Historical dates

1418 – Discovery of the island of Porto Santo (‘holy harbour’)? See Discovery of the Archipelago. 1419 – Discovery of the island of Madeira? 1430 – Creation of the parishes (freguesias) of Câmara de Lobos (‘seals’ den’) and Calheta (‘small cove’). 1433 – King Duarte grants the archipelago of Madeira to Henry the Navigator. 1433 – King Duarte grants this archipelago to the Order of Christ (Ordem de Cristo) in spiritual matters. 1440 – Grant of the captaincy of Machico to Tristão Vaz Teixeira. 1440 – Creation of the parishes of Caniço (‘reed’) and Ribeira Brava (‘wild river’). 1445 – The navigator Alvise Cadamosto (see that entry) visits Madeira and Porto Santo. 1446 – Grant of the captaincy of Porto Santo to Bartolomeu Perestrelo. 1449 – Afonso V confirms the grant made by King Duarte to Henry the Navigator. 1450 – Creation of the parish of Machico. 1451 – Grant of the captaincy of Funchal to João Gonçalves Zarco. 1451 – Funchal is raised to the status of town (vila). 1454 – João Gonçalves grants some land in São Paulo for the foundation of the first hospital. 1467 – The first captain-donatary (capitão-donatário), João Gonçalves Zarco, dies in Funchal. 1477 – Creation of the Funchal Customs House. 1493 – Very important measures are adopted concerning water, timber, livestock, agricultural matters, etc. 1497 – Manuel I makes the archipelago of Madeira a crown domain (realengo) and returns it to the crown. 1497 – Foundation of the Convent of St Clare (Santa Clara). 1501 – Creation of the town of Ponta do Sol (‘point of the sun’). 1501 – The 2nd captain-donatary, João Gonçalves da Câmara, dies in Funchal. 1502 – Creation of the Vila da Calheta (‘town of Calheta’). 1505 – In the convent of St Bernardino (São Bernardino), in the parish of Câmara de Lobos, Friar Pedro da Guarda, known as the Holy Servant of God, dies in the odour of sanctity. 1508 – The town of Funchal is raised to the status of city. 1508 – Bishop João Lobo comes to Madeira to perform episcopal functions; he was the first prelate to visit this island and stayed here about two years. 1514 – The diocese of Funchal is created. 1515 – The lugar (settlement ranking between a town and a parish) of Santa Cruz (‘Holy Cross’) is raised to the status of town. 1516 – Consecration of the Cathedral (Sé Catedral) of Funchal. 1517 – The parish of São Jorge is created. 1523 – Vow made by the people and the Council of Funchal to St James, who is chosen as ‘principal patron saint’ of Madeira. 1526 – The first bishop of Funchal, Dom Diogo Pinheiro, dies on the mainland. 1530 – The third captain-donatary of Funchal, Simão Gonçalves da Câmara, dies at Matosinhos, near Porto. 1533 – Case of the prophets Fernão Bravo and Filipa Nunes on the island of Porto Santo. 1533 – The archbishopric of Funchal is created. 1536 – The 4th captain-donatary, João Gonçalves da Câmara, dies in Funchal. 1540 – The captain-donatary of Machico, Diogo Teixeira, dies, and the captaincy reverts to the crown. 1550 – Creation of the parish of Faial. 1551 – The archbishopric of Funchal is abolished and the archipelago of Arguin is added to the jurisdiction of this diocese. 1552 – Creation of the parish of Santana. 1553 – Creation of the parish of Seixal (‘pebble shore’). 1557 – Creation of the parishes of the Sé and Santa Maria Maior (‘St Mary Major’). 1558 – Creation of the parish of Gaula. 1560 – Creation of the parish of Água de Pena. 1561 – Creation of the parish of Caniçal (‘reed bed’). 1565 – Creation of the parishes of Monte and São Gonçalo. 1566 – Terrible sack of the city of Funchal by French corsairs. 1566 – Foundation of the Funchal Seminary. 1566 – Creation of the parish of São Pedro. 1568 – Creation of the parish of Tabua (‘bulrush’). 1569 – The distinguished Madeiran and illustrious prelate Dom Manuel de Noronha, son of the 3rd captain-donatary of Funchal, Simão Gonçalves da Câmara, the Magnificent, dies at Lamego. 1570 – The Jesuits establish themselves in Madeira. 1571 – Creation of the parish of Fajã da Ovelha (‘the ewe’s flat’). 1572 – Creation of the parish of Arco da Calheta (‘arc of Calheta’). 1575 – Death of the illustrious Madeiran Father Luís Gonçalves da Câmara, celebrated tutor of King Sebastian. 1577 – Creation of the parishes of Canhas and Porto da Cruz. 1579 – The parish of São Pedro is abolished; it was restored in 1587. 1579 – Creation of the parishes of São Roque and São Martinho. 1580 – Deaths of the 5th and 6th captains-donatary of Funchal, Simão Gonçalves da Câmara and João Gonçalves da Câmara. 1581 – Madeira begins to be ruled by governors-general, the first being the high court judge (desembargador) João Leitão, as representative of the Philippine government. 1582 – The parish of Madalena do Mar (‘Magdalene by the sea’) is created. 1583 – The eminent grammarian and distinguished Madeiran Father Manuel Álvares dies at Évora. 1588 – The distinguished Madeiran Dom Sebastião de Morais, the first bishop of Japan, dies in Mozambique on his way to his bishopric. 1590 – Dr Gaspar Frutuoso writes his celebrated work ‘Longing for the Homeland’ (Saudades da Terra); he died the following year on the island of São Miguel. 1593 – The phenomenon of atmospheric incandescence known as the ‘fire from heaven’ occurs on this island; it burnt all the vegetation and even set some houses alight. 1595 – Death of the illustrious Madeiran and eminent jurist Dr António da Gama Pereira. 1608 – The diocesan bishop Luís de Figueiredo e Lemos dies in Funchal and is buried in the Cathedral. 1624 – Death of the governor and captain-general of Madeira Dom Francisco Henriques, who was buried in the church of the Colégio. 1626 – Death of the governor and captain-general of this archipelago, Fernão de Saldanha. 1641 – The restoration of Portugal is proclaimed in Madeira with the acclamation (aclamação, formal public proclamation of a new king) of John IV. 1650 – Foundation of the convent of the Incarnação by Canon Henrique Calaça de Viveiros. 1654 – Madeira begins to be represented in the old general Cortes (Portuguese parliament). 1655 – The Retreat of the Good Jesus (Recolhimento do Bom Jesus) is founded by the archdeacon Simão Gonçalves Cidrão. 1656 – John IV grants the archipelago of Madeira to his daughter, Queen Catherine. 1665 – Death of Manuel Tomás, author of the poem ‘The Island Epic’ (Insulana). 1668 – Great popular sedition in Funchal, which deposed the governor and captain-general Francisco de Mascarenhas and committed other acts of violence. 1674 – The diocesan bishop Dom Gabriel de Almeida dies in Funchal and is buried in the Cathedral. 1676 – The parishes of Arco de São Jorge, Camacha, Santa Luzia, Serra de Água and Paul do Mar are created. 1681 – The illustrious Madeiran João Fernandes Vieira, the restorer of Pernambuco, dies and is buried in the city of Olinda, in Brazil. 1682 – The diocesan prelate Dom António Teles da Silva dies in this city and is buried in the Cathedral. 1690 – Two corsair ships sack the island of Porto Santo and burn the church and other buildings. 1691 – Death of the distinguished Madeiran Canon António Veloso de Lira. 1699 – Great fire in the fortress of São Lourenço (‘St Lawrence’), destroying the residences of the governors and captains-general of the archipelago. 1704 – The governor and captain-general of the archipelago, João da Costa de Ataíde e Azevedo, dies in Funchal. 1708 – The island of Porto Santo is sacked by French pirates. 1724 – A great flash flood (aluvião) causes considerable damage. 1729 – Death of the distinguished Madeiran poet Troilo de Vasconcelos da Cunha. 1730 – Death of the Madeiran writer and distinguished genealogist Henrique Henriques de Noronha. 1733 – The curacies (curatos) of Boaventura, Ribeira da Janela and Prazeres are created. 1734 – The curacy of Jardim do Mar (‘garden by the sea’) is created. 1743 – The town of São Vicente (‘St Vincent’) is created. 1748 – A violent earthquake causes considerable damage and some casualties. 1753 – The diocesan bishop Dom João do Nascimento dies in Funchal. 1755 – Dr Julião Fernandes da Silva writes the curious and interesting book entitled Carta critica sobre o methodo curativo dos medicos funchalenses. 1756 – The construction of a harbour of refuge in Funchal is decreed. 1760 – The Jesuits are expelled from Madeira. 1765 – A great flash flood causes enormous damage. 1767 – Judicial reform that definitively establishes in Madeira a corregedor (royal district magistrate) and a juiz de fora (crown-appointed judge from outside the district). 1770 – Celebrated royal decree (alvará) adopting important measures concerning the island of Porto Santo, which became known as the Law of Fifths and Eighths (lei dos Quintos e Oitavos). 1772 – Several primary schools, three Latin classes, one philosophy class and one rhetoric class are created in Madeira. 1775 – The Treasury Board (Junta da Fazenda) of this archipelago is created. 1777 – The illustrious governor of Madeira João António de Sá Pereira leaves this island, summoned by the government in Lisbon to answer the accusations made against him. 1784 – The diocesan bishop Dom Gaspar Afonso da Costa Brandão dies in this city. 1786 – Heavy rain and a violent gale cause much damage. 1787 – The Jesuit college and church are handed over to the diocesan bishop to house the Seminary. 1790 – The parish of Curral das Freiras (‘nuns’ fold’) is created. 1792 – Serious events arising from the persecution of members of the Masonic lodges by the governor and the diocesan bishop. 1798 – The postal service is definitively established in Madeira. 1798 – The illustrious governor and captain-general of this archipelago, Dom Diogo Pereira Forjaz Coutinho, dies in Funchal. 1801 – Madeira is occupied by British troops. 1803 – A great flash flood causes the greatest damage and kills several hundred people. 1806 – The Madeiran poet Francisco Álvares de Nóbrega, known by the sobriquet of ‘Camões Pequeno’ (the Little Camões), dies in Lisbon. 1807 – Brigadier Reinaldo Oudinot, who directed the channelling of the streams of Funchal and the building of their walls after the great flash flood of 1803, dies in Funchal. 1807 – British troops occupy Madeira for the second time. 1810 – The diocesan bishop Dom Luís Rodrigues de Vilares dies in Funchal. 1810 – The Board for the Improvement of Agriculture of Madeira and Porto Santo (Junta de Melhoramentos da agricultura) is created. 1814 – The governor and captain-general of Madeira, Luís Beltrão de Gouveia e Almeida, dies in Funchal. 1815 – Napoleon passes by Madeira. 1815 – A great flash flood causes great damage. 1821 – The Constitution is proclaimed in Madeira. 1821 – O Patriota Funchalense (‘The Funchal Patriot’), the first newspaper published in Madeira, appears. 1822 – The foundation stone of a monument to commemorate the proclamation of the Constitution in Madeira is laid with great ceremony. 1823 – A special judicial commission (alçada) of six judges comes to this island to try and punish those who had shown themselves hostile to absolute government. 1828 – Two high court judges come to conduct a rigorous judicial inquiry (devassa) into political events; more than two hundred individuals are indicted, most of whom are sentenced to various penalties, chiefly exile to the overseas provinces. 1828 – The Miguelite (supporter of the absolutist King Miguel) squadron bombards the town of Machico and troops are landed there; they take the road to the city, which they occupy, and absolute government is then proclaimed. 1829 – The distinguished Madeiran Dr João Francisco de Oliveira dies in Lisbon. 1832 – Constitutional troops from the Azores, commanded by Luís Mousinho, occupy the island of Porto Santo. 1832 – The illustrious Madeiran and distinguished writer Manuel Caetano Pimenta de Aguiar dies in Lisbon. 1835 – Construction work begins on the levadas (irrigation channels) of Rabaçal. 1836 – The lyceum (state secondary school) of Funchal is created; it opened the following year. 1836 – The Funchal Commercial Association (Associação Comercial do Funchal) is founded. 1837 – The Funchal Medical-Surgical School (Escola Médico-Cirúrgica) is created and opened. 1838 – The library of the Municipal Council of Funchal is installed and opened to the public. 1838 – The Angústias cemetery is solemnly blessed and inaugurated. 1840 – The São Pedro market is completed and opened to the public. 1840 – The great poet António Feliciano de Castilho arrives in Madeira. 1842 – Great storms and a flash flood cause much damage. 1846 – José Silvestre Ribeiro is appointed civil governor of this district. 1846 – Governor José Silvestre Ribeiro introduces the great service of public street lighting in Funchal. 1846 – The famous Protestant propagandist Dr Robert Kalley is violently forced to leave Madeira, amid various disturbances. 1847 – Queen Adelaide of England comes to Madeira and stays several months. 1847 – The governing board (junta governativa) is installed, as the events begun in the country by the Junta of Porto have their repercussions in Madeira. 1847 – Known as the ‘year of hunger’, because of the dreadful food crisis this archipelago suffered. 1847 – The Funchal asylum is created on the initiative of José Silvestre Ribeiro, and still bears his name today. 1848 – The parishes of Ribeira da Janela, Achadas da Cruz and São Roque do Faial, previously autonomous curacies, are created, and in the same year the parish of Quinta Grande (‘large estate’) is created. 1848 – Construction of the bridge over the Ribeiro Seco and start of work on the road leading from there to Câmara de Lobos. 1849 – The construction of the Lazareto (‘quarantine hospital’) at the mouth of the Ribeira de Gonçalo Aires (‘Gonçalo Aires’s stream’) is decreed. 1850 – A boat from Porto Santo is wrecked on that island’s beach, and fifteen people die. 1850 – On the initiative of the civil governor José Silvestre Ribeiro, a natural history museum is established in the Palácio de São Lourenço (St Lawrence Palace). 1852 – A vine disease known as mangra (powdery mildew of the vine, oidium) begins to spread and cause the greatest damage, giving rise to one of the worst crises Madeira has ever endured. 1853 – Princess Maria Amélia, daughter of Pedro IV, dies in Funchal. 1853 – In memory of her daughter, Empress Amélie founds the Hospício da Princesa D. Maria Amélia, which was provisionally housed in a building in Rua do Castanheiro; in 1862 it moved permanently into the magnificent building the Empress had built for the purpose and endowed with the funds needed for its regular running. 1856 – Madeira is ravaged by one of the greatest calamities ever to afflict it, the epidemic of cholera morbus, which kills about ten thousand of its inhabitants. 1856 – In May of this year more than twenty schools for both sexes are created in various parishes of this archipelago. 1857 – The illustrious Madeiran Dr Lourenço José Moniz dies in Lisbon. 1858 – Prince Luís, later King of Portugal, visits this island for the first time. 1860 – Empress Elisabeth of Austria visits Madeira and stays here several months. 1861 – The illustrious Madeiran Viscount Jervis de Atouguia dies in Lisbon. 1862 – The Associação de Beneficência do Funchal (Funchal Charitable Association) is founded; today it is called the Associação de Socorros Mútuos ‘4 de Setembro de 1862’. 1865 – The distinguished university professor and illustrious Madeiran Dr Justino António de Freitas dies in Coimbra. 1866 – The distinguished Madeiran and eminent teacher Marceliano Ribeiro de Mendonça dies in Funchal. 1868 – Serious events on the beach of this city, with dead and wounded, when the people prevented the landing of the distinguished Madeiran Jacinto de Sant’Ana e Vasconcelos, who was coming to this island to pursue his candidacy for deputy. 1869 – The illustrious novelist Júlio Dinis, author of the exquisite book Os Fidalgos da Casa Mourisca, arrives on this island for the first time. 1870 – Death of the eminent physician and distinguished Madeiran Dr António da Luz Pita. 1870 – Serious events in Machico at the time of the elections; some people are killed by the bullets of the armed forces, which found themselves compelled to use violence. 1872 – A great smallpox epidemic kills about a thousand people. 1873 – The Madeiran Sugar Manufacturing Company (Companhia Fabril de Açúcar Madeirense) is organised; it had the great São João factory built. 1873 – Publication, by the illustrious teacher and lawyer Dr Álvaro Rodrigues de Azevedo, of the part of Dr Gaspar Frutuoso’s celebrated work ‘Longing for the Homeland’ that deals with Madeira, which he enriched with extensive and learned annotations. 1874 – Madeira is linked to the mainland by a submarine cable. 1874 – The illustrious Madeiran Dr Nicolau Anastácio de Bettencourt dies in Angra do Heroísmo. 1875 – The judicial districts of Santa Cruz, Ponta do Sol and São Vicente are created. 1875 – The Banco Comercial da Madeira is founded in this city. 1876 – Great storms drive several ships on to the beach at Funchal. 1876 – The Diário de Notícias, the first daily newspaper published here in Madeira, appears. 1876 – The distinguished poet and illustrious Madeiran José António Monteiro Teixeira dies in Funchal. 1877 – Creation of the preparatory course at the Funchal Seminary and, a few years later, the installation of a regional museum of natural history specimens. 1878 – Large-scale emigration to the Sandwich Islands begins. 1879 – The circulation of foreign coin in Madeira, which had previously been legal tender, is prohibited. 1880 – The illustrious Madeiran Aires de Ornelas e Vasconcelos, Archbishop of Goa, dies in Lisbon. 1884 – Serious events in the parish of Ribeira Brava during the election of deputies, with several people killed. 1887 – Serious disturbances of public order in many parishes of Madeira, aimed at preventing the installation of the Parish Councils; this popular movement had very grievous consequences and became known among the people as the Parreca (popular name for the 1887 parish councils and the riots against them). 1888 – Inauguration of the Funchal Volunteer Fire Brigade. 1888 – The ‘Manuel de Arriaga’ theatre, originally named D. Maria Pia, is inaugurated. 1889 – The Municipal Medical Post is opened. 1889 – The Funchal Industrial School (Escola Industrial do Funchal) is created. 1889 – The Association for the Protection of the Poor (Associação Protectora dos Pobres), known as the Sopa Económica, is founded on the initiative of Governor Dom João de Alarcão. 1890 – The murder of the child Francisco José de Ornelas is committed in Funchal, deeply shocking the Madeiran population. 1892 – Rabies appears; several people are attacked and some succumb to the terrible disease. 1892 – Construction of the Entrada da Cidade (‘entrance to the city’) quay, work on which had begun in 1889. 1893 – Inauguration of the first section of the Monte Railway (Caminho de Ferro do Monte). 1897 – Inauguration of electric light in Funchal. 1897 – The works to rebuild and extend the Pontinha (‘little point’) mole (breakwater), originally begun in 1886, are declared complete. 1899 – Our distinguished compatriot Dr Luís da Câmara Pestana dies in Lisbon. 1900 – The Training School for Primary Teachers is created. 1901 – Administrative autonomy is granted to this district, whose powers and functions are vested in a popularly elected body called the District General Council (Junta Geral). 1901 – The King and Queen of Portugal, Carlos I and Queen Amélie, visit this island. 1902 – The illustrious Madeiran Count of Canavial dies in Funchal. 1902 – The Auxílio Maternal (Maternal Aid) is created. 1905 – The foundation stone of the Marmeleiros (‘quince trees’) Sanatorium building is laid with great ceremony, under the concession previously granted by the Portuguese government to Prince Friedrich Hohenlohe. 1906 – The Monte Pio Madeirense is founded. 1906 – The Câmara Pestana Asylum begins operating. 1906 – A group of people attacks the Lazareto building, where many individuals stricken by the plague epidemic then raging in Madeira were being treated, destroying the facilities and freeing the patients, who had been admitted there under the imperative force of the prevailing circumstances. 1907 – The illustrious Madeiran José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage, learned zoologist and distinguished statesman, dies in Lisbon. 1908 – The fine church of the parish of Ponta Delgada (‘slender point’) is destroyed by fire. 1908 – The Municipal Council of Funchal is authorised to raise a loan exclusively for sewerage and the supply of drinking water. 1910 – At the end of this year cholera breaks out in this city, spreading over almost the whole island and causing about 550 victims; for this reason the central government sent Dr Alfredo de Magalhães to Madeira as High Commissioner of the Republic, and Dr Carlos França as head of all clinical and hygiene services. 1911 – The illustrious diocesan prelate Dom Manuel Agostinho Barreto dies in Funchal. 1911 – The telephone network is established in Funchal. 1911 – The Junta Agrícola da Madeira (Agricultural Board) is created; it was abolished in 1919. 1913 – The Junta Autónoma das Obras do Porto do Funchal (Autonomous Board for the Funchal Harbour Works) is created. 1914 – The municipality (concelho) of Ribeira Brava is created. 1916 – Inauguration of the Funchal–Encumeada (‘ridge pass’) road (Estrada do Funchal à Encumeada) to São Vicente. 1916 – Bombardment of the city of Funchal by a German submarine, repeated the following year. 1917 – The illustrious Madeiran Jaime Moniz dies in Lisbon. 1921 – The first volume of the ‘Elucidário Madeirense’ is published. 1922 – Great festivities and an imposing historical procession commemorate the Quincentenary of the discovery of the archipelago of Madeira. 1922 – The President of the Republic, Dr António José de Almeida, passes through Funchal on his return from his journey to Brazil. 1925 – Drs António Oliveira Salazar and Mário de Figueiredo visit Funchal and give several lectures in the rooms of the Associação Católica. 1929 – A great flood at the locality of Estreito da Vargem (‘the narrows of the meadow’), in the parish of São Vicente, kills 32 people. 1930 – The hospital of the Holy House (Santa Casa, the Misericórdia) of Mercy is installed in the Marmeleiros sanatorium in the parish of Monte. 1930 – An enormous landslide (quebrada) at the mouth of the Ribeira do Vigário (‘vicar’s stream’), in the parish of Câmara de Lobos, sweeps 20 people into the sea in the backwash of the current, where they lose their lives. 1931 – The Arquivo Distrital do Funchal (Funchal District Archive) is created. 1931 – A military uprising, suppressed by land and naval forces from the mainland, which became known as the Madeira Revolution. 1933 – Inauguration of the extension of the Entrada da Cidade quay. 1936 – Serious disturbances of public order in several parishes over the creation of the Junta dos Lacticínios (Dairy Board) and its attached services; two warships and contingents of troops came to suppress this rebellious movement. 1938 – General Óscar Carmona, President of the Republic, arrives in Madeira and is enthusiastically received. 1939 – Inauguration of the Avenida do Mar (‘seafront avenue’).