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AZEVEDO, Ignacius,
Portuguese Jesuit, born in Oporto in 1527; killed at sea in 1570. He was the
eldest son of one of the noblest houses in Portugal, but relinquished his rights
of primogeniture in favor of his brother Francis, and entered the society of the
Jesuits at Coimbra in 1548. Here his abstinences and mortifications were so
excessive that his superiors had to compel him to moderate them.
Before he was twenty years old he was appointed rector of
the new College of St. Antony at Lisbon. Being wearied with the honors paid him
and the marks of veneration that he attracted, he asked to be sent on a mission
to the Indians; he embarked for Brazil, and he remained there three years. His
labors in civilizing the savages were very successful. Being recalled by his
superiors, he returned to Lisbon, but had hardly reached the city when he
planned another voyage to America.
He went to Rome to give an account of his journey, obtained
the approval of the pope for his new projects, and received permission to select
suitable companions in Spain and Portugal. A large number of young Jesuits
agreed to follow him to Brazil, and he embarked with thirty-nine of them on
board a merchant vessel at Lisbon, leaving the others to follow.
The Portuguese vessel was attacked near the island of Palma
by Jacques Sourie, of La Rochelle, vice-admiral of the queen of Navarre, and a
fierce Calvinist. The Portuguese captain, not thinking his crew sufficient for
the defense of the ship, wanted to arm the Jesuits, but was opposed by Azevedo,
who exhorted the sailors, however, to fight, and ordered his followers to attend
to the other needs of the ship, which was now surrounded by the boats of Sourie.
Three Frenchmen attempted to board the Portuguese vessel,
but, not being seconded by their companions, they were taken by the Portuguese,
decapitated, and thrown into the sea. Sourie, rendered furious by this, attacked
the vessel with greater violence than ever, and the captain and several of the
sailors were killed, and the rest surrendered.
Sourie, who regarded Azevedo and his Jesuits as the authors
of the death of his three sailors, massacred them with every circumstance of
cruelty, and threw them into the sea.
Edited Appletons Encyclopedia by John Looby, Copyright © 2001 VirtualologyTM
AZEVEDO, Ignacius, Portuguese Jesuit, born in Oporto in 1527 ; killed at sea in 1570. He was the eldest son of one of the noblest houses in Portugal, but relinquished his rights of primogeniture in favor of his brother Francis, and entered the society of the Jesuits at Coimbra in 1548. Here his abstinences and mortifications were so excessive that his superiors had to compel him to moderate them. Before he was twenty years old he was appointed rector of the new College of St. Antony at Lisbon. Being wearied with the honors paid him and the marks of veneration that he attracted, he asked to be sent on a mission to the Indians; he embarked for Brazil, and he remained there three years. His labors in civilizing the savages were very successful. Being recalled by his superiors, he returned to Lisbon, but had hardly reached the city when he planned another voyage to America. He went to Rome to give an account of his journey, obtained the approval of the pope for his new projects, and received permission to select suitable companions in Spain and Portugal. A large number of young Jesuits agreed to follow him to Brazil, and he embarked with thirty-nine of them on board a merchant vessel at Lisbon, leaving the others to follow. The Portuguese vessel was attacked near the island of Palma by Jacques Sourie, of La Rochelle, vice-admiral of the queen of Navarre, and a fierce Calvinist. The Portuguese captain, not thinking his crew sufficient for the defense of the ship, wanted to arm the Jesuits, but was opposed by Azevedo, who exhorted the sailors, however, to fight, and ordered his followers to attend to the other needs of the ship, which was now surrounded by the boats of Sourie. Three Frenchmen attempted to board the Portuguese vessel, but, not being seconded by their companions, they were taken by the Portuguese, decapitated, and thrown into the sea. Sourie, rendered furious by this, attacked the vessel with greater violence than ever, and the captain and several of the sailors were killed, and the rest surrendered. Sourie, who regarded Azevedo and his Jesuits as the authors of the death of his three sailors, Massachusettsacred them with every circumstance of cruelty, and threw them into the sea.
