Roberto Ivens | |
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| Born | (1850-06-12)12 June 1850 |
| Died | 28 January 1898(1898-01-28) (aged 47) Oeiras, Portugal |
| Nationality | Portuguese |
| Occupation(s) | Navy officer, explorer, geographer, colonial administrator |
| Known for | First European (alongside Hermenegildo Capelo) to cross Central Africa from coast to coast between Angola and Mozambique. |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Portugal |
| Branch |  Portuguese Navy |
| Years of service | 1861–? |
| Signature |  |
Roberto Ivens (12 June 1850 inPonta Delgada – 28 January 1898 in Dafundo,Oeiras) was aPortugueseexplorer of Africa,geographer, colonial administrator, and an officer of thePortuguese Navy.
Roberto Ivens was the son of Margarida Júlia de Medeiros Castelo Branco and Robert Breakspeare Ivens (1822–?). Margarida was of lower nobility and Roberto's Grandfather, William Ivens, was a merchant awarded the IvensArms byGeorge III in 1816.[1] Robert Breakspeare Ivens was a great-grandson of Thomas Hickling (Boston 1745–1836 Ponta Delgada) the American vice-consul inPonta Delgada.
In 1861, Ivens attended theNavy School inLisbon. At school Roberto was known as "Roberto of the Devil" and he became known as an intelligent young gentleman.[1] He joined the Portuguese Navy in 1870 at the age of 20 and attendedEscola Prática de Artilharia Naval in 1871. Ivens left for theSuez Canal in September of the same year, where he was the garrison of theEstefânia.
Ivens began his travels inAngola in 1872. On 10 October 1874 he completed three years of travels in the colonies. Returning to Portugal in January 1875, Ivens made examination forlieutenant. In April 1875, he sailed on theDuque de Terceira forPortuguese São Tomé and Príncipe and various ports of South America.
In 1876, Ivens set out for theUnited States, bringing Portuguese products toPhiladelphia for theCentennial Exposition. His ancestor, Thomas Hickling, had been an ardentAmerican revolutionary, and had in fact leftBoston for theAzores following an argument with hisloyalist father.[2]
Ivens went on an expedition into the provinces ofAngola andMozambique beginning on 11 May 1877, and studied relations between hydrographic basins inZambezi. His hydrographic studies are considered even today to be "amazingly perfect".[1] In the same year he was promoted to the rank offirst lieutenant.
Ivens went on an expedition on 21 June 1885 atQuelimane inMozambique. Ivens, as requested by theKing Luís I, and in the aftermath of theBerlin Conference, to travel between Angola and Mozambique, which ended in over 4,500 miles (about 8,300 km) of which 1/3 was uncharted in what was called "Pink Map".
For his service to Portugal, Roberto had the honor of being namedaide-de-camp to King Luís.[1] In 1895, he was made Officer ofMilitary Order of Aviz and was nominated on October 17 as secretary of the Commission of Cartography.[citation needed]
Portugal has ten streets named after Roberto Ivens including one inPonta Delgada namedAvenida Roberto Ivens. Several schools are named in his honor, includingEscola Básica Integrada Roberto Ivens, near his birthplace.
A species of African lizard,Lubuya ivensii, is named in his honor.[3]
He was also portrayed in the 500Angolan escudo banknote issued in 1956.[4]
In 2019,TAP Air Portugal named anAirbus A321, registered CS-TXD, for Roberto Ivens.[5]
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