in a bull
consigned to the Portuguese king.
From his first marriage to Genebra Pereira, was born Carlos Pessanha and Bartolomeu Pessanha, both of which would succeed him in turn as Admiral of Portugal
, and from a second marriage to Leonor Afonso, Lançarote Pessanha yet another Admiral of Portugal, who was murdered at the Castle of Beja
during the 1383–1385 Crisis
. Carlos and Bartolomeu having no heirs, the admiralty title would pass through both of Lançarote's sons, Manuel II and Carlos II, until the 1430s, when lacking male heirs, the Admiral title would pass via female lines through several Portuguese noble houses, ending up in the house of Azevedo in 1485 and in the house of Castro (Counts of Resende) after 1660.
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
merchant sailor who served in Portugal in the 14th century as the first admiral of Portugal
Admiral of Portugal
The high office of Admiral of the Kingdom of Portugal as the head of the Portuguese navy was created by King Denis of Portugal in 1317 for the Genoese nobleman and naval officer Manuel Pessanha . Although there is evidence that such a title existed before The high office of Admiral of the...
at the time of King Denis of Portugal
Denis of Portugal
Dinis , called the Farmer King , was the sixth King of Portugal and the Algarve. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile and grandson of king Alfonso X of Castile , Dinis succeeded his father in 1279.-Biography:As heir to the throne, Infante Dinis was...
.
Manuel Pessanha was the son of Simone, lord of the Castle di Passagne. In 1316-17 he made an agreement with king Denis of Portugal, appointing him to rearrange the incipient Portuguese Navy
Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....
(for which he would bring twenty men from Genoa to exercise as mayors of vessels). In a letter dated February 1 of 1317, he was appointed with the title of Admiral of Portugal
Admiral of Portugal
The high office of Admiral of the Kingdom of Portugal as the head of the Portuguese navy was created by King Denis of Portugal in 1317 for the Genoese nobleman and naval officer Manuel Pessanha . Although there is evidence that such a title existed before The high office of Admiral of the...
(which would become hereditary in his family), entitled to a pension of 3,000 pounds, divided into three equal payments due the months of January, May and September, and from rural incomes from several land possessions in Portugal. This contract was subsequently confirmed to him in 1317, April 14 of 1321 and April 21 of 1327.
He participated in the naval battles that opposed the Crown of Castile
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
to Portugal during the reign of king Afonso IV of Portugal
Afonso IV of Portugal
Afonso IV , called the Brave , was the seventh king of Portugal and the Algarve from 1325 until his death. He was the only legitimate son of King Denis of Portugal by his wife Elizabeth of Aragon.-Biography:...
and was made prisoner by the Castilians in 1337, after the Battle of Cape St. Vincent
Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1337)
The Battle of Cape St Vincent of 1337 took place on 21 July 1337 between a Castilian fleet commanded by Alfonso Jofre Tenorio and a Portuguese fleet led by the Luso-Genoese admiral Emanuele Pessagno...
, and released in 1339. In 30 October 1340 he commanded the Portuguese fleet that helped Castile in the Battle of Salado, fighting off Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, while the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
' ships blocked Tarifa
Tarifa
Tarifa is a small town in the province of Cádiz, Andalusia, on the southernmost coast of Spain. The town is located on the Costa de la Luz and across the Straits of Gibraltar facing Morocco. The municipality includes Punta de Tarifa, the southernmost point in continental Europe. There are five...
. In 1341, he participated in an attack on Ceuta
Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
, considered a nest of Moroccan pirates who regularly attacked the coasts of Algarve. His performance in this confrontation led to the Pope Benedict XII
Pope Benedict XII
Pope Benedict XII , born Jacques Fournier, the third of the Avignon Popes, was Pope from 1334 to 1342.-Early life:...
praising him in a bull
Bull
Bull usually refers to an uncastrated adult male bovine.Bull may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Bull , an original show on the TNT Network* "Bull" , an episode of television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
consigned to the Portuguese king.
From his first marriage to Genebra Pereira, was born Carlos Pessanha and Bartolomeu Pessanha, both of which would succeed him in turn as Admiral of Portugal
Admiral of Portugal
The high office of Admiral of the Kingdom of Portugal as the head of the Portuguese navy was created by King Denis of Portugal in 1317 for the Genoese nobleman and naval officer Manuel Pessanha . Although there is evidence that such a title existed before The high office of Admiral of the...
, and from a second marriage to Leonor Afonso, Lançarote Pessanha yet another Admiral of Portugal, who was murdered at the Castle of Beja
Beja (Portugal)
Beja is a city in the Beja Municipality in the Alentejo region, Portugal. The municipality has a total area of 1,147.1 km² and a total population of 34,970 inhabitants. The city proper has a population of 21,658....
during the 1383–1385 Crisis
1383–1385 Crisis
The 1383–1385 Crisis was a period of civil war in Portuguese history that began with the death of King Ferdinand I of Portugal, who left no male heirs, and ended with the accession to the throne of King John I in 1385, in the wake of the Battle of Aljubarrota.In Portugal, this period is also known...
. Carlos and Bartolomeu having no heirs, the admiralty title would pass through both of Lançarote's sons, Manuel II and Carlos II, until the 1430s, when lacking male heirs, the Admiral title would pass via female lines through several Portuguese noble houses, ending up in the house of Azevedo in 1485 and in the house of Castro (Counts of Resende) after 1660.