Barros, João de

Barros, João de, the most distinguished of Portuguese historians, was born at Vizeu in 1496, and died in 1570. He wrote an historical romance which attracted much admiration, and in 1522 he was appointed governor of the Portuguese settlements in Guinea, in 1532 treasurer of the Indies. Hereupon the king assigned him the task of writing the history of the Portuguese in India, which he undertook. But only the first four decades, down to 1526, proceeded from his pen, under the title of Asia Portuguesa; the continuation was the work of Diego de Couto.