In defence of historical truth in the Discoveries: the historiographical pioneering spirit of Sebastião Francisco de Mendo Trigoso Homem de Magalhães [1773-1821] on the eve of Liberalism

The historiographical inquiries developed by Sebastião Francisco de Mendo Trigoso Homem de Magalhães [1773-1821], one of the first secretaries of the Academia Real das Ciências de Lisboa, contributed indelibly to the legitimacy and defence of the primacy of the Portuguese Discoveries. In a revolutionary period that took place between the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, appropriations and historiographical rewritings of the European Discoveries also took place, with the pioneering spirit of our portuguese navigations being strongly contested in european academic and university circles. Due to these reactions and in an attempt to restore the historical truth about these matters, Sebastião Francisco de Mendo Trigoso Homem de Magalhães proposed to investigate contemporary historical sources and to refute the scientific studies then in vogue, as well as to corroborate other historiographical opinions about one of the most important periods in our history. The depth and scientific nature of his historical studies will influence new generations of portuguese historians, including the scientific excellence of Alexandre Herculano [1810-1877]