Afonso de Albuquerque - Early Life

Early Life

Afonso de Albuquerque was born in 1453 in Alhandra, near Lisbon. He was the second son of Gonçalo de Albuquerque, Lord of Vila Verde dos Francos and Dona Leonor de Menezes. His father held an important position at court and was connected by remote illegitimate descent with the Portuguese monarchy. He was educated in mathematics and Latin at the court of Afonso V of Portugal, where he befriended Prince John, future king John II of Portugal. He served ten years in North Africa, where he acquired military experience. In 1471, under the command of Afonso V, he was present at the conquest of Tangier and Arzila in Morocco, serving there as an officer for some years. In 1476 he accompanied Prince John in wars against Castile, such as the Battle of Toro. He was in the squadron sent to the Italian Peninsula in 1480 to rescue Ferdinand II of Aragon from the Ottoman invasion of Otranto that ended in a Christian victory. On his return in 1481, when Prince John was crowned, Albuquerque was appointed chief equerry (estribeiro-mor) to the king. In 1489 he returned to service in North Africa, as commander of defence in the fortress of Graciosa, an island in the river Luco near the city of Larache, and in 1490 was part of the guard of King John II, returning to Arzila in 1495 where his younger brother Martim died fighting by his side.