As cartas malaias de Abu Hayat, Sultão de Ternate, a el-rei de Portugal e os primórdios da presença portuguesa em Maluco

Abstract

In the National Archives of Lisbon (Torre do Tombo) are kept two letters of Sultan Abu Hayat of Ternate (Moluccas) to the king of Portugal, which, according to internal evidence, are datable of 1521-22. They have been deemed the most ancient extant Malay manuscripts. They are published here, in fac-simile, in roman transcription (rumi) and in Portuguese translation, with notes. The introduction traces the history of the Portuguese presence in the area from 1512 to 1522, analysing the natural conditions in which the voyages took place. Although only three expeditions are recorded by the chronicles, in fact 10 voyages were achieved during the period whose history is here traced on the basis of the extant Portuguese, Malay and Spanish documents.