The French in Brazil (Part 2)

France Antarcticque
Disgusted with France, Vice Admiral Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon - famous in Europe and considered a man of action and notable commander of the Navy - idealized looking in the New World Brazil and found France Antarctica.
He tried to organize a military expedition that would not come only to explore Brazil, but to stay. He submitted the idea to Admiral Gaspard de Châtillon, Count of Coligny, Calvinist and head of the Huguenot party who had a reputation with Henry II. Coligny's idea was to reserve to the Calvinists a refuge in the New World, for religious fanaticism was radical in Europe.
Coligny got permission from King Henry II for the project. Villegaignon, too, resorted to the good offices of the Bishop of Lorraine - of whom he was a close friend - for the King of France to overcome the difficulties. He did so as a Catholic and a member of the Order of Malta.
Villegaignon received two large ships, artillery and ammunition for all weapons and tools for the construction and defense of a fort, plus the subsidy of ten thousand pounds tornesas and the promise of the title of viceroy of the lands that conquered.
The difficulty in recruiting seamen and settlers was great, forcing him to lower the initial moral level. He mobilized settlers in the prisons of Paris, Rouen, and other cities. Only in this way was he able to gather enough men of all ages, conditions, personalities, and beliefs.
The expedition consisted exclusively of 600 men and no women, and left the port of Le Havre, arriving at Guanabara on November 10, 1555. It settled on a cliff at the entrance of the bar, which they called Ratier and that was artilled (current Laje Fort). Then there was the transfer to the island of Seregipe (Serijipe) more to the Interior of the bay. The fort erected there was named Coligny (present Naval School).
Soon, the alliance with the Tons was solidified, thanks to the French who had already been there. The news in France of the arrival of the expedition to Brazil excited the ship-owners. Traders sought the port of Rio de Janeiro, with the protection of a military post under the French flag. They formed villages, traded all along the coast, and made trips through the interior. Those who deserted the island extended the conquest of the land.
On March 7, 1557, Villegaignon and Coligny arrived at Guanabara, reinforcing the squadron of three ships, shot with 18 pieces, called Grande Roberge, Petite Roberge and Rosée. The nephew of Villegaignon, Commander Bois-le-Conte, commanded her. The troops were 200 men. Calvinist gentlemen, artisans, and missionaries came from the Protestant church in Geneva. Among them, Jean de Lery, who became the chronicler of the expedition, when he published "Histoire d'un Voyage fait en terre du Brésil" - La Rochelle, 1578. This 2nd Expedition - was more military than colonizing.
It was then that the new Governor - General, Mem de Sá, thus came to find the Portuguese colony in 1557.
Mem de Sá in the General Government - Difficult the situation of the colony at the end of 1557, when the 3rd Governor-General, Mem de Sa, arrived in Brazil. His choice was based on the concept and prestige he enjoyed on the motherland, where he was considered a resolute man, with a strong and sure pulse, and a high moral value.
The repercussion in the Metropolis, with the fixation of the French in Rio de Janeiro, in the bay of Guanabara, and the inability demonstrated by Duarte da Costa to expel them, were demanding an odd figure, the carat of Mem de Sá. The latter, after his appointment, sought to ascertain the situation of the distant colony, and found from the information obtained that the French sea forces were appreciable in Brazil; that there was a need for great prudence in the offensive to be unleashed against Fort Coligny in order to preserve the meager human and material resources available to the Portuguese; which made it imperative to have strong naval power and a considerable contingent of ground troops for the success of the enterprise. All this was clear in comparison with what Villegaignon, the French commander and chief, had, well-armed, well-armed people, who still had great facility in receiving reinforcements, since his company contained enormous French commercial interests, especially the relative ones to Brazil wood
Mem de Sa arrived in Brazil at the end of 1557. Soon after assuming the government, he founded in the captaincy of the Holy Spirit an earthly base capable of supplying the necessary closed support to the operations and of preventing the expansion of the French to the north, them easy access to the capital of the colony - Salvador - administrative headquarters. Hence he intended to whip them frequently, while mounting a major and decisive incursion.
The mistakes of the previous administration and the effects of the French occupation had made living conditions in the colony difficult. He corrected errors and abuses, ordered the financial life and ended with gambling, theft, loitering and other plagues. His firm hand and sense of justice created the minimum conditions for what was important: the expulsion of the French invader. Equally serious and problematic, colonist and gentile relations. Obeying his conscience and religious sentiments, faithful to his conception of the future society, and counting on the precious collaboration of the Church, represented by the Jesuits, with whom he took measures to curb abuses.
It lowered acts tending to end the anthropophagic, and fight between the Indians and between these and settlers. The Allied Indians were gathered in reductions - large villages - and their catechesis intensified. With energy, he punished the offenders, whether settlers or foresters, thereby demonstrating absolute equity in the relations of authority with the two races. He further ordered that the slaves being held by the settlers be released.
The struggle to get the house in order developed throughout the colony. He lost his son Fernão de Sá when he was in charge of the expedition to fight the Indians of Espírito Santo. Even the Governor, in command of expeditions, came where his presence was necessary, causing astonishment to the Aborigines themselves. The vanquished were plunged into the backlands, fleeing and asking for peace, submitting themselves to the orders of authority. In just over a year, the situation had changed. Mem de Sá, besides the tests of courage, had demonstrated a high spirit of humanity and political wisdom, not only protecting the Gentile, entrusting it to the Jesuits, but seeking to awaken in them the feeling of family and prosperity and the notion of right. He tried to integrate them into the new society, entrusting them with positions in administration and justice. He associated the authority force with the word of the missionary. Also of importance were his arrangements as an administrator. He increased agricultural production, finished building the Piraja sugar mill, started by Duarte da Costa, which greatly favored poor farmers. Much more has been done for the benefit of the land. Ordered home, she turned to the great task of her government: the expulsion of the French invaders from the bay of Guanabara. It was unveiled in the organization and training of its troops, constituted of Portuguese settlers and allied Indians, these in greater number. And he began to wait for reinforcements from Europe.
The French in Maranhão 1612 -1615

Having undone the dream of Antarctica, the French did not give up the idea of establishing a colony in Brazil. The goal was now Maranhão, which remained uninhabited and unexplored by Portugal. There they would try to found France Equinocial, located near the equator.

The first idea to occupy Maranhão was the adventurer Jacques Riffault, who in 1594, animated by the good relations he had with the wild chief Uirapive, joined other adventurers and, with sufficient means, recruited and came to Brazil on three ships, landing in Maranhão. , far from the place of the initial objective, but decided to settle there as a starting point for other incursions along the Brazilian coast.

In Maranhão, the ambitions of the invaders. They felt the extraordinary proportions of the project if France sponsored. Jacques Riffault went to Europe, leaving Charles des Vaux in his place. After two years, without news, a new emissary sought the king of France. This one, interested in sharing the New Continent, gave the mission to Daniel de La Touche, lord of La Ravardière, to come to America to verify the information of Charles des Vaux.

Like the others, after six months in Maranhão, Ravardière, delighted with the region, returned to his homeland, not finding King Henry IV alive. But he received from the regent-queen, Maria de Medici, and his ministers, still effective patronage and the project officialization.

The French Invasion

In 1612, the expedition departed. La Ravardière obtained 3 ships and about 500 invaders, including soldiers, settlers, plus 4 Capuchin friars and, for the project, two noble financiers.

They left France on March 19. The winds brought the fleet to England. From there they arrived at the island of Fernando de Noronha, where they found 1 Portuguese and 17 Indians exiled from Pernambuco. They were incorporated to the expedition and taken to Maranhão, by order of La Ravardière.

On July 26, the squadron landed in front of the island called Santana. On August 6, 1612, they disembarked, received with many celebrations and demonstrations of joy on the part of the Indians and French.

The Ownership of Maranhão

The French invaders founded a fort they called St. Louis, in honor of Louis XIII, king of France. In the place, it is the Government Palace of Maranhão. The fort gave birth to the city of São Luís, the state capital. Around, houses, warehouses and church were built. Thus, it aimed its definitive establishment in Maranhão. The Indians became increasingly hostile to the Portuguese ruler. The invaders made reconnaissance trips, Indian language studies, geographic surveys and started the first plantations to supply the troops.

The conduct of the settlers was regulated. The death penalty was instituted and the Indians were given great protection against the abuses of the settlers. The priests began to penetrate the earth, in action of catechesis.

The Portuguese Reaction

The news of the invasion and fixation of the French in Maranhao came to Philip of Spain and Portugal, who ordered them to be expelled.

To command the reaction, Jerónimo de Albuquerque, a Brazilian mameluco, who knew the land where he was born and the Indians from whom he descended, was chosen.

The Portuguese organized themselves, recruited men and prepared ships, and accumulated arms and ammunition. In the absence of men, they emptied the prisons. They tried to get the Indians to sue.

Jerônimo de Albuquerque visited the villages and talked with the caciques. The Indians now did not want to fight, they tended the plantations, hunting and fishing. At the cost of a lot of skill and cunning, Jerome got them. He left Rio Grande do Norte for Maranhão. From Piauí, he sent a reconnaissance group in French positions on the north coast. While waiting, he founded a settlement in Camocim to strengthen Portuguese rule in the region.

Martim Soares Moreno, commanding the reconnaissance group, met the French in Maranhão. He received a lot of valuable information for the expedition. On his return, a violent storm took him to the Antilles, whence he followed to Spain.

Jerome de Albuquerque, considered him lost. He resolved to return to Pernambuco to confront the French in precarious logistical conditions. Before returning, he founded the fort of N. S. do Rosário, leaving 40 men. Knowing the news, the governor-general, Gaspar de Souza, sent the great connoisseur of Brazil to help Jerônimo, Diogo de Campos Moreno.

A new expedition was formed, with about 300 men. They joined the 200 Indians of Jerónimo de Albuquerque, going to Maranhão. The expeditionaries were organized on the beach of Guaxinduba. There they erected a fortification, which they called Santa Maria.

Indians began to appear at the behest of the French, and the first incidents occurred, as a result of which the Indians of the expedition were killed. The Portuguese rushed the fortification work, while they awaited promised reinforcements of Pernambuco, that did not arrive in time. Portuguese numerical inferiority was flagrant.

At dawn on November 19, 1614, the French attacked on the beach of Guaxinduba: A naval force accompanied by 50 Tupinamba canoes with 200 French and more than 2,000 Indians.

The attacker disembarked and approached. It was when Jerome went from defensive to impetuous attack. He gathered reserve troops, almost all of them Indians, and gave them the task of guarding the fort of Santa Maria. He decided to surround the French by land, while Diogo de Campos would attack those on the beach who were disembarking.

At that moment an emissary of the French arrived with a message from La Ravardière, summoning the Portuguese to surrender. Fearing a ruse, Diogo de Campos attacked, followed by Jerome. The Portuguese destroyed an enemy position; the French were discouraged. The low tide did not allow to receive reinforcements of the squadron based offshore. Those who were on shore could no longer return because their vessels were being burned by the Portuguese. In spite of the numerical inferiority, thanks to the courage of the Portuguese and the ability of Jerônimo Albuquerque, the French were defeated, with much greater losses, between dead and prisoners, in the day that would pass to History with the title of "The Miracle Day ". "Audentes fortuna iuvat" (Virg., Aeneid, X, 284) = Luck favors the audacious. There is also "Audaces fortuna iuvat" (adaptation).

They once again honored their military thinking stemming from their political ideal of dilating The Catholic Faith and the Empire: "Judge the just cause, ask for divine protection and act offensively, even in inferiority of means" (General Paula City).

The Portuguese awaited a new attack. The invaders did not give up! But they did not want to take risks! They resolved to negotiate peace with an honorable armistice.

The two rival leaders reached an agreement, suspending the hostilities for a year, while sending to each of the Cortes two emissaries, a Portuguese and a French, in search of new instructions.

The Portuguese government did not approve the armistice, according to news brought by Francisco Caldeira Castelo Branco.

Jerónimo de Albuquerque did not undo the agreement. Awaiting official note. This one arrived with General Alexandre de Moura, named Governor - General of the Navy and Conquest of Maranhão. Its purpose: to obtain from the French the unconditional surrender.

Upon arriving, General Alexandre de Moura summoned Jerônimo de Albuquerque, to whom he had read the letter of his general's patent. He was outraged at the lack of recognition for the services provided. It was stronger, however, in his angry heart, the feeling of love for the homeland and the fulfillment of duty. Bowing before his superior, he gave her command and continued to serve, with self-denial, the cause for which she had already sacrificed herself.

The Expulsion

On October 31, 1615, General Alexandre de Moura ordered the attack on the French. Jerônimo de Albuquerque began by surrounding, by land, the strong São Luiz. On November 1, Alexandre de Moura's fleet closed the siege by sea. He disembarked his troops at the point of San Francisco, near the São Luís fort, and there built a fortification of palo-a-pique, which he named São Francisco or Forte do Sardinha.

Intimidated to surrender, La Ravardière was subject to conditions. I promised to leave in 3 months. From Portugal arrived reinforcements and specific orders - not to pay indemnities, only allowing the French invaders to take their belongings. La Ravardiere surrendered the fort of St. Louis, and, while his men embarked for France, he asked to stay, for the sake of the land to which he had so much affection. Alexandre de Moura, meanwhile, took him to Pernambuco and from there to Lisbon, where he was shut down for three years in the Tower of Belém.

Jerônimo de Albuquerque, who at the time became Jerônimo de Albuquerque Maranhão, as the definitive affirmation of the conquest of the new land, was named chief captain of the Maranhão captaincy in recognition of the relevant services. Meanwhile, Francisco Caldeira Castelo Branco went north, with orders to found, 900 kilometers beyond, the captaincy of Pará. The first step was taken to conquer the Amazon. The north coast, until then left to its own fate, was known and in the final possession of the Portuguese. He participated in the struggle for the expulsion of the French from Maranhão, later Captain Pedro Teixeira, the conqueror of the Amazon and who had participated in the founding Expedition of Belém on January 12, 1616, from where he was sent by land from Belém to São Luiz, to explore a land route to ensure mutual military ground support between the two militare bases of Belém and São Luiz (the road where the Belém-São Luiz highway runs today with his name). From 1616 to 1631, for 15 years, he commanded guerrilla-type military operations to destroy the English, Irish and Dutch factories and fortifications established in the Estuary and Lower Amazon. Then, from 1637 - 39, he made his great and immortal epic - the conquest of the Brazilian Amazon to Portugal, in the name of the common king of Spain and Portugal. As we discussed in "The Conquest of the Amazon" - Rio de Janeiro: DNER, 1974.

For two years, now with the help of the Indians, Jerônimo de Albuquerque Maranhão ruled the captaincy of Maranhão. It was the fair reward of his bravery, effort, warrior ability, and ability to lead.

The French concentrated their efforts on the north bank of the Amazon River. The Portuguese could, by reason of this struggle, definitively occupy the northern coast of Brazil and found Belém, the starting point for the dominion of the Estuary and Lower Amazon and conquest of the current Brazilian Amazon.