Girolamo Sernigi

Girolamo Sernigi was one of the most successful Florentine merchants residing in Lisbon. At the time of the great maritime discoveries at the turn of the 15th century, Florentine merchants were the most prominent foreign group active in Lisbon's economic life and played an important role in the financing of Portuguese maritime expeditions in search of new products and markets. Seringi was one of them and was among the first to recognize new commercial opportunities that maritime discoveries enabled. He wrote two letters to one of his colleagues in Florence regarding Vasco da Gama’s return to Portugal. In his letters, Seringi gives account of trade routes, merchandise, and society in India.

Seringi joined the exploration of new markets in Asia by financing expeditions, the most notable one being the first to Malacca in 1510, for which he owned all four ships.