Giovanni da Verrazzano / Verrazano (Juan Florin) (1485-1527)

Giovanni Verrazano Giovanni da Verrazzano was born in a little town situated in the Val di Greve, near Florence, in 1485. His father was Piero Andrea, the son of Bernardo of Verrazzano,--the latter Bernardo having belonged to the magistracy of the priors in 1406. Verrazzano then moved from Florence to Normandy and in order to prove his desire to integrate to his new surroundings, he changed his name to make it more French. Thus, he became known in France as, Jehan de Verrazane.

A man of many identities: Jean Fleury, Juan Florin, Jean Florin and the Florentine:

It appears that Verazzano may have sailed under the guise of many different aliases.

Scholars have heatedly debated whether Giovanni de Verrazzano / Verrazano also sailed under another alias of Jean Florin/Juan Florin or Florentin, or simply, the Florentine--the French corsair. Furthermore, in some historical records he is occasionally refrerred to as Juan Florin of Dieppe.

The first mention of the "Florin" or "Florinus" presumeably as an alias for Verrazano was stated by Peter Martyr, Dec. v. c. 8. Epistola 771 (ed. 1671) in a letter. In this letter which is dated at Valladolid 19th November 1522, Martyr writes: "Anuo quippe superiore Florinus quidam Gallus pirata navim unam ab Hispaniola venientem, auro ad sommam octoginta millium dragmarum, unionum vero libris octuolibus sexcentis & ruborum saecari duobus millibus rapuit."

Murphy, Buckingham Smith, Hobbs, Brevoort, Fiske, Avery and others have identified the navigator Giovanni da Verrazano with a corsair named Jean Florin or Florentin (the Florentine), who operated against Spanish and Portuguese treasure ships during these years. In the 18th century, on the authority of Andres Gonzalez Barcia, in his "Ensayo Cronologico, etc." (Madrid, 1723), Juan Florin was identified with Verrazano. Modern authors have hotly contested the identification of researchers, and Prospero Peragallo and William F.E Morley provide a convincing argument that this seems to be a simple matter of confusion of personalities.

While little is known about Verrazzano prior to about 1520, it is often asserted in the French annals that he visited the northern coast of America as early as 1508, in his early twenties on Thomas Aubert’s famous voyage to Newfoundland, but no bonafide account of this voyage exists.

The Spanish trade route from Europe to the new lands.
These proved easy pickings for the corsairs, as Spanish caravels and cogs were not well suited for sea-battle.

He became famous in the 1520s when valuable commerce had grown up between Spain and her conquests in the West Indies, and large amounts in gold, pearls, sugar, hides and other articles were sent home. A ship, on her way from Hispaniola, was captured by him, and had on board eighty thousand ducats in gold, six hundred pounds in weight(eight ounces to the pound), of pearls and two thousand arrobas, of twenty-five pounds each, of sugar.

In the following year, he took possession of seven vessels bound from Cadiz to the Canary islands, with emigrants, but being overtaken off the point of Gando, by vessels sent in pursuit, he was compelled to relinquish his prizes. [Footnote: Don Bartholome Garcia del Castillo in Noticias de la historia de las islas de Canaria, by Don Joseph de Viera y Clavijo. (Madrid 1772-84).]

In November, 1522, a vessel arrived in Spain which had been sent from Mexico, by the conquistador with the emperor's share of the tribute money collected in that country, in the special charge of Captain Alonzo Davila and Antonio Quinones, with other articles of value. Fearing capture by the French corsairs, this vessel had sailed by the way of the Azores, and left the treasure, at the island of Santa Maria, and proceeded on without it, in order that a proper force might be sent to that island to bring it safely to Spain.

Three caravels were dispatched from Seville, Spain to Santa Maria, under the command of Captain Alonzo Davila , and arrived there on the 15th of May 1523. Davila and Quinones immediately embarked with the treasure, sailing directly to Spain.

Meanwhile, Verrazano, Jean Fluery and Jean d'Ango proceeded with six vessels towards Cape St. Vincent, for the purpose of intercepting them, which he succeeded in doing. After a sharp encounter, in which Captain Quinones was killed, they captured two of them, one of which Captain Davila was taken with the gold, and the other valuable articles. The third caravel escaped, and arrived in Spain, with a tiger and various articles of rich manufacture, which had belonged to Montezuma.

One of the most interesting treasures captured by D'ango and the corsairs, is an obsidian mirror that is now housed in a Paris Musuem. Obsidian mirrors were adopted by Mesoamerican rulers as objects of power and divination, granting them a medium through which they could look into the future and connect with the realm of the gods. The so-called “Inca Mirror,” is housed in the Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris. it is described as “one of the most important pieces in the [Paris] museum." It is said to come from Montezuma’s treasure, and to have been part of the cargo of a vessel belonging to Cortez. The Paris mirror was already documented in that museum’s collection in 1742.

Verrazano took his prizes into Rochelle. The value of the treasure and articles taken was estimated at more than six hundred thousand ducats, or approximately one and a half million dollars.

Alfonso Davila in a letter to the Spanish emperor, describes the loss (Translated from the original in the Archivo de Indias at Seville):

I. LETTER OF ALONSO DAVILA TO THE EMPEROR CHARLES V, RELATING TO THE CAPTURE OF THE TREASURE SENT FROM MEXICO BY CORTES.

VERY HIGH AND VERY POWERFUL CATHOLIC LORD KING:

Captain Domingo Alonso, who was commander of the three caravels that sailed as guard on the coast of Andalusia, gave a cedula to Antonio Quinones and myself at the Island of Azores, in which Your Majesty was pleased to state to us that, from the news of our fear of the French who were said to run the coast, we had remained at the island of Santa Maria until your Highness should direct what might be for the royal service, in so doing we had acted well; that to secure the gold and articles we had brought, the three caravels were sent to us under that captain; and we were enjoined to embark in them at once and come with every thing to the city of Seville, to the House of Contratacion, and the officers who by the royal command reside there, for which favor we kiss your feet and hands.

The caravels arrived the xvth of May, and directly in fulfilment of the order we embarked, sailing for the Portuguese coast, which the pilots deemed the safer course, and coming within ten leagues of Cape St.Vincent, six armed French ships ran out upon us. We fought them from two caravels, until we were overpowered, when everything eminently valuable on the way to Your Majesty was lost; the other caravel not being disposed to fight escaped to carry the news; and but for that perhaps the captain might better have staid with his additional force aid our defence than to carry back such tidings. Quinones died, and I am a prisoner at Rochelle in France.

I should desire to come, would they but let me, to kiss your royal feet, and give acomplete history of all; for I lost everything I possessed in the service of Your Majesty, and have wished that my life had been as well. I entreat that privileges begranted to the residents and inhabitants of New Spain and that you will consider services to have been rendered, since that people have loyally done their duty to this moment, and will ever do as true vassals.

I beseech that Your Majesty be pleased to order good protection placed on the coastof Andalusia for the ships coming from the Indies; for now all the French, flushed as they are, desire to take positions whence they may commit mischief. Let it be an armament that can act offensively, and which will not flee, but seek out the enemy

I entreat, prisoner and lost as I am, yet desiring still to die in the royal service, that Your Highness will so favor me, that if any ship should be sent to New Spain, an order be directed to Hernando Cortes, requiring that the Indians I have there deposited in the name of Your Majesty be not taken, but that they be bestowed on me for the period that is your pleasure.

Our Lord augment the imperial state of Your Royal Majesty to the extent your royal person may require. From Rochela of France, the XVIth day of June of M. d. XXIIJ years.

Of Y.C.Ca. Ma. the loyal vassal who kisses your very royal feet and hands,

ALONSO DAVILA.

Soon after this point in history what happens to Verrazano remains a mystery. Some historians argue that he embarked on several voyages of discovery. He is apparently meditating an expedition against the Portuguese possessions in Brazil, upon the pretext of discovering other countries in the east. The mention of this project is positive, and becomes curious and interesting in the history of his life, as it affords the only authentic evidence extant of any suggestion of a voyage of discovery, contemplated by him towards Cathay.

The design, if ever really entertained, appears however to have fallen through and was abandoned; nevertheless, it may have been the foundation of the story of the alleged voyage of discovery. It is related by Francisco d'Andrade, in his Chronicle of John III, the then reigning king of Portugal. After referring to the death of Magellan, as an event which removed a cause of difference between the crowns of Portugal and Castile, which grew out of the famous expedition of that navigator, Andrade mentions Verrazano while commenting on the state of affairs between the crowns of France and Portugal:

"At that time, the king was told by some Portuguese, doing business in France, that one Joao Varezano, a Florentine, offered himself to Francis, to discover other kingdoms in the East, which the Portuguese had not found, and that in the ports of Normandy a fleet was being made ready under the favor of the admirals of the coast,and the dissimulation of Francis, to colonize the land of Santa Cruz, called Brazil, discovered and laid down by the Portuguese in the second voyage to India. This, and the complaints every where made of the injuries inflicted by French corsairs, rendered the early attention of the king necessary."

It was well understood that the power of Philip II depended upon his New World treasure, and his treasure upon his control of the sea. "The Emperor can carry on war against me only by means of the riches which he draws from the West Indies," cried Francis I when Verrazano brought home some treasure taken from Spanish ships in Western waters.

The time when these preparations were being made by Verrazzano is more definitely fixed by a dispatch of Silveira to the king, from Paris on the 25th of April 1523, in which he states that "Verazano" had not yet left for Cathay and that this whole story of an intended voyage of discovery was proposed for the purpose of concealing the real object of the preparations which were going on in Normandy. Namely, of seizing the treasure which had been sent from Mexico, by Cortes to the emperor, of the successful accomplishment of which we have previously described.

It is generally assumed preparations for an expeditionary voyage did not occur until the end of 1523, in a ship called the Dauphine. Verrazno set out from Dieppe late in 1523 with four ships, but that a storm forced him to find a haven in Brittany with only the Normanda and the Dauphine. Most of what we know during this time is based on a letter known as "The Verrazano Letter", which written by Jean Florin to François I in 1524. The "Verrazano Letter", upon which all the arguments center, is known to exist in two or three copies, but no original. These are copies of a letter which Verrazano wrote to King Francois I of France, dated July 8, 1524, and copies of which he sent to various friends. One copy was printed in 1556, a second found and published in 1841 and the third was first published in 1909.

A section of the "Verrazano Map" by Hieronimo Verrazano, circa 1529.
Courtesy of the Vatican Photo Library (Foto Biblioteca Vaticana), Vatican City.

There also exists as evidence of the voyage a chart known as the "Verrazano Map." The map was made by the navigator’s brother, Hieronimo, about 1529. The map traces the coast line between Florida and Labrador and bears an inscription stating that this land was discovered by Giovanni di Verrazano, of Florence, by the order and command of the Most Christian King of France. It now resides at the library in the Vatican.

In this account, on Jan. 17, 1524, Verrazano with 50 men and provisions sufficient for eight months, arms and naval stores, set sail in the "Dauphine" from the Fortunate Islands – with objective to reach Cathay (China) by a westward route.

After sailing westward for about 49 days (March 1524), Verrazano and his crew reached the American coast, probably not far from Cape Fear or present day Wilmington, N.C. He thus became the first European to explore this part of the American coast. He exclaimed, "A newe land never before seen by any man, either auncient (sic) or moderne."

After making a brief landing on the Carolina coast, the "Dauphine" proceeded northward, ever looking for a water route to China. He is attributed to discovering the current state of New York, which he named La Nouvelle Angoulême. And further described the coasts of the Americas which he named the Arcadie and the Francescane as well as the Île Rhodes, currently known as Rhodes Island

As the voyage continued northward to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Verrazano from time to time and place to place would send men ashore to look over the countryside and the natives. After Verrazano had sailed as far north as Newfoundland, he set sail for France, reaching Dieepe early in July, 1524. It was from here that he wrote his famous letter which is the earliest description known to exist of the shores of the United States.

It is suspected, Verrazano made two more voyages and in 1527 his men mutinied and ordered him to return to France, but Verrazano, using their incompetence in navigation, nonetheless reached Brazil, cut logwood (a red dye wood then named Brazil wood - this is the origin of the name Brazil) and his backers made good profit from it.

What happened to Verranzano next is a matter of speculation, but the official account is that in 1528 he again crossed the Atlantic (exploration and the cutting of logwood being the joint goals of the expedition), landing in Florida, then following the chain of the lesser Antilles. On one of the islands (probably Guadeloupe) his habit of anchoring away from the shore became fatal. Giovanni was going ashore in a boat to greet the natives, wading the last part while the boat, with his brother, remained at sea. Unfortunately, the natives were not a friendly tribe that wanted to trade, but cannibalistic Caribs. They expertly killed Giovanni and ate him while still fresh, under the eyes of his brother. The ship was too far away to give gunfire support.

It is suspected, Verrazano made two more voyages and in 1527 his men mutinied and ordered him to return to France, but Verrazano, using their incompetence in navigation, nonetheless reached Brazil, cut logwood (a red dye wood then named Brazil wood, this is the origin of the name Brazil) and his backers made good profit from it.

Another account does not have him making the voyage in 1528, but instead he is once again collaborating with Jean d'Ango. A letter from Chabot, as admiral of France, states he should furnish two galleons, Jean d'Ango one ship, and Verrazano two pilots besides himself, and that the three persons here named should with Guillaume Preudhomme, general of Normandy, Pierre Despinolles and Jacques Boursier, in different specified amounts each, make up the sum of twenty thousand pounds in Tours currency for the expenses, on joint account, of a voyage to the Indies for spices,--the admiral and Ango, however, to have one-fourth of all the merchandise returned, for the use of the vessels, and Verrazano to have one-sixth of the remaining three-fourths, for his compensation and that of his two pilots. The contract contained another provision, that if any booty should be taken on the sea from the Moors, or other enemies of the faith and the king, the admiral should first take a tenth of it and the remainder should be divided as stipulated in regard to the merchandise, except such part as should, upon advisement, be given to the crew. The admiral was to have letters patent expedited from the king for permission to make the voyage. This paper has no date, but as it was made by Chabot, in his official capacity, as admiral of France, it could not have been earlier than March 1526 .

It is known that he communicated to persons in England a map of his discoveries, and a document found at Rouen in 1876 proves that he executed a power of attorney to his brother, Geronimo (Jerasme de Verasenne), 11 May, 1526, before sailing to the East Indies, by virtue of an agreement with Admiral Philippe Chabot and the famous merchant of Dieppe, Jean Ango.

Friday the Eleventh of May, 1526.

Jehan de Varasenne, nobleman, captain of the ships equipped to go on the voyage to the Indies, has made, named, ordained, constituted and instituted his attorney, and certain special commissioners that is to say, Jerosme de Varasenne his brother and heir and Zanobis de Rousselay, to sue and especially to receive all which to the said principal is, shall be, may and may become due by any person and for any cause or causes whatsoever as regards what is thus due as well by reason of the said voyage to the Indies as otherwise; and also his disagreements and law suits to treat compound and settle by such prices, means and conditions as the said Jerosme and de Rousselay shall be able to do, and to receive and receipt for and discharge according as the case may be, and generally to pledge, hold and bind chattels and lands.

Present mol Gales and Nicolas Doublet.

JANUS VERRAZANUS.

On the same leaf:

Saturday the Twelfth day of May, 1526. Messire Jehan de Varasenne, nobleman, captain of the ships equipped to go on the voyage to the Indies acknowledged that he had appointed, constituted and instituted Adam Godeffroy citizen of Rouen, to whom be has given and gives by these presents power and authority to act for the said de Varrasenne [FOOTNOTE: The words "in his quality of captain of the said ships" are here erased in the original, and they have added in the margin these; "and for the said Godeffroy."] in one of the said ships named the barque of Fescamp of the burthen of ninety tons or thereabouts, of which the master is, after God, Pierre Cauvay, the which ship to employ in trading and traffic for the said Varrasenne in all things for the said voyage of the Indies as by the said de Varrassenne shall be directed by articles and memoranda under his sign manual to the said Godeffroy. And for doing this the said de Varrasenne has promised to pay to the said Godeffroy for his trouble and time and attention in doing and fulfilling the said articles and memoranda according to his ability in making the said voyage of the said barque, the sum of five hundred pounds Tours currency, and this sum to pay on the return from the said voyage, to do which the said de Varrasenne has bound and binds all his chattels and lands, and to take them by execution immediately on the said return. And in like manner the said Godeffroy has undertaken to make the said voyage and duly and loyally to serve the said de Varrasenne, and to carry out according to his power the said articles and memoranda which thus shall be given by the said de Varrasenne.

And it is without prejudice of the goods, funds and merchandise which the said Godeffroy shall have and might place on the said ships to make the said voyage, which he and his shall have carried away with them, for their profit, besides the said sum of five hundred pounds Tours currency for the said voyage. And to keep this, each for himself, both parties bind themselves, their chattels and lands.

Present Jehan Desvaulx and Robert Bouton.

While the apparent intention was a voyage to the Indies, there is every reason to believe that was not the real object of the parties to this agreement. One of the stipulations between them was for a division, of booty, showing an intention to make captures on the sea. Who were the enemies of the king from whom it was to be taken is not stated. But, by the treaty of Madrid, in January 1526, peace existed between France and Spain, and any expedition from one of them against the commerce of the other, was clearly piratical. Neither did war exist at this time, between France and Portugal. It appears that both the Spaniards and the Portuguese, were searching for Verrazano at the time, when the former may have succeeded in capturing him, in September or October 1527.

It is theorized, he had not sailed to the Indies in 1528 but must have instead have made himself obnoxious to those nations, by fresh depredations upon their vessels, he became known to the Spanish as, El Francés. Bernal Diaz, gives an account of his capture and execution, states that he was actually so engaged.

It appears from the letters of the judge who superintended his execution that he was then encountered by six Biscayan galleons and ships, and after battle, captured by Martín Perez de Irízar and taken by him to Cadiz, with his crew, consisting of one hundred and twenty or thirty persons, besides several gentlemen adventurers, Verrazano offered his captors thirty thousand ducats to be released, but in vain. He was sent under guard with the adventurers to Madrid, but was overtaken on the way at Colmenar near Puerto del Pico, villages between Salamanca and Toledo, by the judge of Cadiz with an order made by the emperor at Lerma on the 13th of October 1527, by virtue of which he was there put to death in November of that year (Translated from the original in the Archivo general in Sijoncas Astado: Legajo 18, fol. 845.):

"LETTER OF THE JUDGE OF CADIZ IN ANSWER TO A ROYAL MISSIVE, STATING BY WHOM JUAN FLORIN WAS CAPTURED, AND HIS EXECUTION."

Sacred Caesarean Catholic Majesty:

The Licentiate Giles, Resident Judge in the City of Cadiz, in compliance with what your Majesty required by your cedula that it should be stated who captured Juan Florin and his accomplices, answers that Martin Yricar, Antonio de Cumaya, Juan Martinez de Aricabalo, Martin Perez de Leabnr, Saba de Ysasa, Juan de Galarza, Captains of their galleons and ships, with their people, were those who captured Juan Florin in the manner that they will relate, and brought him to the Bay of Cadiz.

I went directly to their galleons, and to my requirement they answered that they would keep him in safety, that they desired all for your service; and this notwithstanding that the said Juan Florin promised them thirty thousand ducats to be released. The captains of the fleet of Portugal who were cruising at sea in quest of him at the same place in which he was taken also offered ten thousand ducats for him that they might take him to their king, and other offers were made, none of which they would accept, but, unitedly, with the sheriff of that city, took him to Your Majesty, like good and loyal servants. And when they arrived at Puerto del Pico, finding Your Majesty had commanded that he and his said accomplices should be given up to me at once, they delivered and I executed the law upon them.

Those captains have sustained much injury and have been at much cost, as I am witness. They arrived with their ships broken, the sails ruined, and the forecastles carried away. They had spent much in munition and powder, and for the sustenance of those French before they delivered them to me. When they arrived in the bay they were greatly reduced and hungered, having exhausted their stores by giving to the French. Much would it be for the service of Your Majesty that those Captains should be satisfied for their losses and rewarded which I have promised them, as Your Highness desired by your cedula, that others seeing how they are honored may be encouraged in the royal service.

Thus much I entreat that Your Majesty will order done for the loyalty I know those captains tear to your service, and because they are persons by whom you may he much served.

S. C. C. M. I kiss the sacred feet of your Highness.

LICENCLADO GILES.

A third account claims he went to England where he offered his services to Henry VIII.

Today, A bronze statue, set up in 1910, by his admiring fellow countrymen, facing the mouth of the great river on whose east bank the metropolis of the United States has grown, proclaims their conviction that Giovanni da Verrazano, and not Henry Hudson, was its discoverer. He is the namesake of New York City's Verrazano Narrows Bridge.