Diogo de Mendonça Corte-Real

Biography

Diogo de Mendonça Corte-Real was born in 1658, in

Corte-Real's high level of intelligence had been manifest since his early schooling. He enrolled at the

Diplomat

On 3 March, that same year, Corte-Real embarked to the Dutch Republic. On 14 April, as they sailed across the coast of England, the ship ran aground on a sandbank. The danger was imminent. Panic took over the passengers and crew, but Corte-Real kept his calm, and helped the officers overseeing the evacuation procedure. Corte-Real, his family, and the captain left the ship aboard a boat, the rest of the crew aboard another boat. The ship foundered, and the two boats spent the night adrift until morning, when their occupants spotted the English coastline. Corte-Real travelled to London, where he departed for The Hague.

Diogo de Mendonça Corte-Real proved to be efficient in dealing with the difficulties that arose between Portugal and the Dutch Republic. After a series of conferences about the matter, on 22 May 1692, the diplomat achieved the goal of his mission when the two nations signed a treaty in which the Dutch Republic paid eighty-thousand patacas as compensation for all the attacks on Portuguese ships.

The success of this mission earned him praise from the Portuguese King. The King, who had wanted send an envoy to the Spanish Court, saw Corte-Real fit to the task, and named him as such in 1693. Corte-Real stayed at the Spanish Court until 1703, year in which he returned to Portugal on account of the death of King

On 2 April 1701,

Secretary of State

King Peter II died on 9 December 1706, and