Illustrious men

Under this title we shall present a survey of various men from this island who distinguished themselves notably away from their native soil, and particularly in our overseas campaigns. Many of them deserved fuller treatment in articles of their own, and some even a detailed biography. For some, however, we lack the essential information, while others were unintentionally omitted from the places they should have occupied in this work.

António Gonçalves da Câmara was a great-grandson of the discoverer João Gonçalves Zarco and the son of Dona Ana de Eça, chief lady of the bedchamber to Queen Catherine. He was Master of the Hunt to King John III and held important offices at court, having earlier fought with outstanding valour in the lands of the East. He violently abducted Dona Isabel de Abreu, as is related at length on page 6 of volume I of this work.

Of João Rodrigues de Noronha, son of the 3rd captain-donatary (capitão-donatário) of Funchal, a chronicler says that he was a soldier of great renown in India, held the office of sea captain on the coast of Diu and later that of captain-major (capitão-mor, commander of the local militia) of Hormuz.

Manuel de Noronha, brother of the above, greatly distinguished himself in the Moroccan campaigns, serving as frontier captain (fronteiro) in Safi.

Rui Gonçalves da Câmara, captain-major of the Indian sea and captain of Barcelor and of Hormuz, left a name crowned with glory for the many exploits he performed.

Luís Gonçalves de Ataíde, lord of the Desertas (‘deserted islands’), fought in Africa as captain of the stronghold of Ceuta. He was the father of the Count of Atouguia and the forefather of the holders of that title.

Jordão de Freitas, of whom the chroniclers of India speak in highly laudatory terms, was born in the town (vila) of Santa Cruz (‘Holy Cross’). He was captain of the Moluccas and lord of the islands of Amboíno and Siam, by a grant made by the King of Ternate and later confirmed by John III in 1543.

Gonçalo de Freitas da Silva, son of the above and likewise a native of Santa Cruz, served valiantly in Asia, where he held the same lordships as his father; these were confirmed by King Sebastian in 1574.

Jordão de Freitas da Silva, son of the above, who, a genealogist says, ‘was ambassador to France for the recovery of the artillery and other property lost there in the year 1626’, died while carrying out this mission. In reward for this service his son Gonçalo de Freitas was given the commandery of Santa Maria de Lisboa in the Order of Christ.

João de Freitas da Silva, a member of the same family, raised on this island in 1631 a company of 100 men, paid at his own expense, and went with it to fight in Pernambuco, where he was killed by the Dutch.

Diogo Cabral served with distinction in the East and was appointed by the king captain of the fleet intended to discover the Island of Gold, an enterprise that never took place because of the obstacles raised by the governor of India, Martim Afonso de Sousa. Lopo Mendes de Vasconcelos fought valiantly in India, having gone out to that state as captain of a carrack in the fleet commanded by Vasco da Gama, whose brother-in-law he was. This Madeiran returned to Asia once more as captain of a carrack.

Manuel de Vasconcelos, son of the above, was called ‘the one of India’ for his long service there, and was captain of the Moluccas and of Cannanore. He was the husband of the celebrated heroine Isabel da Veiga, who won such fame at the siege of Diu and whom all the chroniclers of our campaigns in Asia praise in the highest terms. Because she was married to a Madeiran, some have taken her for a native of this island, but she was born in mainland Portugal, of an illustrious family.

Manuel de Vasconcelos, of the same family, went out to India in 1613 as captain of a carrack, together with six sons, all of whom gave proof of great valour. As a result the eldest, António Mendes de Vasconcelos, received a commandery of the Order of Christ, which on his death passed to his brother Luís Mendes de Vasconcelos, commander of the fortress of Bassein. Another son of Manuel de Vasconcelos, named André de Vasconcelos, died heroically in the naval battle in the sea of Hormuz.

António Mialheiro, or Malheiro, took part in the capture of Azemmour as captain-major of four caravels and rendered notable services there. He was later governor of the castle of São Jorge da Mina.

Rui Dias de Aguiar the Elder died in the fortress of Cabo de Gué, in Africa, after valiantly defending it as its captain; a son of his of the same name also distinguished himself there.

Pedro Afonso de Aguiar, brother of the above, was chief outfitter of the fleets of the Kingdom (reino, i.e. mainland Portugal), superintendent (provedor) of the storehouses and commander of the Order of Christ. He went out to India as captain of a carrack in the armada of Lopo Soares, was with him at the destruction of Cranganore, and served as captain-major of the Southern Sea in the East. Later he was with Jaime, Duke of Braganza, at the conquest of Azemmour in Africa, where he was placed in charge of naval operations, in which he was highly skilled.

Luís de Noronha and João Fogaça de Eça, sons of Pedro Gonçalves da Câmara and Dona Joana de Eça, chief lady of the bedchamber to Queen Catherine, were the two captains of the fleet that, by order of the captain-donatary of Funchal, Simão Gonçalves da Câmara, sailed from this island to relieve the fortress of Santa Cruz at Cabo de Gué, in Africa, where they distinguished themselves by their valour and courage.

João Fernandes de Andrade, to whom we have already referred elsewhere (volume I, page 66), and his sons, born on this island, served valiantly in Africa, for which King John granted them their own coat of arms with the surname Arco. They were descendants of the Andrades of Galicia, Counts of Vilhalva. A son of João Fernandes de Andrade was Francisco de Andrade, who fought heroically in Morocco and who, having killed an ounce there, presented its skin to King Manuel I, who greatly prized it.

António Correia, whom his contemporaries called ‘the Great’, distinguished himself remarkably on many occasions in Africa and Asia, performing deeds of the utmost valour with the greatest selflessness and self-denial. He not only spent a considerable part of his fortune but also refused any reward for his services. For many years his descendants kept several letters that various monarchs had addressed to him, praising his valiant deeds and thanking him for the services he had selflessly rendered to his king and his country. Many years after his death, his great-grandson António Correia Henriques had restored to him the letter of nobility and the noble rank (foro de fidalgo) that António Correia had held in recognition of the great services he had rendered. His descendants Jorge Correia Betencourt, João Correia Betencourt and especially Gaspar Correia Betencourt also fought valiantly in Africa. The last of these was killed in Funchal in 1566, defending the city during the sack by French corsairs.

Manuel de Freitas Drumond was a great soldier in India, in the words of one chronicler, and was knighted at Mombasa during the siege laid to that city.

Lopo de Arouguia rendered great services in India and was appointed governor of the fortress of Daman.

Simão de Atouguia distinguished himself remarkably at Tangier, for which he was granted the commandery of São Pedro do Sul in the Order of Christ.

João de Betencourt de Vasconcelos went to India as captain of a carrack and there gave proof of great valour, holding various offices.

Matias de Andrade and his brother Manuel de Andrade Correia became well known in the Portuguese East for the posts they held and the acts of bravery they performed there.

Henrique Moniz de Meneses was awarded the Commandery of São Cosme in the Order of Christ in recognition of the outstanding services he rendered in Africa. His sons Vasco and Pedro Moniz also distinguished themselves in various campaigns; they drowned on the voyage they made to Maranhão in the fleet of Dom Luís de Melo, in the third quarter of the 16th century.

Tristão Teixeira, grandson of the first donatary (donatário) of Machico, distinguished himself so remarkably as a warrior in India that he was known as ‘the Reckless’.

Rafael Catanho, with whom several chroniclers deal, was famed as a great soldier in the lands of the East and went to India as captain of a carrack.

António de Andrade Couto was, says an old document, a famous captain in battles against the Persians, distinguished by the daring and composure with which he fought.

Belchior Berenguer was a brave and fearless soldier whose feats include having defeated in single combat ‘a proud Moor of great strength’.

Fernão Lopes de Freitas, of the Freitas family of Madalena (‘Magdalene’), served with distinction in India and then became alcaide-mor (royal governor of a castle and town) of Tangier, an office that passed down to his descendants.

Gaspar Vilela, says an old manuscript, was born in Ribeira Brava (‘wild river’) and was a valiant knight in the fortress of Cape Gué. When Safim was attacked and the Moors killed the captain and the adail of that stronghold, Gaspar Vilela took part in the expedition sent to relieve it, maintaining a number of men at his own expense. He remained there for some months, performing deeds of valour. He also accompanied the Infante Dom Luís on the expedition to Tunis.

António Espinola fought as a volunteer in India and was captain of a carrack at the taking of Mangalore, where he behaved like a hero.

Mem de Ornelas e Vasconcelos died at Chaul, where he distinguished himself as captain of a company. He had served in India for many years, always at his own expense and with great selflessness.

João de Ornelas de Vasconcelos, a close relative of the preceding, served for a long time in Morocco and became known for his acts of bravery at the taking of Safim and Azamor.

Francisco Figueiroa raised a terço on this island and served as its mestre de campo (colonel commanding a terço), taking it to fight in the wars against the Dutch in Brazil; he was one of the restorers of Pernambuco. He was later governor-general of the Cape Verde archipelago.

Manuel Dias de Andrade took part in the recapture of Bahia as captain of a carrack, and fought many times, with great heroism, in various fleets against the Turks and the Dutch. He died in Cape Verde while sailing in the fleet of Francisco de Melo to join the forces that were to attempt the recovery of Pernambuco.

António de Freitas da Silva served in the army that recaptured Bahia and was a fearless captain in the Pernambuco wars. He later distinguished himself in the campaigns of the Restoration against Spain, serving as military governor of Trás-os-Montes and as captain-major (capitão-mor, commander of the local militia) of a fleet.

João de Freitas da Silva, a relative of the preceding, raised a company of a hundred men on this island at his own expense and went to fight in the Pernambuco wars, where he distinguished himself and where he died at the hands of the Dutch.

Around the middle of the 17th century Francisco de Betencourt e Sá, after fighting heroically in Brazil, organised a terço in Madeira and went to serve in the wars of Flanders.

Diogo Vaz da Veiga, brother of Tristão Vaz da Veiga, spent two years in Asilah, says Gaspar Frutuoso, and afterwards served in various fleets, on several occasions as captain of a galley, ‘meeting with good fortune’. He died after being elected captain of Tangier.

Tristão de França, a knight of the Order of Christ and a nobleman of the Royal Household (fidalgo da Casa Real), distinguished himself valiantly in the wars in Brazil, serving as captain of sea and war in the fleet in which António Teles de Meneses was general.

Francisco de França Barbosa, brother of the preceding, held the rank of captain of sea and war and later that of mestre de campo in Entre Douro e Minho, a province he governed during the wars of Restoration, in which he distinguished himself notably; the Count of Ericeira speaks of him in the most laudatory terms in Portugal Restaurado. Luís Telo de Meneses, a captain of infantry, died heroically at the battle of Montijo, one of the engagements in which Portuguese troops showed the greatest valour in the wars of Restoration.

Lúcio Betencourt de Vasconcelos was one of the brave soldiers of the wars of Restoration, in which he held the rank of captain of infantry.

Cristóvão de Ornelas de Abreu also served in the Restoration campaigns, in which he distinguished himself, and was later governor of the new colony of Buenos Aires.

Zenobio Acciaioli fought valiantly in the Pernambuco wars, where he was mestre de campo, winning fame as a doughty knight. João Baptista Acciaioli, his brother, likewise distinguished himself in the Pernambuco campaigns after the restoration of Portugal.

Francisco de Berenguer de Andrade, father-in-law of the illustrious João Fernandes Vieira, was one of the first to take part in the fighting that preceded the recovery of Pernambuco, showing remarkable intrepidity. António de Andrade Berenguer, Francisco Berenguer, Manuel Dias de Andrade and Agostinho César Berenguer, brothers-in-law of Fernandes Vieira, greatly distinguished themselves in the wars in Brazil and in those of the Restoration, but they were all born in Bahia.

Félix Ferreira served with dauntless courage in several engagements, and it is said that it was chiefly thanks to his bravery that most of the Portuguese were saved from the fleet that was wrecked off the coast of France in 1626.

Lourenço da Veiga, brother of Tristão Vaz da Veiga, of whom the Saudades say: ‘As a young man he served for some time in Asilah and in Tangier, where he was wounded. He sailed in several fleets as a soldier, and was captain-major of a squadron that hunted down a corsair and of others that went to Mina and to the Azores.’

We have dealt elsewhere in this work with the Madeirans João Fernandes Vieira and António de Abreu, and we have also sketched brief biographical notes on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th donataries of Funchal, setting out the most important services they rendered to the country.