Carlos Magalhães de Azeredo


Carlos Magalhães de Azeredo was a Brazilian poet, short story writer, diplomat and journalist. He founded and occupied the 9th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters, from 1897 until his death in 1963, thus being the academic that occupied his chair for the longest time and the youngest founder of the Academy.

Life

Azeredo was born in Rio de Janeiro, in 1872, to Caetano Pinto de Azeredo and Leopoldina Magalhães de Azeredo. Since as a young man, Azeredo would write – when he was 12 years old he wrote a poetry book named Inspirações da Infância, that was never published, and with 17 years old he started to trade letters with Machado de Assis and Mário de Alencar.
He made his primary studies in the Colégio São Carlos, in Porto, Portugal, later returning to Brazil, where he finished them at the Colégio São Luís.
He entered the Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de São Paulo in 1888, graduating in 1893. Two years later, he entered the diplomatic career, where he served as minister in Uruguay, Cuba, Greece and the Holy See. He would stay permanently in Italy, until his death.

Works

Azeredo was a very proficuous writer, but his works remained unknown for some time in Brazil. In December 2003, former Brazilian President and then-ambassador of Brazil in Italy Itamar Franco found some then-unpublished writings by him, delivering them to the Brazilian Academy of Letters.

Poetry