São Bartolomeu.
1989
1988-1989: Sighting of the São Bartolomeu, a Portuguese vessel sunk in 1627 off the French coast.
The São Bartolomeu and the Santa Helena left Goa, India, in March 1626, loaded with goods and passengers, their servants and slaves, en route to Lisbon.
The two caraques arrived in the Azores in October 1626. They were ordered by the King of Spain to sail to Coruña in order to avoid the English fleet that was cruising off Lisbon. When they arrived in the port of Ferrol they were joined by a flotilla of five galleons that were there to protect them.
Dom Vincente Brito de Meneses, the captain in command of the caraques, decided to set sail for Lisbon on 21 December, followed by the flotilla of galleons. The ships were caught in a violent storm that lasted three weeks. Driven towards England and then back to the Aquitaine coast, they were wrecked between St Jean-de-Luz and the mouth of the Gironde on 12 January 1627.
Following fruitful archival research, a major electronic prospection campaign was carried out in 1988-1989 with the help of the CEA that made it possible to locate the São Bartolomeu. The deposit was declared upon discovery in 1989.
The two caraques arrived in the Azores in October 1626. They were ordered by the King of Spain to sail to Coruña in order to avoid the English fleet that was cruising off Lisbon. When they arrived in the port of Ferrol they were joined by a flotilla of five galleons that were there to protect them.
Dom Vincente Brito de Meneses, the captain in command of the caraques, decided to set sail for Lisbon on 21 December, followed by the flotilla of galleons. The ships were caught in a violent storm that lasted three weeks. Driven towards England and then back to the Aquitaine coast, they were wrecked between St Jean-de-Luz and the mouth of the Gironde on 12 January 1627.
Following fruitful archival research, a major electronic prospection campaign was carried out in 1988-1989 with the help of the CEA that made it possible to locate the São Bartolomeu. The deposit was declared upon discovery in 1989.