Gérard Dominique Azevedo Continho y Bernal (1712–1782) was a clergyman, antiquary and genealogist in the Austrian Netherlands.

Life

Born in Mechelen on 4 August 1712, Azevedo Continho y Bernal was educated at the Oratorian College in Mechelen. His parents were Jean-Baptiste Azevedo Continho y Bernal, an infantry captain, and Jeanne-Marie Corten.[1] In 1730, aged 18, was appointed to a canonry of the Basilica of Our Lady of Hanswijk.[2] He was ordained to the priesthood on 24 September 1735.[1] He served as provost of the chapter from 1763 until his death on 22 February 1782.[1]

He was generous to the poor, and a patron of the arts, but particularly dedicated his free time to studying the sources of local history, in particular chronicles, archives and charters.[2]

Works

His own chronicle of Mechelen, Korte Chronyke der stadt ende provincie van Mechelen, was published in Leuven in 26 installments. He was also the author of a short life of St Rumbold, Kort Begryp van ’t leven, lyden en mirakelen van den H. Rumoldus, published in Leuven in 1763.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Félix Victor Goethals, Lectures relatives à l'histoire des sciences, des arts, des lettres, des moeurs, et de la politique en Belgique, et dans les pays limitrophes, vol. 1 (Brussels, 1837), pp. 247-255. On Google Books
  2. 1 2 Baron de Saint-Genois, "Azevedo Continho y Bernal (Gérard-Dominique)", Biographie Nationale de Belgique, vol. 1 (Brussels, 1866), 596.
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