Portuguese “discovery” and “naming” of the Formosa Island, 1510-1624: A history based on maps, rutters and other documents

Abstract

The legend that Portuguese sailors in the Sixteenth Century were the first Europeans to discover Taiwan and call it Formosa has a long history and is well known to many, though typically also embellished with conflicting details. Recently, some historians rejected this legend and claim that it was the Spanish navigator Francisco Gali who named the Island in 1584. This paper examines relevant rutters, maps and other documents, mostly Portuguese, re constructs the history of Formosa’s “discovery” and “naming”, eliminates historically erroneous claims and moves us closer to an informed consensus on the matter.