Captaincy
Encyclopedia
A captaincy is a historical administrative division
of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empire
s. Each was governed by a captain general
.
, captaincies (capitanias, in the Portuguese
) were the administrative divisions and hereditary senhorios (seigneuries) of the Portuguese state in some of its former colonies.
Before the discovery of Brazil
(1500), there were captaincies under the possession of the Portuguese in the Atlantic Ocean (Madeira
and the Azores Islands
) as well as in other islands and settlements along the African coast
.
The most important captaincies were to be found, however, in Terra de Santa Cruz, (Portuguese for Land of the Holy Cross). Each was given to a single captaincy general (capitão-mor, or capitão-donatário), who was a Portuguese who might or might not be noble. They consisted of large, geometrically straight strips of land, running along parallel lines to the Equator
and going from the coast to the Tordesilhas Line created by King John III of Portugal
in a treaty with Spain in 1534.
All but two failed, according to initial expectations. The Captaincy of Pernambuco
thrived thanks to the sugarcane
harvest, and thus formed the basis for the Viceroyalty of Grão-Pará
. The Captaincy of São Vicente obtained success through the exploration of the hinterland known as bandeiras
, and was the main foundation of the Viceroyalty of Brazil
(which would later become the province of São Paulo
).
) were military and administrative divisions in colonial Spanish America and the Spanish Philippines, established in areas under risk of foreign invasion or Indian attack. They could consist of just one province, or group several together. These captaincies general should be distinguished from the ones given to almost all of the conquistadores, which was based on an older tradition. During the Reconquista
, the term "captain general" and similar ones had been used for the official in charge of all the troops in a given district. This office was transferred to America during the conquest
and was usually granted along with the hereditary governorship to the adelantado
in the patent issued by the Crown. This established a precedent that was recognized by the New Laws of 1542
, but ultimately the crown eliminated all hereditary governorships in its overseas possessions.
With the establishment of appointed governors, who served only a for a few years, captaincies were created in the areas where the crown deemed them necessary. The new captaincies general were governed by what was also called a captain general, and it is this title alone that is usually used by historians. However, in practice this was a person who held two distinct offices: one military, which granted him command of the regional forces (the "captaincy general" proper), and another civilian, which included the presidency of the audiencia, if there was one in the provincial capital, (the governorship). The specific powers of any governor-captain general varied by time and place and were specified in the decrees establishing the captaincy general. The institution of the captaincy general predated the viceroyalty
, but was incorporated into the latter when the viceroyalties were established in the mid-16th century.
Some captaincies general, such as Guatemala, Chile and Venezuela were eventually split off from their viceroyalties for better-administration purposes. Although under the nominal jurisdiction of their viceroys, governors-captains general were virtually independent, because the law granted them special military functions and given the considerable distance of their districts from the viceregal capital, they were authorized to deal directly with the King and the Council of the Indies, in Madrid
. The institution was later revived as part of the Bourbon Reforms
. Captaincies general were first introduced into Spain beginning in 1713 during the War of the Spanish Succession
. After the losses of the Seven Years' War
, the Bourbon kings established new ones in many American regions, which had not had them before. Along with the new governors-captains general, the Bourbons introduced the Intendant
, to handle civilian and military expenses.
Administrative division
An administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...
of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empire
Colonial empire
The Colonial empires were a product of the European Age of Exploration that began with a race of exploration between the then most advanced maritime powers, Portugal and Spain, in the 15th century...
s. Each was governed by a captain general
Captain General
Captain general is a high military rank and a gubernatorial title.-History:This term Captain General started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of commander in chief of an army in the field, probably the first usage of the term General in military settings...
.
In the Portuguese Empire
In the Portuguese EmpirePortuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
, captaincies (capitanias, in the Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
) were the administrative divisions and hereditary senhorios (seigneuries) of the Portuguese state in some of its former colonies.
Before the discovery of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(1500), there were captaincies under the possession of the Portuguese in the Atlantic Ocean (Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
and the Azores Islands
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
) as well as in other islands and settlements along the African coast
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
The most important captaincies were to be found, however, in Terra de Santa Cruz, (Portuguese for Land of the Holy Cross). Each was given to a single captaincy general (capitão-mor, or capitão-donatário), who was a Portuguese who might or might not be noble. They consisted of large, geometrically straight strips of land, running along parallel lines to the Equator
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
and going from the coast to the Tordesilhas Line created by King John III of Portugal
John III of Portugal
John III , nicknamed o Piedoso , was the fifteenth King of Portugal and the Algarves. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the third daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile...
in a treaty with Spain in 1534.
Captaincies of Brazil
The captaincies in Brazil were initially fifteen in total and were granted to twelve donatários:| Captaincy | Donatário |
|---|---|
| Captaincy of Maranhão | Fernão Aires and João de Barros |
| Captaincy of Ceará | Antônio Cardoso de Barros |
| Captaincy of Rio Grande | João de Barros / Aires da Cunha |
| Captaincy of Itamaracá | Pero Lopes de Sousa |
| Captaincy of Pernambuco Captaincy of Pernambuco The captaincy of Pernambuco was one of the subdivisions of Brazil during the colonial period. At the time of the Independence of Brazil it had become a province and, after the Proclamation of the Republic of Brazil, with the promulgation of the Brazilian Constitution of 1891, it became the "state... |
Duarte Coelho Pereira Duarte Coelho Pereira Duarte Coelho was a nobleman, military leader, and Portuguese colonial administrator. He was the first grantee of the captaincy of Pernambuco and founder of Olinda.- Biography :... |
| Captaincy of Bahia | Francisco Pereira Coutinho |
| Captaincy of Ilhéus | Jorge de Figueiredo Correia |
| Captaincy of Porto Seguro | Pero Campos de Tourinho |
| Captaincy of Espírito Santo | Vasco Fernandes Coutinho |
| Captaincy of São Tomé | Pero de Góis da Silveira |
| Captaincy of São Vicente – 1st section (from Parati to Cabo Frio Cabo Frio Cabo Frio is a Brazilian municipality in Rio de Janeiro state, founded by the Portuguese on November 13, 1615.The city's economy is mainly based on tourism, as most of the cities situated in the called Região dos Lagos . The city is usually visited by people from Minas Gerais, Brasília and Rio de... ) |
Martim Afonso de Sousa Martim Afonso de Sousa Martim Afonso de Sousa was a Portuguese fidalgo and explorer.Born in Vila Viçosa, he was commander of the first official Portuguese expedition into mainland Brazil... |
| Captaincy of Santo Amaro (from Bertioga Bertioga Bertioga is a Brazilian town of the state of São Paulo in the Baixada Santista. The population in 2004 was 35,759. However, because it neighbors resort towns, its population fluctuates greatly with the seasons. The population density is 72.68/km² and it has an area of 492 km². The more... to Parati) |
Pero Lopes de Sousa |
| Captaincy of São Vicente – 2nd section (from Cananéia Cananéia Cananéia is the southernmost city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, near to where the Tordesilhas Line passed. The population in 2008 was 12,377 and the area is 1,242.010 km². The elevation is 8 m. The city of Cananéia is host to the Dr. João de Paiva Carvalho research base belonging to the... to Bertioga Bertioga Bertioga is a Brazilian town of the state of São Paulo in the Baixada Santista. The population in 2004 was 35,759. However, because it neighbors resort towns, its population fluctuates greatly with the seasons. The population density is 72.68/km² and it has an area of 492 km². The more... ) |
Martim Afonso de Sousa Martim Afonso de Sousa Martim Afonso de Sousa was a Portuguese fidalgo and explorer.Born in Vila Viçosa, he was commander of the first official Portuguese expedition into mainland Brazil... |
| Captaincy of Santana (from Cananéia Cananéia Cananéia is the southernmost city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, near to where the Tordesilhas Line passed. The population in 2008 was 12,377 and the area is 1,242.010 km². The elevation is 8 m. The city of Cananéia is host to the Dr. João de Paiva Carvalho research base belonging to the... to Laguna Laguna, Santa Catarina Laguna is a Brazilian city located in the southern state of Santa Catarina, 120 kilometers south of the state's capital, Florianópolis, and north east of Porto Alegre. Its coordinates are 28.48/28°28'57" S and the longitude is 48.779/48°46'51" W. In 2004, the population was 48,956 and the area was... ) |
Pero Lopes de Sousa |
All but two failed, according to initial expectations. The Captaincy of Pernambuco
Captaincy of Pernambuco
The captaincy of Pernambuco was one of the subdivisions of Brazil during the colonial period. At the time of the Independence of Brazil it had become a province and, after the Proclamation of the Republic of Brazil, with the promulgation of the Brazilian Constitution of 1891, it became the "state...
thrived thanks to the sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
harvest, and thus formed the basis for the Viceroyalty of Grão-Pará
Grão-Pará
The vice-kingdom of Grão-Pará was one of the two Portuguese vice-kingdoms in South America, corresponding to today's North Brazil. Its capital city was Belém do Pará....
. The Captaincy of São Vicente obtained success through the exploration of the hinterland known as bandeiras
Bandeirantes
The bandeirantes were composed of Indians , caboclos , and some whites who were the captains of the Bandeiras. Members of the 16th–18th century South American slave-hunting expeditions called bandeiras...
, and was the main foundation of the Viceroyalty of Brazil
Viceroyalty of Brazil
The Viceroyalty of Brazil was the implementation of Portuguese viceroyalty in Brazil. It was restricted to the current South, Center-West and Southeastern regions of Brazil, mainly as a result of expansionism from the Capitania de São Vicente, the current state of São Paulo, which then sought to...
(which would later become the province of São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
).
In the Spanish Empire
Captaincies (capitanías, in SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
) were military and administrative divisions in colonial Spanish America and the Spanish Philippines, established in areas under risk of foreign invasion or Indian attack. They could consist of just one province, or group several together. These captaincies general should be distinguished from the ones given to almost all of the conquistadores, which was based on an older tradition. During the Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
, the term "captain general" and similar ones had been used for the official in charge of all the troops in a given district. This office was transferred to America during the conquest
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
and was usually granted along with the hereditary governorship to the adelantado
Adelantado
Adelantado was a military title held by some Spanish conquistadores of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries.Adelantados were granted directly by the Monarch the right to become governors and justices of a specific region, which they charged with conquering, in exchange for funding and organizing the...
in the patent issued by the Crown. This established a precedent that was recognized by the New Laws of 1542
New Laws
The New Laws, in Spanish Leyes Nuevas, issued November 20, 1542 by King Charles V of Spain regarding the Spanish colonization of the Americas, are also known as the "New Laws of the Indies for the Good Treatment and Preservation of the Indians", and were created to prevent the exploitation of the...
, but ultimately the crown eliminated all hereditary governorships in its overseas possessions.
With the establishment of appointed governors, who served only a for a few years, captaincies were created in the areas where the crown deemed them necessary. The new captaincies general were governed by what was also called a captain general, and it is this title alone that is usually used by historians. However, in practice this was a person who held two distinct offices: one military, which granted him command of the regional forces (the "captaincy general" proper), and another civilian, which included the presidency of the audiencia, if there was one in the provincial capital, (the governorship). The specific powers of any governor-captain general varied by time and place and were specified in the decrees establishing the captaincy general. The institution of the captaincy general predated the viceroyalty
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
, but was incorporated into the latter when the viceroyalties were established in the mid-16th century.
Some captaincies general, such as Guatemala, Chile and Venezuela were eventually split off from their viceroyalties for better-administration purposes. Although under the nominal jurisdiction of their viceroys, governors-captains general were virtually independent, because the law granted them special military functions and given the considerable distance of their districts from the viceregal capital, they were authorized to deal directly with the King and the Council of the Indies, in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. The institution was later revived as part of the Bourbon Reforms
Bourbon Reforms
The Bourbon Reforms were a set of economic and political legislation introduced by the Spanish Crown under various kings of the House of Bourbon throughout the 18th century. The reforms were intended to stimulate manufacturing and technology in order to modernize Spain...
. Captaincies general were first introduced into Spain beginning in 1713 during the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
. After the losses of the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, the Bourbon kings established new ones in many American regions, which had not had them before. Along with the new governors-captains general, the Bourbons introduced the Intendant
Intendant
The title of intendant has been used in several countries through history. Traditionally, it refers to the holder of a public administrative office...
, to handle civilian and military expenses.
Spanish Captaincies
- Puerto RicoCaptaincy General of Puerto RicoThe Captaincy General of Puerto Rico was an administrative district of the Spanish Empire, created in 1580 to provide better military management of the island of Puerto Rico, previously under the direct rule of a simple governor and the jurisdiction of Audiencia of Santo Domingo...
(1580). - New Spain (1524), elevated to Viceroyalty of New Spain in 1535.
- Peru (1528), elevated to a Viceroyalty of PeruViceroyalty of PeruCreated in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled South America, governed from the capital of Lima...
in 1542. - Santo Domingo (1540)
- Chile (1541), due the War of Arauco. Originally part of the Viceroyalty of PeruViceroyalty of PeruCreated in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled South America, governed from the capital of Lima...
, it split off in 1789 as a captaincy general. - GuatemalaCaptaincy General of GuatemalaThe Captaincy General of Guatemala , also known as the Kingdom of Guatemala , was an administrative division in Spanish America which covered much of Central America, including what are now the nations of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas...
(1560), raised to captaincy general in 1609. - YucatánCaptaincy General of YucatánThe Captaincy General of Yucatán was an administrative district of colonial Spain, created in 1617 to provide more autonomy for the Yucatán Peninsula, previously ruled directly by a simple governor under the jurisdiction of Audiencia of Mexico...
(1564), which included CampecheCampecheCampeche is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Located in Southeast Mexico, it is bordered by the states of Yucatán to the north east, Quintana Roo to the east, and Tabasco to the south west...
and Quintana RooQuintana RooQuintana Roo officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Quintana Roo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 10 municipalities and its capital city is Chetumal....
, besides Yucatán StateYucatánYucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
proper. An IntendancyIntendantThe title of intendant has been used in several countries through history. Traditionally, it refers to the holder of a public administrative office...
was added in 1786. - PhilippinesCaptaincy General of the PhilippinesThe Captaincy General of the Philippines was an administrative district of the Spanish Empire. The Captaincy General encompassed the modern country of the Philippines and associated Spanish Pacific possessions...
(1565) - New Granada (1563), which became Viceroyalty of New GranadaViceroyalty of New GranadaThe Viceroyalty of New Granada was the name given on 27 May 1717, to a Spanish colonial jurisdiction in northern South America, corresponding mainly to modern Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. The territory corresponding to Panama was incorporated later in 1739...
in 1717. - CubaCaptaincy General of CubaThe Captaincy General of Cuba was an administrative district of the Spanish Empire created in 1607 as part of Habsburg Spain's attempt better to defend the Caribbean against foreign powers, which also involved creating captaincies general in Puerto Rico, Guatemala and Yucatán. The restructuring of...
(1764), a captaincy general which included the Louisiana TerritoryLouisiana (New Spain)Louisiana was the name of an administrative district of the Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1764 to 1803 that represented territory west of the Mississippi River basin, plus New Orleans...
acquired from France in 1763 and FloridaSpanish FloridaSpanish Florida refers to the Spanish territory of Florida, which formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, and the Spanish Empire. Originally extending over what is now the southeastern United States, but with no defined boundaries, la Florida was a component of...
after 1784. Cuba was split off from New Spain upon the latter's independence as MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. - VenezuelaCaptaincy General of VenezuelaThe Captaincy General of Venezuela was an administrative district of colonial Spain, created in 1777 to provide more autonomy for the provinces of Venezuela, previously under the jurisdiction of the Viceroyalty of New Granada and the Audiencia of Santo Domingo...
(1777), a captaincy general split off from the Viceroyalty of New GranadaViceroyalty of New GranadaThe Viceroyalty of New Granada was the name given on 27 May 1717, to a Spanish colonial jurisdiction in northern South America, corresponding mainly to modern Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. The territory corresponding to Panama was incorporated later in 1739...
. - Commandancy General of the Provincias InternasCommandancy General of the Provincias InternasThe Provincias Internas or Commandancy General of the Internal Provinces of the North was a colonial, administrative district of the Spanish Empire, created in 1776 to provide more autonomy for the frontier provinces in the Viceroyalty of New Spain, present day northern Mexico and southwestern...
(1776), analogous to a fully autonomous captaincy general, but financially dependent on New Spain.