He was born Dom Inácio de Azevedo de Ataíde Abreu e Malafaia in the city of Porto, probably in the first quarter of the year 1526.
His family was prominent in the Portuguese nobility of that era.
His father, Dom Manuel de Azevedo, was heir to two ancient feudal properties in northern Portugal, the honras of Barbosa and Ataíde.
His mother, Dona Francisca de Abreu, was a daughter of the celebrated Portuguese poet and navigator, João Gomes de Abreu.
And one of his younger brothers, Dom Jerónimo de Azevedo, was captain-general of Portuguese Ceylon and viceroy of Portuguese India.

He was an illegitimate son, legitimated by a Royal decree on July 22, 1539 as Dom Inácio de Ataíde (a surname of his grandmother - who was heiress of the honra of Ataíde - that he stopped using after joining the Jesuits) and educated at the Portuguese court of King John III.
At the age of 18 he became administrator of his family's estate.
However, after attending the sermons and speeches of Jesuit priest Francisco Estrada he decided to renounce his possessions, including his rights to the Feudal lordships of his father, in the northern Portuguese province of Entre Douro e Minho.
He was born Dom Inácio de Azevedo de Ataíde Abreu e Malafaia in the city of Porto, probably in the first quarter of the year 1526. His family was prominent in the Portuguese nobility of that era. His father, Dom Manuel de Azevedo, was heir to two ancient feudal properties in northern Portugal, the honras of Barbosa and Ataíde. His mother, Dona Francisca de Abreu, was a daughter of the celebrated Portuguese poet and navigator, João Gomes de Abreu. And one of his younger brothers, Dom Jerónimo de Azevedo, was captain-general of Portuguese Ceylon and viceroy of Portuguese India.
He was an illegitimate son, legitimated by a Royal decree on July 22, 1539 as Dom Inácio de Ataíde (a surname of his grandmother - who was heiress of the honra of Ataíde - that he stopped using after joining the Jesuits) and educated at the Portuguese court of King John III. At the age of 18 he became administrator of his family's estate. However, after attending the sermons and speeches of Jesuit priest Francisco Estrada he decided to renounce his possessions, including his rights to the Feudal lordships of his father, in the northern Portuguese province of Entre Douro e Minho.
Inácio de Azevedo