Noronha (João Rodrigues de)
João Rodrigues de Noronha, son of the third captain-donatary of Funchal, distinguished himself in Portuguese India and served as captain of Ormuz around 1521.
He was the son of the 3rd captain-donatary (capitão-donatário) of Funchal, Simão Gonçalves da Câmara, and brother of Dom Manuel de Noronha, Bishop of Lamego, whom we have dealt with in this Elucidário. He must have been born in the last quarter of the 15th century. The chronicles that deal with our affairs in India speak of João Rodrigues de Noronha with the highest praise for the acts of heroism he performed there. The author of the Saudades says of him: ‘...he was captain of Hormuz in India in the time of the governor Dom Duarte de Menezes, his brother-in-law, which was in the year 1521: and before he entered the fortress he had been captain of the sea off the coast of Diu, and served the King well until he became captain of Hormuz, where he seized the tyrant Raesxarafo and kept him under close guard in the fortress until the arrival of the Viceroy, his brother-in-law Dom Duarte de Menezes.’
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 01Place
Places mentioned · 05
Abroad
- Diu
India. Coast where he commanded at sea.
Diu is a Portuguese fortress in India, recorded as having been commanded by António da Silveira. The Elucidário also notes that João Rodrigues de Noronha held a naval command off its coast.
- Funchal
Captaincy held by his father.
The capital of the archipelago and seat of the principal captaincy, where settlement began; it was made a vila c.1451–52. Its bay, the widest in the archipelago, lies between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz and offers sheltered anchorage, though its harbour had never been studied oceanographically. The Elucidário discusses it as a health resort with climate data and records the January 1906 disturbances, the Danish prince's visit in May 1846 and recent volcanic cones in the area.
- Hormuz
Iran. Fortress he captained.
Ormuz is a foreign fortress where several Madeirans held command, among them Rui Gonçalves da Câmara and João Rodrigues de Noronha, both of whom served as its captain.
- India
Where he performed his feats.
India is recorded as the place where several Madeirans served, including Lopo de Abreu, Pedro da Silva and the viceroy João Saldanha da Gama. The fame of Madeiran levada builders reached it. It is the native region of plants grown on Madeira, among them the mango, Hedychium gardnerianum, balsam and most bamboos.
- Lamego
Portugal. See of his brother the bishop.
Lamego is a Portuguese city and diocese. It was the birthplace of Afonso de Castro and the see of the brother of João Rodrigues de Noronha. D. Manuel de Noronha governed it as bishop from 1547, D. Manuel Coutinho was transferred there, D. Manuel Agostinho Barreto served there as canon, professor and vicar general, and Dr Cassiano das Neves practised law there.
People
People mentioned · 05-
Madeiran-born son of Simão Gonçalves da Câmara, praised for heroism in India and captain of Ormuz.
- António Manuel de Noronhad. 1569
Bishop of Lamego and brother of João Rodrigues de Noronha.
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Governor and viceroy of Portuguese India and brother-in-law of João Rodrigues de Noronha.
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Tyrant of Ormuz imprisoned by João Rodrigues de Noronha.
- Simão Gonçalves da Câmara1579–1580
Third captain-donatary of Funchal and father of João Rodrigues de Noronha.