Couto, Diogo do (1542–1616)

Portuguese historian. He was born in Lisbon and educated at the Jesuit college there. In 1559 do Couto sailed to India, where he spent virtually all of his adult life. King Philip II appointed him as royal historian, a position he used to expose the decadence of Portuguese affairs in India, most notably in Dialogo do soldado prático. From 1602 do Couto also continued Décadas da Asia by Barros on Portuguese imperial adventure in the East. He died in Goa.