Câmara (Francisco Gonçalves da)

He was the natural son of the third captain-donor of Funchal, Simão Gonçalves da Câmara. In the absence of his nephew and fifth governor of this island, Simão Gonçalves da Câmara, who resided in the court for most of the time, Francisco Gonçalves da Câmara governed the captaincy, leaving his name linked to the weak defense and resistance he opposed to the attack of the French on this island in the year 1566. The author of 'Saudades da Terra' refers to him in the following laudatory terms: 'He was a very cunning man in all his war exercises, very temperate, of great virtue, and not very delicate: he was raised in harshness, outside the delights of his brothers, for which reason he is a sufferer of toils, and a very valiant knight, as he showed in the entry of the French into the city of Funchal, where, serving as Captain General (as he served and now serves), in the absence, and later due to the death of his nephew, he honorably wounded the French captain Viscount de Pompador, at the entrance of the Fortress, where he showed the spirit of a valiant captain; and for this, the king granted him the habit with a certain annuity, and exempted him from paying the fifth and tithe of his estate for another year, which he owned a good part of in the term of Funchal, with sugars and wines.' The erudite annotator of 'Saudades' does not share the opinion of Gaspar Frutuoso, affirming that Francisco Gonçalves da Câmara, 'who was in charge of the government of the island of Madeira, instead of attacking, did not even know how to defend it from the aggressors: there was barely, at the entrance of the city of Funchal and at the door of the fortress of São Lourenço, a conflict of desperate defense and some illustrious displays of individual valor, which redeemed the good name of Madeira...' The same annotator adds that there were 'rewards for the pusillanimous captain Francisco Gonçalves da Câmara, who, in the moment of danger, sought refuge among the women...' Francisco Gonçalves da Câmara was the owner of the estate, now called 'das Cruzes,' and lived there 'in large and sumptuous palaces,' according to Frutuoso.