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Mendonca’s voyage around the North Island continues as we further explore the Portuguese discovery of New Zealand and New Zealand’s early European explorers . Mendonca decided to sail south of Mt Egmont (Taranaki). The Vallard Map shows the coastline running east and eventually turning back toward the southwest before ending abruptly at a prominent round headland. This headland matches the shape of Cape Terawhiti, at the extreme southwestern point of the North Island. Illa do

Mendonca’s voyage around the North Island continues. North of the Bay of Plenty is a small promontory or headland representing a truncated Coromandel Peninsula and an offshore island. This corresponds in both shape and position to the mountainous Great Barrier Island. The island seems to have been drawn on a larger scale. The two harbours on the island’s sheltered western coast are shown in some detail, suggesting Mendonca may have moored there. The harbour of Tryphena, at th

Mendonca’s chart of Wellington Harbour is meticulously detailed, highlighting key features that could only be captured through firsthand experience. The harbour would have been an ideal location for the Portuguese to make repairs and replenish their fresh water supply after enduring a storm off Australia’s eastern coast. Over the years, evidence has surfaced supporting Mendonca’s presence in Wellington Harbour. Around 1900, the Wellington Museum acquired an iron helmet found

After clearing Great Barrier Island, Mendonca’s priority was to set course for the Portuguese base in Malacca, Malaysia. By then, it would be around one year since he left Malacca, likely early autumn in the South Pacific. He would be sailing at the right time to take advantage of the strengthening southeast trade winds to return to Malacca and then India. Mendonca needed to reach Goa, the major Portuguese naval base for the Far East, by September 1523 to avoid the contrary w

Preamble:  The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, was an agreement between Spain and Portugal to divide newly discovered lands outside of Europe. It established a line of demarcation, with Spain claiming lands to the west and Portugal to the east. This division aimed to prevent conflict between the two powers during their age of exploration and colonisation. Treaty of Tordesillas 1494 Division Line Between Portugal and Spain The Portuguese had strong incentives to keep an

Jose Alberto Leitao Barata (2003) discovered references to Mendonca’s expedition in the 1962 work of Padre Antonio da Silva Rego, who sourced Portuguese records in Mozambique (unaffected by Lisbon earthquake/fires) where the Portuguese had bases in the sixteenth century. Beyond Capricorn by Peter Trickett Peter Trickett, Beyond Capricorn  (2007) conducted a detailed process of identification of Australian coastal features which is critical to proving the accuracy of the Valla

The supporting evidence for Mendonca visiting New Zealand follows. The Curator of Maps at the British Library, Helen Wallis in 1981 commentary on the Dieppe maps (including the Vallard Atlas) stated: “… it is notable how many of these names are descriptive of physical features…others seem to record the events and personal associations of an exploring voyage, including saints’ names…it is clear that the land represents a discovery made on a European voyage or coastal explorati

The following is an outline of the evidence supporting Mendonca's visit to New Zealand. One piece of evidence exists with the British Admiralty Chart No. 748 printed in 1803 containing references to a Portuguese discovery of New Zealand around 1550. This Chart was used for the next 50 years. Cook Strait was named as the “ Gulf of the Portuguese ” and East Cape is “ Cabo Fermoso ” which is Cape Beautiful in Portuguese. Written on the map next to New Zealand was: “ New Zeeland

Our history is taught in terms of British and Dutch colonial empires with the role of the Portuguese treated as minimal. At the beginning of the 17th century Dutch explorers began to uncover the secrets of the Australian continent. Willem Jansz and his crew of the  Duyfken  made history in 1606 by being the first recorded Europeans to set foot on Australian soil at the Pennefather River on Cape York Peninsula. Many Dutch explorers followed later in the century and named the c

The Vallard Atlas map describes a place called " Terra Java " which bears strong similarities to Australia's coastline - except that, at one point, it juts out at right angles for more than 900 miles. Terra Java in Vallard Atlas Note: the French photographers designed maps in the southern hemisphere upside down. For ease of viewing, we have put the map up the correct way, with the images being upside down. Peter Trickett in Beyond Capricorn provides a straightforward explana

Portuguese Armada of Ships Prince Henry the Navigator Portugal's maritime expeditions during the late 1400s set the stage for global exploration and trade, ushering in the Age of Discovery. Facing a shortage of precious metals, Portugal sought wealth overseas, kicking off the Age of Discovery in 1415 with the conquest of Ceuta in North Africa. Prince Henry the Navigator played a key role, establishing a robust investment in Portugal’s naval capabilities. He devoted himself to

Portuguese Exploration The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in the East Indies in the early 1500’s, establishing a network of trading posts and fortresses, including in the Spice Islands and a major port in Malacca in 1511. The Portuguese aimed to control the spice trade and extend their Christian missionary efforts. Portugal went through a “Golden Age” in the sixteenth century. Portugal’s seaborne empire extended from West Africa to Brazil and from Mozambique to

Portuguese Visit to New Zealand This Blog Series explores the history of European exploration in New Zealand, focusing on the possibility of Portuguese or Spanish navigators arriving before Abel Tasman in 1642. It begins by discussing Portugal's commercial aims in the 16th century, particularly the control of the spice trade and the search for new gold sources. The Portuguese, led by explorers like Cristóvão de Mendonça, dominated the spice and gold trades and expanded their

Here are the key findings from the Blog Series titled "New Zealand's Early European Explorers": Cristóvão de Mendonça Early European Exploration : The Blogs explore the possibility that Portuguese or Spanish navigators may have arrived in New Zealand before Abel Tasman in 1642. Cristóvão de Mendonça's Expedition : Cristóvão de Mendonça led an expedition in 1522/23 from Malacca, Malaysia, with four ships to explore Australia's east coast and New Zealand's North Island. His fle

Who were New Zealand's first settlers? What are the probabilities of ships discovering New Zealand over 2000 years ago? Most likely departing from Southeast Asian or Melanesian ports, such as New Guinea, the largest island? The people on board could be of any mixed ethnic background, bound together by the motivation to find gold or another key resource, improve their quality of life, or seek better security. India’s Sphere of Influence 2000 Years Before the Present My previou

New Zealand's closest neighbours were inhabited thousands of years ago, creating the potential for its eventual discovery: Over 2,000 years ago, sea routes capable of efficiently transferring large groups of people were well established. These maritime networks connected the Mediterranean, India, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea. Simultaneously, people from regions north of Southeast Asia were actively trading and migrating into these areas. Australia, Southeast Asia, and New G

What are the relevant factors when looking at who were the first settlers in New Zealand? Earliest Evidence from Wairau Bar: The Wairau Bar, where the Wairau River meets the Pacific Ocean near Blenheim, provides the earliest known evidence of human habitation in New Zealand. Artefacts discovered there by chance, followed by thorough archaeological excavations, date back to around 1280 AD (approximately 740 years ago). These items point to East Polynesia as the origin of the s

New Zealand's neighbouring regions, like Australia, the Pacific Islands, and Southeast Asia, boast histories of human habitation spanning thousands of years. Australia, for example, has been home to Aboriginal peoples for over 65,000 years—making them one of the oldest continuous cultures on Earth. The Pacific Islands, including Melanesia and Polynesia, were settled by seafaring peoples who undertook epic voyages across the ocean, starting around 3,000 years ago. Oceania Regi

Aboriginals long time ago Southeast Asia: The Origins of Early Migration Evidence of habitation in Southeast Asia dates back nearly two million years, with Homo erectus  living in the region. Modern human remains discovered in New Guinea suggest that populations migrated from Southeast Asia roughly 50,000 years ago. These migrations, originating from Africa between 50,000 and 70,000 years ago, marked New Guinea as one of the earliest landmasses after Africa and Eurasia to be

Migration from the North Migration Within Oceania Migration has been a continuous process shaped by various factors such as environmental changes, overpopulation, and conflicts. Overland migration from China into Southeast Asia occurred around 10,000 to 30,000 years ago, followed by seaborne migration from Taiwan approximately 5,000 years ago. These movements fostered the development of unique local cultures, languages, and ethnic identities over time. In Melanesia, settlers

Current View While the conventional view holds that New Zealand was first settled around 1250–1300 AD, the possibility of earlier habitation remains a topic of debate. Evidence of earlier settlers could be buried or yet to be discovered. Contributing Factors The possibility that New Zealand’s first settlers may have originated from Southeast Asia and the New Guinea region is supported by a number of factors covered in the next three Blogs: BLOG 7: Seafaring Cultures and Navig

Red Sea Port Activity What factors support the possibility that New Zealand’s first settlers may have come from Southeast Asia and New Guinea region? Current View While the conventional view holds that New Zealand was first settled around 1250–1300 AD, the possibility of earlier habitation remains a topic of debate. Evidence of earlier settlers could be buried or yet to be discovered. Contributing Factors The possibility that New Zealand’s first settlers may have originated f

What factors support the possibility that New Zealand’s first settlers may have come from Southeast Asia and New Guinea region? Current View While the conventional view holds that New Zealand was first settled around 1250–1300 AD, the possibility of earlier habitation remains a topic of debate. Evidence of earlier settlers could be buried or yet to be discovered. Contributing Factors The possibility that New Zealand’s first settlers may have originated from Southeast Asia and

Final Touches to Pots What factors support the possibility that New Zealand’s first settlers may have come from Southeast Asia and New Guinea region? Current View While the conventional view holds that New Zealand was first settled around 1250–1300 AD, the possibility of earlier habitation remains a topic of debate. Evidence of earlier settlers could be buried or yet to be discovered. Contributing Factors The possibility that New Zealand’s first settlers may have originated f