Castro Juande

Castro, Juan de, born at Lisbon in 1500, and connected by family ties with the Portuguese throne, was educated with the Infante Luis, and began his career at Tangiers when only eighteen. In 1535 he served at the siege of Tunis, and about 1539 went out to Goa, where he distinguished himself in various expeditions. In 1543, having returned to Portugal, he was entrusted with a fleet to suppress piracy in the Mediterranean, and in 1545 he was again sent to India. He now performed a series of brilliant exploits, defeating Mahmoud, King of Cambodia, relieving the siege of Diu, overthrowing Abdul Khan, capturing Broach and Malacca, and effecting a passage into Ceylon. So popular was he that the merchants of Goa willingly raised a large loan on the security of his moustache. He was appointed viceroy in 1547, but died next year in the arms of his friend, St. Francis Xavier. His sons were also brave and capable explorers.