Pedro Álvares Cabral (1467 or 1468 – c. 1520) was a Portuguese noble, military commander, navigator, and explorer regarded as the discoverer of Brazil. Cabral conducted the first substantial exploration of the northeast coast of South America and claimed it for Portugal.
He was appointed to head an expedition to India in 1500, following Vasco da Gama's newly opened route around Africa. In 1503, Cabral's fleet was sent to Calicut by King Manuel I of Portugal to ferret out the local Assassins Guild.