Friar Fernando de Almeida, a professed religious of the Order of Christ, was one of the most relevant composers of the first half of the 17th century in Portugal, and is considered one of the greatest representatives of the tradition of Portuguese polyphonists that preceded the Italianisation of sacred music.
Born in Lisbon in 1603 or 1604, he was the only son of the tailor António Jorge and his wife Maria Lopes. He entered the Order of Christ in 1618, and was part of the community of the Royal Monastery of Nossa Senhora da Luz (Our Lady of Light) in Carnide between 1636 and 1638, the year in which he went to the Convent of Christ, in Tomar, where he was to make his perpetual vows.
He was especially inclined to music and received the ordinary formation given to the religious of his order. However, it is speculated that he may have been a disciple of Duarte Lobo and may also have been chapel master of the Convent of Christ, although there is no documentary record of this fact.
Although there is no evidence of any posts linked to musical exercise or conducting, we know that his talent was acknowledged by the Order of Christ, and he was frequently excused from attending community prayers in order to “spend his time composing music”.
Renowned for his “virtuous life and many arts and procedures”, Friar Fernando de Almeida was elected Visitor of the Order of Christ at the General Chapter held in 1656. In that capacity, he denounced a case of sodomy that took place in the Tomar Convent, involving the Dom Prior.
The case was handed over to the Inquisition Court, which, seeing the testimonies heard by the visitor as uncorroborated, accused him of perjury and conspiracy against the Prior. A man of frail health, suffering from tuberculosis, and prone to kidney stones, he was arrested and sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment in 1659.
Placed in an insalubrious dungeon of the Convent of Christ, located directly under the stable, Friar Fernando de Almeida died on 21st March 1660, due to the rigours of imprisonment and starvation. His body was found covered with sores and lice and almost naked.