Azores but this is not certain. In Thomas Ashe's 1813 work, "A History of the Azores", the author identified a Fleming, Joshua Vander Berg of Bruges, who made landfall in the archipelago during a storm on his way to Lisbon. He stated that the Portuguese explored the area and claimed it for Portugal. Other stories note the discovery of the first islands (São Miguel Island, Santa Maria Island and Terceira Island) by sailors in the service of Henry the Navigator, although there are few documents to support the claims. Although it is commonly said that the archipelago received its name from
Regional Junta of the Azores the elected seats. Within each mandate (each island) the distribution of seats would be made by the Hondt method, which benefited minorities. The Regional Junta was extinguished with the establishment of the first Regional Government of the Azores, on 9 September 1976, wherein all the competencies, property and responsibilities were transferred to its title. Regional Junta of the Azores The Regional Junta of the Azores () was the governing body created under Decree-Law 458-B/75 (22 August 1975), to substitute the Civil Governors of the autonomous districts of Ponta Delgada, Angra do Heroísmo and Horta and their individual General Juntas ().