Diogo de Gouveia

Diogo de Gouveia , known as Diogo de Gouveia, the Elder to distinguish him from contemporary homonyms such as his nephew, was a leading Portuguese teacher, theologian, diplomat and humanist during the Renaissance. With an extensive academic curriculum as rector at the University of Paris, he served King Manuel I and king John III of Portugal, whom he advised on the creation of captaincies in Brazil and the coming of the first Jesuit missionaries and notably Francis Xavier. First of a lineage of distinguished humanists and educators, he was the uncle of Andr de Gouveia, Antnio de Gouveia, Diogo de Gouveia the younger, and Marcial de Gouveia. During the CounterReformation he was a strong supporter of scholastic and Catholic orthodoxy, clashing with the liberal views of his nephew Andr de Gouveia.

Diogo de Gouveia was born in Beja. He was the son of Anto de Gouveia, who had settled there. In 1499 Diogo became one of the first Portuguese to study in Paris, at the Collge de Montaigu, benefiting from two scholarships offered by Jan Standonck to King Manuel I as compensation for an attack by French privateers on a Portuguese ship. He studied at the University of Paris, where he became Master of Arts. Ordained priest, he completed the studies at the Sorbonne where, in 1507 he became librarian, having graduated as Doctor of Theology on April 29, 1510. From 1512 to 1521 he was a diplomatic agent of king Manuel I in France, attending complaints from owners of Portuguese ships targeted by privateers.

Source: Wikipedia