54D007– Raposo Tavares (Brazil – 1648) |
This figure represents António Raposo Tavares, a famous Portuguese ‘Bandeirante’ (explorer and conqueror) during the expedition that took place between 1648 and 1651 and that covered a distance of 12000 Km inside the innermost parts of Brazil and that linked the Prata river with the Amazon river. The expedition started with 1200 men and finished with only 58 due to the hardships of the tropical jungle, rivers wild animals and Indians. They didn’t carry any more clothes besides the ones they had dressed and usually they took a had scarf which they used bellow the broad brimmed felt hat, an armour of quilted cotton to protect the body against Indian arrows, a bandoleer with twelve boxes and a sword. At their waist they had the priming flask, the bullet pouch and the key for the wheellock system. Some were armed with wheellock muskets with ‘fishtail’ butt and wheellock pistols other carried the more common matchlock musket.
54B003– D. Álvaro Vaz de Almada (13?? – 1449)
This figure represents the great Portuguese knight D. Álvaro Vaz de Almada during a tournament in the XV century. Due to his distinguished services in the 100 year war, he was made knight of the Garter and count of Avranches in Normandy by Henry VI of England, therefore the figure shows him wearing a blue garter lined in gold under the left knee. The knight is standing by the banner of the red cross of St. Jorge, the royal standard with the arms of Portugal and the royal banner. At his waist, he carries a sword with Portuguese guards typical of Portuguese noblemen of the XV century. On top of the tournament armour the knight wears a richly decorated tabard with his arms and with his left arm he holds a crested tourney helm for combat with mace or sword. On his right hand, he holds a rebated lance with a blunted head.
