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Coat-of-arms_of_navigator_D.Tristão_da_Cunha.gif
Tristão da Cunha or Tristan da Cunha (~1460 - ~1540) was nominated first viceroy of Portuguese India in 1504, but did not take up this post owing to temporary blindness; in 1506 he became commander of a fleet which operated on the east coast of Africa and in the Indies, Alfonso d'Albuquerque having charge of a squadron under da Cunha. After discovering the islands which now bear his name, da Cunha landed in Madagascar, subsequently visiting Mozambique, Brava (where he reduced the Arab power) and Socotra, which he conquered. He also distinguished himself in the Indies in various actions. In 1514 he served as ambassador to Pope Leo X to pay homage for the new conquests of Portugal, and was, later on, made a member of the Portuguese privy council.
Even though he did not become viceroy of India, his son, Nuno da Cunha, became the 9th Governor of India in 1487.
Original text from http://1911encyclopedia.org in Italian: [1] (http://erewhon.ticonuno.it/riv/speciali/tristan/storia.htm)
