Ângela Tamagnini: Pioneer and Protector
Ângela Tamagnini: Pioneer, Protector, and Philanthropist of Tomar
Ângela Tamagnini (1770–1827) was a trailblazer in smallpox vaccination in Portugal and is celebrated for her courageous role during the French invasions of Tomar in the Napoleonic Wars.
She was born in Milan, Italy, on 26 October 1770, and moved to Portugal in 1783 with her uncle, Inácio Francisco Tamagnini, who later became the physician to Queen Maria I. In 1795, she married António Florêncio de Abreu e Andrade, a wealthy merchant, and they had a son, João. Her great-grandson, Fernando Tamagnini de Abreu e Silva, later commanded the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps in World War I, fighting alongside the Allies.
During the Peninsular War, in June 1808, French troops under General Margaron threatened Tomar after uprisings in the northwest of Portugal. Fluent in French, Ângela was asked to serve as an intermediary between the city and the French army. Through her negotiation, she successfully arranged a peaceful surrender, preventing the destruction of Tomar, reducing the reparations demanded by the French, and saving the lives of three friars who were slated for execution.
Tamagnini was also a pioneer in smallpox vaccination alongside Maria Isabel Wittenhall van Zeller, active in Porto. At the time, smallpox prevention relied on variolation, which involved introducing material from smallpox pustules into the skin, usually inducing a mild infection to confer immunity. Inspired by Edward Jenner’s discoveries, she procured vaccine material from the United Kingdom, supplied it to the Vaccine Institute in Coimbra, and personally administered vaccinations in Tomar at her own expense. Not content with that, she established a vaccination post for the poor, where she personally carried out inoculations.
Despite facing misunderstandings and resistance, she persevered, and in 1812, she was appointed a Correspondent of the Royal Academy of Sciences’ Vaccine Institute. Unlike Wittenhall van Zeller, she did not receive the Institute’s Gold Medal, as she had not submitted the required vaccination data.
The Tamagnini family tombstone is preserved in the floor of the Church of Santa Maria do Olival in Tomar. It commemorates her uncle, Inácio Francisco Tamagnini, rather than her father, and is prominently identified and emblazoned, symbolising the family’s lasting connection to the city. Ângela’s legacy is also honoured in the toponymy of Tomar, with streets bearing her name.
A woman of noble descent, she spoke French, played the piano, and dedicated her life to public service, leaving behind a legacy of courage, philanthropy, and scientific innovation.
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. “Ângela Tamagnini.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Tamagnini
“Pedras de Armas de Tomar.” Cethomar Blog. https://cethomar.blogspot.com/2008/04/pedras-de-armas-de-tomar.html
“19 Personagens de Tomar.” História de Tomar Local History. https://historiadetomar.weebly.com/19-personagens-de-tomar.html
“Ruas com História – Ângela Tamagnini.” Ruas com História Blog. https://ruascomhistoria.wordpress.com/2019/02/page/3/
Monumentos.gov.pt – Igreja de Santa Maria do Olival. https://www.monumentos.gov.pt/site/app_pagesuser/sipa.aspx?id=6537
Oliveira, Américo Lopes de. Dictionary of Famous Women. Lello & Irmão, 1981, p. 1268.