Born 1450,
Covilhã, Portugal
Died 1545,
Abyssinia [Ethiopia]

When he traveled to Abyssinia, or modern-day Ethiopia, Pero da Covilhã’s mission was to find the mythical Christian king Prester John. Instead, Covilhã wound up in comfortable captivity and spent the rest of his life in Abyssinia.

Has early career as diplomat and spy

Covilhã was born in Portugal, in a village that bore his family name. As a youth, he went to Spain and served seven years in the household of the duke of Medina Sidonia in Andalusia. He then returned to Portugal and became a member of the court of King Alfonso. Because he could speak Spanish, Covilhã was sent back to Spain to spy on rebel Portuguese who lived there. He later went to North Africa where he served as both a diplomat and a commercial...