However, it is written
Camões was not a retiring author but a willing
participant within skirmishes between enemies, something
which has endeared his memory to the entire population
of Portugal.
His most famous tonne - Os Lusiadas - an epic
poem about the history of the Portuguese of discoveries
has earned him a permanent place in Portuguese history.
In fact the date of his death - 10th June - is
celebrated as Portugal's national day.
Camões however was not a side-line writer. He lived
and breathed adventure travelling with the intrepid
explorers who discovered the globe.
It is rumoured he was exiled from the royal court
after a liaison with a royal family member. During this
period of exile from
Lisbon, Camões took refuge creating
his exotic garden at
Constância in
the Ribatejo region of the country.
Although a loved national treasure today, during his
lifetime, Camões was quite the bohemian and not
the most endearing of characters to his superiors. He
was imprisoned on debt charges and only after he
returned to Lisbon in 1554 starting writing his epic
poem.
