Back to Table of Contents

VIII. BEHAIM'S KNIGHTHOOD, 1485.

WE learn from a memorandum in the archives of the Behaim family, that Martin Behaim was knighted on Friday, February 18, 1485. It is not in Behaim's handwriting, but is evidently based upon information furnished by him, and reads as follows: (1)

1485 adj 18 Febrer auf einen Freitag jn Portügal jn der ßtadt albaßßauas (Alcaçovas) jn sandt ßalvators kirchen nach der tag mes wartt ritter geßchlagen M. B. von Nurmberg von der Hand des Großsmechtigen Konig Hern Johannße des andern von Portigal, vnnd Konig von algarbia vnnd Konig in affrica vnd Konig in Genea, unnd ßein totten darzu was des Konig ßelb der jm vmbgürtett ßein ßwertt vnd der Herzog von begia der ander dot der im vmbürtet den rechten ßporn, vnnd der drit dode der graue crißtoffel de melo des conicks vetter gurtot jm den linken ßporn, vnnd der virt dott was der Graff Fernando Martins Maßkarinis (Mascarenhas) der den ritter den renhut auffßezett vnnd jn wapet vnnd der Konig der jn ritter ßchlug dis geßchach jn beibeßen aller furßt vnnd ritterßchaft vnnd der Kongin.

1485, on Friday the 18 of February, M. B. of Nürnberg was knighted in the Church of the Saviour at Alcaçovas in Portugal, after the morning mass, by the hand of the most potent King John II. of Portugal, King of Algarve, King in Africa and King in Guinea. And his sponsors were the King himself, who girth on his sword, and the second sponsor was the Duke of Beja, who girth on his right spur, and the third the grey Cristopher de Mello, the King's cousin, who girth on his left spur, and the fourth sponsor was Count Fernando Martins Mascarenhas, who put on his morion (helm) and armed him, and the King who dubbed him Knight. This was done in the presence of all the Princes and Knights, and of the Queen.

Sr. Sebastião Francisco de Mendo Trigozo, who, strange to say, failed to identify the persons named in this memorandum, would have us reject this account altogether as quite improbable (de todo inverisimil). In this we agree with him if it were intended to describe the reception of a Cavalleiro into the famous and powerful order of Christ,(2) as is assumed by Murr, Ghillany and Günther. Behaim himself certainly laid no claim to that distinction: had he done so, the habit and badge of the Order-a golden cross with red enamel-would most certainly have been shown conspicuously in his family portrait. (See Frontispiece.) Moreover, in 1485 the Knights of the Order were still bound by the monastic vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. It was only after the accession of King Manuel, in 1495, that the Cavalleiros of the Order were permitted to marry.(3) Yet Behaim married a short time afterwards, and it will surely not be contended that he was in a position to obtain a Papal dispensation for doing such an unlawful thing.

The German historians mentioned above fully accept the Knighting of Behaim, but they object to the date given, viz., February 18, 1485-as only a month before, according to a legend on his Globe, he was still far away in Africa at Cabo negro, and it would have been utterly impossible for him to be back in Europe for the ceremony described. It must, however, be pointed out that in the date given above, day, month and year are concordant, that not until 1491 does the 18th of February again fall on a Friday, and that Behaim had already claimed the title of a Knight when he turned up at Nuremberg in 1490. Under these circumstances we must either reject the date on the Globe or that of the above memorandum. I do not hesitate to do the former.

The circumstances described in the above memorandum bear in every respect the impress of truth. The King, with the whole of his household, is known to have left Montemór o nóvo (on account of the plague) for Beja in January, 1485. His route led him through the ancient town of Alcaçovas, where there was a small castle, built by D. Diniz, in 1290, to which was attached a chapel dedicated to the Saviour, the ruins of which still exist. The ceremony described may fairly be supposed to have taken place within this building.

The Duke of Beja, raised to that dignity in 1484, is best known to history as King Manuel the Fortunate.

The Mellos of the house of the Counts of Olivença might certainly claim to be "cousins" of the King. Martin Affonso de Mello, guarda mór or chief esquire of John I., was able to trace his pedigree back to a son of King Affonso III. (1248-1279).(4) Other Royal connec- tions are mentioned in the Dedication to João de Mello of a reprint of Resende's `Chronica del Rey Dom Joam II.' published at Lisbon in 1752.

Quite recently, in 1479, D. Alvaro, Count of Tetugal, a brother of D. Ferdinand II., Duke of Bragança, and descended from D. Affonso, the bastard son of King John I., had married D. Filippe, the daughter of Rodrigo de Mello, Count of Olivença.(5) And not only were the Mellos distantly related to King John II., they were also held in high favour and employed in honourable offices. Gomes Soares de Mello, a brother of the Count of Olivença, was a Councillor (Cavalleiro do Conselho) of the King, in 1484; Manuel de Mello held the post of chief groom of the chamber (Reposteiro mór), whilst Christovão de Mello was one of the 111 Cavalleiros fidalgos of the King's household in the year named.(6) Christovão, who was governor (alcaide mór) of Evora, was killed in a skirmish outside Ceuta, in 1488.(7)

D. Fernão Martins Mascarenhas commanded the King's Bodyguard (Ginetes) in 1484,(8) and certainly was with the King at that time. In 1488 he commanded a fleet which was sent to Africa (Morocco), and in 1495 he stood by the King's death-bed.(9)

When it is asked what had Behaim done to render himself deserving of the distinction of a knighthood, we are referred to his supposed services as an astronomer and cosmographer. These I have already fully considered, and suggested that if Behaim accompanied one of the expeditions to Guinea such a reward might have been appropriately bestowed upon him. Failing this, it is possible that Behaim may have been engaged in one of the numerous skirmishes which took place at Ceuta and elsewhere in Africa, for the inscription on the memorial chandelier at Nuremberg tells us that he "stoutly fought the African Moors."(10)

It is, however, quite possible that he owed his knighthood to personal influence. He belonged to an old Patrician family of the famous Imperial city of Nuremberg, and these Patricians, or Geschlechter, not only claimed to be of noble birth, but were certainly superior in wealth, intelligence and education to the minor nobility of that age, even though the arms they sported were "assumed," and not won in the field, as were those of their rural rivals. But Martin, in addition to claiming rank as a fidalgo alemão, or German nobleman, was about to marry the daughter of the Captain donatory of Fayal, a noble Fleming connected by marriage with several of the most eminent families of the Kingdom.

Of course he may have had other claims, and if we might accept the assertion that Behaim not only stood high in favour with King John, but even held a salaried appointment about his court, this would account sufficiently for so inexpensive a distinction as a knighthood. But no evidence in favour of such an assumption has ever been forthcoming. His not being mentioned among the members of King John's household for 1484(11) is, of course, not conclusive, for Behaim had only then recently come to Portugal, but neither is he mentioned in the `Chronicles' of Ruy de Pina or Garcia de Resende, who must have met him frequently, and would hardly have failed to have referred to him had he really held the distinguished position at Court which is claimed on his behalf. But, after all, the future son-in-law of the Captain donatory of Fayal, the husband of a former lady-in-waiting in the household of the late D. Fernando, the King's father-in-law, would be readily admitted to the King's presence. His relatives in Nuremberg certainly believed him to have been on a pleasant footing with King John, when young.(12)

This much is certain, that Martin Behaim claimed to be a knight. In 1494 (App. X.) he asked that his letters should be addressed "Dno. Martino Beheimo Militi";(13) on the memorial chandelier at Nuremberg his son describes him as "Portugaliae Regis Miles auratus"; in the legal documents drawn up during his presence at Nuremberg, 1490-1493, he is described as "Ritter," and in the letter which the Senate of that city addressed to King Manuel in 1520 he is referred to as "eques auratus." Moreover, his Portuguese relatives objected to young Martin being employed in trade, as his father had been "a man of position and a knight," and lastly there is the treatise `De prima inventione Guineae,' which its author, Diogo Gomez, communicated to "Martino de Bohemia, inclito Militi Alemano" - the renowned German Knight!(14)

These references show at all events that Behaim was looked upon by his contemporaries not only as a German nobleman, but also as a knight of the King of Portugal. The only apparent exception to this rule seems to be the letter of pardon, already quoted, which very disrespectfully, and quite contrary to the painful punctiliousness of the time, refers to the sister of Joz d'Utra (Hurter) as the wife of one (de hum) Martin de Boeme!

Footnotes

Back to Table of Contents

Last modified: Thu Feb 5 22:29:44 CET 2004