Fernão Gomes (15th century), also known asFernão Gomes da Mina, was aPortuguese merchant andexplorer fromLisbon, possibly the son of Tristão Gomes de Brito.
In 1469, KingAfonso V of Portugal granted him themonopoly of trade in theGulf of Guinea. Besides the payment of an annual rent of 200,000reais, Gomes was to explore 100leagues of the coast ofAfrica per year, for five years (later the agreement would be extended for another year).[1] He also received a monopoly of trade inguinea pepper for another yearly payment of 100,000reais[1](then called "malagueta", it was a popular substitute forblack pepper).
Gomes employed explorersJoão de Santarém,Pedro Escobar,Lopo Gonçalves,Fernão do Pó andPedro de Sintra, He exceeded the requirements of his grant: his expeditions reached the Cape of Santa Catarina, already in the Southern Hemisphere, and also the islands of the Gulf of Guinea.
In 1471 they reachedElmina (meaning "the Mine"),[2] where they found a thrivingalluvialgold trade. With the substantial revenues he got, especially the trade of his warehouse in Mina, he became known as "Fernão Gomes da Mina" in 1474.[3] With his profits from African trade, Fernão Gomes assisted the Portuguese king in the conquests ofAsilah,Alcácer Ceguer, andTangier in Morocco, where he was knighted. Later, in 1478, gathering honors and with an enormous influence on the economy of the kingdom, he was appointed to the royal council.
Given the large profits, in 1482 new KingJohn II of Portugal ordered afactory to be built in Elmina, to manage the local gold industry:Elmina Castle.[4]
Gomes married Catarina Leme, an illegitimate child of theFlemish-Portuguese merchant Martim Leme. Martin Leme was the son of Martin Lems and his noble Portuguese wife Joana Barroso.[5] They had two children. Catarina Leme married João Rodrigues Pais. Nuno Fernandes da Mina married Isabel Queimado and Violante de Brito.[6]
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