CAMARA - ZARCO

The surname Câmara has its origin in the 14th century, beginning with the Portuguese sailor named João Gonçalves Zarco who lived circa 1380-1460.

Zarco had been born in the manor of Matosinhos, which was the residence of the Coutinhos, Lords of the Leomil Estate. The Arcos were a destinguished Jewish family from Tomar, where a large number of Jews had settled and built the Synagogue of the Arch (Arco), which still stands today in Rua Nova. Tomar was also the headquarters of the Knights Templar in Portugal, which later became the Order of Christ.

Zarco had a distinguished career; As a squire, he fought alongside Prince Henry the Navigator and Dom Vasco Fernandes Coutinho in the conquest of Ceuta in 1415. He was a member of the Order of Christ and held the title of Admiral of the Galleys. He was also a pioneer of naval artillery, being the first to place cannon in the prow of his ships. After his discovery of Madeira, he was appointed Captain-Donatary of Funchal.

Samuel Zacuto 1450 - 1525, famous Rabbi, court astronomer, historian,
writer, inventor, map maker, astrologer, genealogist, benefactor of Columbus
and known as "mathematician to the King". At the behest of the bishop of Salamanca,
Zacuto wrote his major astronomical work, Ha-Hibbur ha-Gadol (1473-78).
Zacuto afforded Columbus an opportunity to meet with the court
of Spain as well as Santangel and Abravanel which lead to his famed
voyage. In 1492, when the Jews were expelled from Spain, Zacuto
emigrated to Portugal, where he was appointed court astronomer by King Joao
II. Before sending Vasco da Gama on his sea voyage to India (1496), Zacuto
instructed da Gama and his sailors in the use of his newly perfected
astrolabe, his tables and maritime charts. When King Manuel forced all Jews
in his country to convert, Zacuto fled Portugal.

The name Zacuto comes from Hebrew, Zekhuth means merit. Rabbi Zacuto signed his name in Hebrew Z.Q.T. (Zain, Qoph, Thav) and, as known by ethmologists in Hebrew the letter Qoph can be replaced by Kaph, and vice versa, the spelling Zacuto is (more) correct, as it is in the Portuguese form for the Hebrew word Zekhuth.

Rufina Bernardetti Silva Mausenbaum
( Encyclopaedia.Judaica and the Sephardic and Kulanu list serve )

E-mail: Rufina Bernardetti Silva Mausenbaum