Vasco da Gama – the sea route to India

© Andrzej Philips

 

In 1938, Portugal issued stamps for its colonies depicting the history of the Portuguese Colonial Empire. Stamps were issued for Guinea, Sao Tome (in 1939 with the inscription Sao Tome e Principe, i.e. Saint Thomas and Principe), Angola, Mozambique, India, Timor and Macau. The stamps depict Vasco da Gama, Mousinho de Albuquerque (cavalry officer, Governor General of Mozambique), Alfonso de Albuquerque (Portuguese sailor, explorer and conqueror, viceroy of India) and the dam (as an illustration of the development of the colony) and Prince Henry the Navigator (considered to be the founder of the colonial Portuguese Empire).

Below is the full set of stamps released for Mozambique.

                

   

   

  

And below, the same stamps, but with different country inscriptions, which were issued for the above-mentioned colonies

 

 

 

 

 

I was particularly intrigued by the inscriptions on both sides of the stamp depicting Vacsco Da Gama. While the inscription "1497-1498 descoberta caminho maritimo India" is completely understandable (discovery of the sea route to India), as is "1502 2o Viagem India" (second journey to India). The inscription "1524 Vice-Rei India" also does not pose any problems. (1524 – Vaco da Gama becomes Vice-King of India).

 

P. GAMA it is Paulo da Gama (born before 1469, died 1499 in the Azores) - Portuguese sailor and explorer, son of Estêvão da Gama, older brother of Vasco da Gama. He participated in the expedition to India led by his brother in 1498 and was the captain of the ship São Rafael. He died on the way back, the day after the ships arrived in the Azores[1].

N. COELHO it is Nicolau Coelho, Portuguese navigator and explorer. He participated in Vasco da Gama's discovery of the route to India, where he commanded the Berrio[2], the first caravel to return; he was the captain of a ship in the fleet commanded by Pedro Álvares Cabral that landed in Brazil[3].

INHAMBANE - a city in Mozambique, founded by Swahili merchants, having been visited by the Portuguese for the first turn in January 1498, when Vasco da Gama's armada there arrived to supply himself and, at the good welcoming the population , he called it "land of good people".[4]

QUELIMANE - a city in Mozambique, It was an important swahili commercial center, when the Portuguese  arrived there in 1498, more specifically Vasco da Gama in his first trip to India.[5]

MALINDE - a city in Kenya. When Vasco da Gama found resistance in Mozambique and Mombasa, Malinde opened the doors at hope to find the Portuguese as  good allies for your ambition for hegemony.[6]

 The remaining names: IDAAÇOUTADA, CAPACOTE, P.O. ALENQUER, J. COIMBRA and ESCOBAR gave me a lot of difficulty in identification.

 

IDAAÇOUTADA – probably an abbreviation of I. (ilha - island) Açoutada[7], the Whipped Island (probably by the winds). It is an island in the Kerimba archipelago ( Ilha do Açoutado being the southernmost, Kiziwa ) off Cabo Delgado.[8]

 
The Quirimbas Islands (Visiwa vya Kirimba, in Swahili) lie in the western Indian Ocean off northeastern Mozambique, close to Pemba, the capital of the province of Cabo Delgado . The archipelago consists of about 32 islands, including Ibo, Matemo, Medjumbe, Quirimba  Metundo, Quisiva, Vamizi Island and Rolas Island all going up to the border of the Tanzanian region of Mtwara.[9]

 

Kerimba Islands [10]

 

CAPACOTE[11]^,[12] – a place in India: Kappad or Koyilndy.

Kappad, or Kappakadavu, is a well-known beach near Calicut in Kerala, India, where

On May 27, 1498, the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama landed with his expedition.

The landing there is commemorated by a small stone monument with the inscription "Vasco da Gama has landed here, Kappakadavu, in the year 1498.” His expedition opened  to Europe the sea route to the goods of the Malabar coast and resulted in the establishment of European domination over India for about 450 years. At that time, the Malabar coast was ruled by the Zamorins (Samoothiris), who warmly welcomed Vasco da Gama. Malabar was an abundant source of spices and produced many textile products. Nowadays it is one of the most important tourist destinations in Kerala, with a wide and beautiful beach[13].

 

The Vasco da Gama memorial at Kappad near Kozhikode.[14]

 

“Vasco-da-Gama landed here, Kappkadavu , in the year 1498,” says an inscription at the Vasco-da-Gama memorial at Kappad beach near Kozhikode[15]. Schoolchildren in the State[16] are taught the same through history books too — that Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama first landed in the country at Kappad beach on May 20, 1498.

Recent research, however, suggests that the explorer may have landed at Koyilandy in Kozhikode district. “Research in the last two decades or so has shown that Gama landed at Koyilandy, and not Kappad as is widely believed here,” says historian M.G.S. Narayanan. Prof. Narayanan says accounts written by those who accompanied Gama to Kerala’s shores have been deciphered and translated in the last few years. “These say that the group landed at Koyilandi,” he says.[17]

 

P.O. ALENQUER it is Pero de Alenquer, who was a 15th-century Portuguese explorer of the African coast.Pero was born in Alenquer. He accompanied Bartolomeu Dias on his journey around the Cape of Good Hope in 1487/1488. He was the pilot of Vasco da Gama 's flagship[18] on the latter's first voyage to India and later he wrote about it.[19]

 

J.COIMBRA it is João de Coimbra, who was pilot on the author's ship, the São Rafael.

João de Coimbra (born between 1430 and 1440) was a pilot and navigator. It is known that João de Coimbra was part of Vasco da Gama 's armada during the discovery of the sea route to India. In this expedition, João de Coimbra was one of the members of the armada, where he was ship pilot and navigator on the ship São Rafael, while the vessel he was under the command of Paulo da Gama, the older of Vasco da Gama[20].

 

ESCOBAR it is Pêro (Pedro) Escobar. He was a 15th-century Portuguese navigator who discovered São Tomé (December 21, 1471), Annobón (January 1, 1472), Príncipe (January 17, 1472 ) islands, together with João de Santarém and Fernão do Pó[21]. It is also noted that he sailed with Diogo Cão on his first voyage in 1482, and as the pilot of the famous Bérrio caravel on Vasco da Gama 's first expedition in 1497 to sail directly from Europe to India. He was also on Pedro Álvares Cabral 's discovery of Brazil in 1500[22].

 

So many interesting things can be read from one stamp !

 

---

[1] Polish wikipedia

[2] Bérrio was one of the ships of Vasco da Gama's expedition that discovered a sea route to India [Portuguese Wikipedia]. It was named because it was purchased from D. Manuel Bérrio, a valued pilot and shipowner during the reign of D. Manuel I [Infopedia].

[3] Portuguese wikipedia

[4] Portuguese wikipedia

[5] Portuguese wikipedia

[6] Portuguese wikipedia

[7] wikipedia

[7] Special thanks to Luis Ferrão from Lisbon for helping to decipher this inscription.

[8] Freeman-Greenville, GSP, “Kerimba”, in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W. P. Heinrichs

[9] English wikipedia

[10] Map - Quirimbas National Park, Mozambique (travelhappinesslife.blogspot.com)

[11] Two daies after that, Don Vasco had placed his ships in the port of Capacote, there came for him a seruant of Portuguese Wikipedia São Gabriel (Saint Gabriel) The Hindu, May 24, 2013 In: A discourse of the nauigation which the Portuguese doe make to the realmes and prouinces of the eastern parts of the world and of the knowledge that grows by them of the great things, which are in the dominions of China. English Wikipedia Portuguese Wikipedia the king to bring him too his presence who they cal.” Portuguese Wikipedia Written by Barnardine of Escalanta, of the realme of Galisia priest. Translated out of Spanish into English, by Iohn Frampton. Author: Escalante, Bernardino de, 16th cent. Imprinted in London: At the three Cranes in the Vinetree, by Thomas Dawson, 1579. Published online: Early English books online text creation partnership. Navigations series.

[12] Capua, Kappatt (Barros I.iv.8 and n. 65 "Capocate"). Pandarane, Pantalayini-Kollam, 14 miles northeast of Calicut; The copyist who first wrote padna ndarramj apparently did not know this name. Relato da Viagem de Descobrimento do Caminho Marítimo para a Índia, p. 30, Portal Alvaro Velho.

[13] Portuguese wikipedia

[14] Photo from the article: Nidhi Surendranath, Vasco da Gama set foot at Koyilandy not Kappad, says historian, “The Hindu”, May 24, 2013

[15] Kozhikode, formerly Calcuta (Kolkata)

[16] Kozhikode is located in the state of Kerala

[17] Nidhi Surendranath, Vasco da Gama set foot at Koyilandy not Kappad, says historian, “The Hindu”, May 24, 2013

[18] São Gabriel ship

[19] Portuguese wikipedia

[20] Portuguese wikipedia

[21] Portuguese wikipedia

[22] English wikipedia

Diego-Suarez in philately

© Andrew Philips

  In 1965, the Madagascar Post Office issued a series of stamps with the coats of arms of Malagasy cities. On one of them is the coat of arms of the city of Diego-Suarez. The history of this town is very interesting.

Coat of arms of Diego-Suarez

 Diego-Suarez, renamed Antsiranana in 1975, is a city in the far north of Madagascar. Antsiranana is the capital of the Diana region, with an estimated population of 115,000 in 2013.

 In December 1885, the Gulf of Diégo-Suarez and its environs became French territory. The first facilities were built in Cap Diégo (Cape Diego). The city then developed on the Antsiranana plateau. The bay is the largest in the world, after Rio de Janeiro, and one of the most beautiful in the world. The extreme north-west coast itself is divided into several rather unusual bays from Cap d'Ambre on the very tip of the island [1].

 

Diego-Suarez Bay

In the 1880s, the bay was of interest to France, who wanted it to become a coaling station for steamboats.

 After the First Franco-Madagascar War, Queen Ranavalona III signed a treaty on December 17, 1885 granting France a protectorate over the gulf and surrounding territory, as well as the islands of Nosy-Be and Sainte-Marie in Madagascar.

 According to the treaty of December 17, 1885, the French occupied the huge coveted bay with a circumference of 110 kilometers from Cap Miné to Nosy Kambero. The new colony is christened the "French Diego-Suarez Establishments" and its management is entrusted to Captain Caillet, who became the founder of the city of Diego-Suarez.

 

The Queen Ranavalona III, Yv. 1855, 2004r., overprint 2008r. Yv. 1896

 The first barracks were erected at Cap Diego, which housed the artillery directorate and the Colony's disciplinary company. Opposite are the administrative services, infantry and marine artillery. The first inhabitants of the new city were Creoles from Réunion, Mauritians coming directly from this island or from Toamasina and Mahajanga, and natives from the islands of Sainte-Marie, Nosy Be and Mayotte, which were already French possessions at that time. There are also many Makoa fleeing from their owners in Antankarana and Sakalava provinces. In 1886, the colony already had 2,500 inhabitants.

 Civilian Governor Ernest Froger [2] succeeded Captain Caillet in 1887. He was assisted by Marine Artillery Commander Rocard and Marine Lieutenant Colonel Juville. From 1888, he began reorganizing the French colonies in Madagascar.

 By decree of May 4, 1888, it connects the islands of Nosy Be and Sainte-Marie with the French plants of Diego-Suarez. This decision is followed by the possession of the islands of Nosy Faly and Nosy Mitsio "by the cession made by King Antankaran, Tsimiaro, in 1841". The ceremony takes place on site, respectively, in Nosy Faly, April 19, 1889, and in Nosy Mitsio, April 22, 1889. It is presided over by Froger, Civil Governor Diego-Suarez, in the presence of the King of Antankarana, Tsialana II, resident Prince of Nosy Faly , Ndrivotso and the commander of Nosy Be, Joseph François.[3]

 The decree of May 4, 1888 stated that:

“Article 1: The Island of Nossi-Be with its dependencies and the Territory of Diego-Suarez will henceforth form a single government, with its headquarters in Diégo-Suarez.

Article 2: The island of Sainte-Marie in Madagascar ceases to be dependent on the Government of Réunion and is annexed to the Government of Diégo-Suarez.[4]

 Hence, at that time, the inscription "Diego-Suarez et dependences" appears on the postage stamps, i.e. Diego-Suarez with the associated areas.

 Decree of January 28, 1896 of the Ministry of Colonies joins the Malagasy colonies of Diego-Suarez Nossi-Be and Sainte-Marie [5].

 The activity of the post office becomes more regular at this time: we can exchange letters and parcels with the metropolis. Franking letters becomes more "official". Indeed, at the end of 1890, the postal exemption for occupying troops was abolished: the colony had no stamps at that time. To solve this problem, Governor Froger decided by an ordinance of September 8, 1890, to issue postage stamps urgently:

 "At the request of the head of the Ministry of Interior and Administration. Due to the urgent need:

Article 1; - The printing of postal items of various values strictly necessary to ensure the operation of the Diego Suarez postal service will be ensured without delay.

 The sheets consisted of 56 stamps, 7 rows of 8 vignettes. Not all the printed values were used, because on October 10, 1890, the postage stamps ordered in Paris arrived, and all that remained was burned. Needless to say, these stamps, printed in a small number of copies, are valued by collectors and especially counterfeiters!

 

A makeshift post office from 1890

In a short time, from 1890 to 1894, 50 stamps were issued in the Diego-Suarez colony, plus 13 surcharge stamps. Initially, in 1890, postage stamps were in circulation, common to all French colonies, but with a new denomination overprint. In 1891, the name of the colony was printed on the stamps: "Diego-Suarez". In addition, in the years 1890-1891, postage stamps with original drawings were printed by the local printing house. The stamps also had the inscriptions in French: "République Française" ("French Republic") and "Postes" ("Post Office"). In addition, the original stamps bear the inscription: "Diego Suarez et Dependances" ("Diego Suarez and dependencies")

 After the inclusion of Diego Suarez in Madagascar, stamps of the latter began to be used on its territory (since 1898).[6]

   1890 Basic stamps "French Colonies" with manually stamped denominations:

 

 

 

1891 inscription Diego Suárez

  

 

1891 Basic stamps "French colonies" overprinted 1891 Diego Suarez

 

    

1892 "French Colonies" principal stamps overprinted "DIÉGO-SUAREZ" (values 1,2,4,5,10,15,20,25,30,35,75 cents and 1 franc)

 

    

 1892 Inscription: "DIÈGO-SUAREZ ET DEPENDANCES" (values 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 75 cents and 1 franc)

 

 

1894 Inscription: "DIÉGO-SUAREZ" (values 1,2,4,5, 10, 15, 20,25, 30, 40, 50, 75 cents and

1 franc)

 

  1891 surcharge stamps

 

  

 

1891 surcharge stamps of the French Colonies with the overprint "DIEGO_SUAREZ", denominations of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 60 cents and 1 franc.

 

        

 

Much earlier, in 1885, customs duty stamps were introduced for goods leaving the city of Diégo Suarez. At the end of the 19th century, the Customs Office marked the border of the European quarter and separated it from the "bushes". There are European and African women in the illustration. They were printed in 4 x 5c, 2 x 50c, 2 x 1F sheets. The inscription "octroi" (excise).

  

 

Customs makeshifts from 1885

  

Customs makeshifts from 1885

After 1973, the naval base of Diego-Suarez was taken over by the Malagasy army. The main base of the Malagasy navy is Antsiranana, which already served as the base of the colonial French navy. Naval detachments are also located in Nosy-Be, Mahajanga, Ile Sainte-Marie and in Fort-Dauphin.[7]

 

 

Fort-Dauphin

Eight ships are in service with the navy , including an old French EDIC-class amphibious assault ship, a tugboat, and seven patrol boats of various types [8].

Notes

---

[1]  Iss Heridiny, Histoire : Port et baie d'Antsiranana : Base navale et zone commerciale - (midi-madagasikara.mg), 10/07/2019

[2] Ernest Forger, b. April 4, 1848 - Saint Florent le Vieil (France), d. December 22, 1926 - Saint Brévin les Pins (France), Professor of History and Literature at the Naval School (1876-1885), Governor Diégo Suarez (1887), Professor of Philosophy [source: geneanet.org]

[3]Pela Ravaitera, 11/08/2023, Une nouvelle colonie française est née dans le Nord (lexpress.mg)

[4] Suzanne Reutt , Les premières années de Diego Suarez - 1888: Quel avenir pour Diego Suarez? (cyber-diego.com) , April 1, 2019

[5] Suzanne Reutt , Les premières années de Diego Suarez - 1895-1896 : Grandeur et décadence de Diego Suarez (cyber-diego.com) , 2019-10-15

[6]wikipedia History post office i post office morocco Diego - Suaresha — Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar_Navy

[8]Maciej Szopa, Armies of the World: People's Armed Forces of Madagascar, November 11, 2022, https://defence24.pl/

  

Fado w filatelistce

W artykułach o fado, o  wykonawcach fado i o Amálii Rodrigues jako ilustracje wykorzystałem niektóre emisje pocztowe. Natomiast fado w filatelistce można znacznie poszerzyć.

W 2012 roku Poczta Portugalska już po wpisaniu fado na Listę Niematerialnego Dziedzictwa Ludzkości UNESCO uhonorowała ten fakt znaczkiem.

Ponadto seria ta umiętniła kolejnych wybitnych wykonawców fado: Vicente da Câmara, Argentinę Santos, Rodrigo, Marię da Fé, Camané i Marizę.

Również 100 rocznica urodzin Amálii Rodrigues znalazła odzwierciedlenie w serii znaczków wydanej 23 lipca 2020 roku [1].

Znaczek za 0,53 € przedstawia sceniczna tunikę Amalii oraz  Amália w Brejão, lata 80 [2].

Znaczek 0,86 € przedstawia szal Amalii oraz Amália na koncercie, lata 80. 

Bloczek z tej serii przedstawia Amália na koncercie w Cartago, 1972.  Centralna część bloczka: Amália w audycji radiowej „Comboio das Seis e Meia”, 1952.  Po prawej stronie: Amália w ogrodzie swojego domu przy Rua de São Bento, lata 90. Tło: Sukienka noszona podczas wycieczki do Japonii, lata 80.; 

Lewy górny róg - Amália w swoim domu w Brejão, lata 80.; prawy górny róg -  Amália w ogrodzie swojego domu przy Rua de São Bento, lata 90. 

Nota:

[1] Chociaż we wszystkich jej dokumentach oficjalnych figuruje data urodzenia 23 lipca, Amália zawsze obchodziła swoje urodziny 1 lipca (w sezonie na czereśnie). Jakkolwiek ostatnie badania wykazały, że urodziła się w Fundão 1 lipca 1915 r., ale z powodu braku pieniędzy na opłaty rejestracyjne, została zarejestrowana w Lizbonie dopiero w 1920 r. [wikipedia]

[2] Brejão, miejscowość w gminie São Teotónio (powiat Odemira) w Portugalii – tu, 2 km od tej miejscowości,  Amália Rodrigues i César Seabra, jej mąż od 36 lat, nabyli w latach 60-tych nieruchomość na Costa Vicentina (Portugalia), gdzie powstał ich zadziwiający i „przezroczysty” dom wakacyjny – projekt wielkiego architekta Conceição e Silva. Posiadłość Amálii była przez około 30 lat miejscem wypoczynku  dla obojga. 

[https://amaliarodrigues.pt/pt/amalia/] 

Sławni śpiewacy fado

Fado w filatelistyce

 Link do artykułu Fado

Koniec epoki znaczków pocztowych

Tylko do końca kwietnia 2021 wysyłka listów poleconych będzie możliwa z opłatą w postaci tradycyjnych znaczków pocztowych. Od 1 maja br. na listach poleconych w obrocie krajowym i zagranicznym, w miejscu dotychczas zarezerwowanym dla znaczka pocztowego, umieszczona zostanie nowa nalepka „R”, na której wpisana będzie kwota należnej opłaty za przesyłkę listową. Rozwiązanie to przygotowano w celu uproszczenia zasad nadawania korespondencji poleconej, ustandaryzowania formy opłaty za wszystkie przesyłki rejestrowane, a także przyspieszenia procesu obsługi klientów w placówkach pocztowych. Tradycyjne znaczki pocztowe pozostaną w obiegu jako forma opłaty wyłącznie za wysyłkę listów nierejestrowanych, czyli tzw. „zwykłych”. Dodatkowo Poczta Polska, jako narodowy propagator filatelistyki, nadal będzie wydawać także walory kolekcjonerskie dla hobbystów. Od 1 maja br. klienci będą mogli korzystać z nowego rozwiązania w zakresie wysyłki listów poleconych w obrocie krajowym i zagranicznym. Poczta Polska rezygnuje ze znaczków pocztowych jako formy opłaty za ww. korespondencję. Tradycyjne znaczki pocztowe zastąpią nowe wzory nalepki „R”. Nowe rozwiązanie przygotowano w celu usprawnienia zasad nadawania korespondencji rejestrowanej, ustandaryzowania formy opłaty za wszystkie przesyłki rejestrowane i przyspieszenia procesu obsługi klientów na terenie placówek pocztowych.

Obecnie, listy polecone stanowią aż 1/3 wolumenu przesyłek całej korespondencji listowej obsługiwanej przez pocztowców. Warto zaznaczyć, że dla klientów umownych, Poczta Polska od dawna udostępnia opcję wysyłki korespondencji bez znaczka, co ma niewątpliwe przełożenie na usprawnienie procesu logistycznego związanego z przygotowaniem i wysyłką takiej korespondencji. Listy polecone są przesyłkami rejestrowanymi na etapie nadania i doręczenia. Oznacza to, że klient otrzymuje potwierdzenie nadania takiej przesyłki i może śledzić w systemie monitoringu, kiedy została doręczona. Klienci mają do dyspozycji dwie formuły wysyłki korespondencji poleconej: • priorytetową – z przewidywanym terminem realizacji usługi w następnym dniu roboczym po dniu nadania, pod warunkiem nadania listu do godziny 15:00, • ekonomiczną – z przewidywanym terminem realizacji usługi w ciągu 3 dni roboczych, po dniu nadania. Dodatkowo klienci mogą skorzystać z opcji potwierdzenia odbioru w formie papierowej lub dla sądów i innych klientów umownych – elektronicznej. Znaczki pocztowe wpisują się w historię Poczty Polskiej od ponad 160 lat, dlatego Spółka nie rezygnuje z okolicznościowych emisji filatelistycznych i nadal będzie je udostępniać odbiorcom, w tym kolekcjonerom. Sklep internetowy daje możliwość zakupu znaczków, arkuszy i kopert pierwszego dnia obiegu także filatelistom z całego świata. W najbliższym czasie zaplanowane są m.in. emisje znaczków: „Owady pożyteczne”, „Drużynowe Mistrzostwa Europy w Lekkoatletyce Silesia 2021”, „Powstania Śląskie”, „Rocznica powstania Giełdy Papierów Wartościowych w Warszawie”, etc. źródło: https://www.poczta-polska.pl/znaczki-na-listach-poleconych-tylko-do-konca-kwietnia/