Mem de Sá he was one of the most important governors general during the colonial period, so he administered the colony for fifteen years (1558 to 1572).
Biography
Mem de Sá was born in Coimbra, Portugal, around 1500. A descendant of a Portuguese noble family, he studied Law at the University of Salamanca (Spain), graduating in 1528. He held the profession of judge and several political positions, from governor of Agravos and colonial administrator, governor general for fifteen years in Brazil, a position designated by Queen Catarina, wife of Dom João III. He died in Salvador on March 2, 1572.
Government of Mem de Sá
During the colonial period the system of hereditary captaincies , imposed by D. João III to populate the lands in Brazil and thus, prevent the invasion of foreigners, was a scheme that failed.
Thus, the Crown decided to implement in 1548 another system, more centralized, which became known as General Government . The aim was to administer the country and centralize political power, which was in the hands of the donataries , nobles to whom captaincies were granted with the central objective of administering and populating the colony.
Note that the governors general had full power over the colony, under the Crown of Portugal. Mem de Sá was thethird governor general of Brazil , after the government of Tomé de Sousa (1549 to 1553) and by Duarte da Costa (1553 to 1558).
Thus, Mem de Sá arrived in Brazil on December 28, 1557 and, when he came to power, in 1558, he had to solve problems of the other government, which suffered from foreign invasions, especially from the French who allied with indigenous tribes to conquer the lands of the Portuguese. He remained in office until 1572, the year of his death.
During the fifteen years of government, Mem de Sá, with a pacifying spirit and an excellent administrator, carried out important actions in the colony, such as the heating of the economy, based on sugar production; the expulsion of the French, facing several revolts and in one of them he lost his son, Fernão de Sá, in the Cricaré Revolt, which took place in the Captaincy of Espírito Santo, against the Botocudo Indians.
Another relevant event that took place during his government was the founding of the city of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro , in 1565, alongside his nephew Estácio de Sá. The foundation of the city was important as it served as a base of operations during the conflicts between the Portuguese and the French, enabling the expulsion of the invaders.
Finally, in addition to having managed to definitively expel the invading French, in 1560, in Guanabara Bay, with an attack on the Coligny fort, Mem de Sá managed to conciliate Portuguese, settlers and some Indians. He participated in the Confederation of Tamoios , in the Captaincy of São Vicente, next to the Jesuits Manuel da Nóbrega and José Anchieta defeating the Indians.
Among other actions, he stimulated the trafficking of black Africans, fought against the slavery of indigenous people who were already catechized by the Jesuits, fought anthropophagy and established relations with the Bishopric, which had been unstructured since the previous government.
After the governor's death, the country was divided into two poles:north (capital Salvador) and south (capital Rio de Janeiro). In the Captaincy of the Bay of Todos os Santos, in the name of the Portuguese Crown, the first capital of the country was founded, based in Salvador.
To learn more:Colonial Brazil, Hereditary Captaincies and General Government
Curiosity
- Mem de Sá was the brother of the Portuguese poet, introducer of the sonnet, Sá de Miranda.