FRANCISCO ANTONIO MOURELLE 1750 - 1820

The full index of our ship stamp archive
Post Reply
aukepalmhof
Posts: 7771
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

FRANCISCO ANTONIO MOURELLE 1750 - 1820

Post by aukepalmhof » Sat Aug 22, 2020 3:27 am

About Discoverers of Oceania, Francisco Antonio Mourelle

With a new stamp printed on wood paper, simulating the material with which the ships were built, Correos continues for another year making the Oceania Discoverers known.
The protagonist of this label, in which we can see an illustration with his bust, is Francisco Mourelle de la Rua.
He was born in 1750 in La Coruña becoming a great navigator. Due to its limited economic resources, it failed to enter the Royal Marine Guard Company, having to settle for entering the Ferrol Pilot Academy obtaining the title in 1766.
From its beginnings, it stood out for its mastery in the construction and use of navigation tools.
Being assigned in the Philippines, in 1780 Governor José Basco y Vargas entrusted him with the command of the frigate PRINCESA to make an order to Mexico.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5566&p=20257&hilit=princesa#p20257

While crossing the Pacific Ocean, he discovered numerous islands such as the Hermit Island, which today is known by that same name; or San Francisco, San Jose and San Antonio, which today are called Simberi, Mabua, Tabar among others.
But his most important discovery was that of the Vavao group, in the Tonga archipelago. He made a great friendship with the "Tubou" or king of the islands, which even offered one of his daughters, a fact that was rejected by the discoverer.
The Spaniards spent a month in this heavenly place, without any incident with the natives who were provided with fruit and water with which they could continue their journey.
After many other trips, combats, successes and failures, he died on May 24, 1820.
He was the last representative of the lineage of great Spanish sailors of the late eighteenth century, along with Barceló, Mazarredo, Gravina, Churruca, Alcalá or Galiano.
The stamp has in the background a detail of the map with the route that followed when he discovered the paradisiacal islands.

https://www.wopa-plus.com/en/stamps/product/&pid=57904
Spain 2019 3.50 Euro sg?, scott?
Attachments
2019 Francisco Antonio Mourelle.jpg

Post Reply