Gonçalo Coelho

Gonçalo Coelho ( * probably in 1451 in Florence, † 1512 in Seville) was an explorer from Portugal. He played a prominent role in the discovery and exploration of the mainland of the present state Brazil.

Beginning of the 16th century, he took part in several expeditions to Brazil, which started from Lisbon.

One of them took place with the participation of Amerigo Vespucci of Florence instead, which should be its name to the whole continent, namely in 1501 / 02, in the reign of King Manuel I of Portugal, which started with three caravels on May 14. Coelho led this ride that followed the launched on March 9, 1500 Pedro Álvares Cabral 's fleet. On New Years Day 1502 fleet landed at Rio de Janeiro to the south of Fortaleza. Perhaps, then, the fleet arrived in the south to the Rio de la Plata. The aim was to take a small part of the territory of present-day Brazil, which resolved that a pope could be occupied Portuguese.

1503 saw a further expedition of Gonçalo Coelho that the French intended to land in Brazil. In July 1503 Binôt Paul Mier de Gonneville had set out on an expedition. 1530 a new expedition from Martim Alfonso de Souza, was sent to Brazil, by which the French were to be fought, but they were sold until 1625 final to Brazil.

Gonçalo Coelho is the father of Duarte Coelho Pereira (* 1485, † 1554 ), who founded the now Brazilian city of Olinda in 1537.