Luís de Camões

Luís Vaz de Camões (c. 1524 or 1525 – 10 June 1580), also known in English as Camoens or Camoëns, is regarded as the greatest poet of Portugal and the Portuguese language. His poetic skill has drawn comparisons to Shakespeare, Milton, Vondel, Homer, Virgil, and Dante. While he produced a large body of lyrical poetry and drama, he is most famous for his epic *Os Lusíadas* (The Lusiads). A collection of his poems, *The Parnasum of Luís de Camões*, was lost during his lifetime. So deep is the influence of his masterpiece that Portuguese is sometimes called the "language of Camões." The date of his death, 10 June, is celebrated as Portugal's national day.

Much of what is known about Camões' life is uncertain, and many details likely stem from folklore. Only a few dates are documented. His family originally came from the Kingdom of Galicia, near Cape Finisterre. On his father's side, he descended from Vasco Pires de Camões, a Galician troubadour, warrior, and nobleman who moved to Portugal in 1370 and received lands, honors, and positions from the king. Vasco’s nationalist poetry helped shape a distinct Portuguese troubadour style. His son, Antão Vaz de Camões, served in the Red Sea and married Dona Guiomar da Gama, a relative of Vasco da Gama. They had two sons: Simão Vaz de Camões, who served in the Portuguese Navy and traded in Guinea and India, and Bento, who became a priest and joined the Austin friars at the Monastery of Santa Cruz, a prestigious school for young nobles.

Simão married Dona Ana de Sá e Macedo, from a noble family in Santarém. Their only son, Luís Vaz de Camões, was reportedly born in Lisbon in 1524, according to some authors. When he was three, the family moved to Coimbra to escape a plague outbreak. Other cities—Coimbra, Santarém, and Alenquer—also claim to be his birthplace. Early biographers gave his birth year as 1517, but later records from the Casa da Índia suggest he was born in Lisbon in 1524. The arguments for other locations are weak, but not conclusive, so modern scholarship considers both his birthplace and birth date uncertain.

Little is known about his childhood. Around age twelve or thirteen, he was taken in and educated by his uncle Bento, who sent him to Coimbra. Tradition describes him as a restless but curious student, interested in history, cosmography, and classical and modern literature. His name does not appear in University of Coimbra records, but his elaborate style and many erudite references show he received a solid education, possibly from his uncle or at the monastery college. Around age twenty, he likely moved to Lisbon before finishing his studies. Though his family was poor, their noble status allowed him access to the court of John III, where he made intellectual connections and began his poetic career.

It was once suggested he worked as a tutor to Francisco, son of the Count of Linhares, but this now seems unlikely. He is said to have lived a bohemian life, frequenting taverns and having turbulent love affairs. Several women were named in later biographies as his lovers, but these are now considered apocryphal. One story claims he fell for Infanta Dona Maria, the king’s sister, and was imprisoned for his audacity. Another involves Catarina de Ataíde, a frustrated romance that supposedly led him to self-exile in Ribatejo and then to enlist as a soldier in Ceuta. The reason for that trip is unclear, but the journey itself is accepted; he spent two years there and lost his right eye in a naval battle near the Strait of Gibraltar. Back in Lisbon, he returned to his bohemian ways.

A 1550 document shows he enlisted to travel to India, described as "Luís de Camões, son of Simão Vaz and Ana de Sá, living in Lisbon, at Mouraria; squire, 25 years old, ginger bearded... goes on the ship of S. Pedro dos Burgaleses." He did not board immediately. During a Corpus Christi procession, he argued with a royal palace employee named Gonçalo Borges and wounded him with a sword. Sentenced to prison, he received a pardon and was released by royal order on 7 March 1553, with a note saying he was a poor young man going to serve in India that year. Records from the Armada of India for 1553 list him as a man-at-arms, replacing another squire, and receiving the same pay. Camões set sail on Palm Sunday, 24 March 1553.