Tomás de Berlanga
Fray Tomás de Berlanga (* around 1487 in Berlanga de Duero , Soria Province , Spain ; † August 8, 1551 ibid) was the fourth Catholic bishop of Panama and is considered the discoverer of the Galápagos Islands .
Life
Tomás de Berlanga belonged to the Dominican order and was elected prior of the island of Hispaniola (Santo Domingo) in 1508 . During this time (around 1516) he introduced the banana to the Caribbean , from where the crop spread to Central and South America. On February 11, 1534 he was appointed Bishop of Panama. He received his episcopal ordination on May 17th of the same year by the Bishop of Coria , Francisco Mendoza Bobadilla . Co- consecrator was the Bishop of Palencia , Francisco Mendoza . The future Archbishop of Valencia , Francisco de Navarra y Hualde , worked as assistant presbyter . In 1537 he renounced the diocese of Panama.
The Spanish King Charles I commissioned Tomás de Berlanga in 1535 with a mediation mission between the Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro and his officers in Peru . Berlanga got into a calm on the crossing with his ship and reached the coast of the Galápagos Islands on March 10, 1535 by sea currents. The islands, which were still unknown at the time, were initially called Islas Encantadas (enchanted islands) and took possession of them for the Spanish crown.
Numerous streets, squares and buildings in Spain, Central and South America are named after Tomás de Berlanga .
Web links
- Fray Tomás de Berlanga . In: Catholic Encyclopedia , Robert Appleton Company, New York 1913.
- Entry on Tomás de Berlanga on catholic-hierarchy.org
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Tomás de Berlanga |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Thomas de Berlanga; Tomas de Berlanga |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Bishop, explorer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 1487 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Berlanga de Duero |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 8, 1551 |
| Place of death | Berlanga de Duero |