Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Part 1.: The Exploration of the WorldVerne, Jules
History
Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Part 1.: The Exploration of the World
Verne, Jules
Discoveries in geography; Explorers; Voyages and travels
In virtue of this line of demarcation, which was destined to give
rise to so many impassioned debates, all the countries situated at
360 miles west of the meridian of the Cape de Verd Islands were to
belong to Spain, and all those lying to the east of the same
meridian to Portugal. Magellan was of too active a nature to remain
long without again taking service; he went next to fight in Africa
at Azamor, a town in Morocco, where he received a slight wound in
his knee, but one which by injuring a nerve made him lame for the
remainder of his life, and obliged him to return to Portugal.
Conscious of the superiority which his theoretical and practical
knowledge and his services had earned for him above the herd of
courtiers, Magellan naturally felt more keenly than another would
have done the unjust treatment he received from Emmanuel with regard
to certain complaints laid by the people of Azamor against the
Portuguese officers. King Emmanuel's prejudices soon changed to a
real dislike. It showed itself by the outrageous imputation that
Magellan was pretending to suffer from a wound which was really of
no consequence and was completely cured, that he might escape from
accusations which he could not refute. Such an assertion was a
serious matter for the honour of Magellan, so susceptible and
suspicious; he thereupon came to a desperate determination which
corresponded moreover with the greatness of the insult which he had
received. That no one might be ignorant of it, he caused it to be
legally set forth that he renounced his rights as a Portuguese
citizen, and changed his nationality, and he then took out letters
of naturalization in Spain. This was to proclaim, as solemnly as
could possibly be done, that he intended to be looked upon as a
subject of the crown of Castille, to which henceforward he would
consecrate his services and his whole life. This was a serious
determination, as we can see, which no one blamed, and which even
the most severe historians, such as Barros and Faria y Sousa, have
excused.
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