ABSTRACT
The importance of the voyage of Cabral in the history of Venice has previously been referred to. The anxiety of the Venetians to retain the sole monopoly of the European trade in spices and drugs made them view with apprehension the growing power of the Osmanli in the East. To protect her threatened commerce Venice sought the aid of the Christian states of Europe. Spain, too, had reason to fear the Moslems because of the expulsion of the Moors. There was thus acommon bond between the two nations. Domenico Pisani was appointed ambassador to Spain by the Venetian Senate on the 7th of September 1500, 1 and because of the friendly relations between Spain and Portugal and their proximity, he represented Venice in Portugal as well. His chief duties were to remind Ferdinand and Isabella of promised aid, and to seek the assistance of the Portuguese fleets against the Turks. At this time the Venetian diarist Marino Sanuto proposed that some one should be sent to Portugal to offer condolence to Dom Manuel because of the death of his infant son, and also to endeavour to obtain the naval aid which the Venetians desired. The name of II Cretico 2 was suggested, ‘a person of great learn-ing in Latin and Greek’, and it was agreed that he be sent as a secretary to Pisani because of his suitability and because in this capacity less expense would be incurred. Henceforward II Cretico was usually in attendance at one court while Pisani was with the other, but early in 1501 they were both in Lisbon. Through their efforts Dom Manuel was induced to send an armada under João de Menezes to assist Venice against the Turks. 3 We know that Pisani was in Lisbon in March 1501, because he wrote a letter 4 from there on the 13 th of that month 115addressed to Granada. He then returned to Spain leaving II Cretico in his place. Il Cretico remained in Lisbon until September, and was therefore present when the Anunciada returned and also at the arrival of the flagship towards the end of July. When the first of Cabral’s ships arrived from India on the 23rd of June 1501, he immediately wrote a letter to Venice, telling briefly what he could learn regarding the voyage. This letter sheds some additional light on the voyage of Cabral and the cargo which it brought back. It shows also the participation of Bartolomeo Marchioni in the expedition and the elation of Dom Manuel upon the return of the fleet. It was the first news which the Venetians received telling of the return of Cabral’s expedition and of what had occurred in India, although they had heard vaguely through Egyptian sources of its arrival there. The dismay which this report caused in Venice is vividly told by the diarist Priuli. The letter of II Cretico was also the first account of Cabral’s voyage printed in Venice, and may have been the first one printed, but no copy is now in existence. According to Girolamo Priuli, it was published in 1501. The statement made by II Cretico that the fleet proceeded for two thousand miles along the coast of Brazil after leaving Porto Seguro has caused discussion among some historians of this voyage. In considering this statement, it may be well to remember that the letter was written largely from hearsay and is inaccurate in many particulars. If we accept what II Cretico states we must deny that of other authorities generally considered more trustworthy, who definitely affirm the contrary.
