Duarte de Menezes
Encyclopedia
Dom
Duarte de Menezes (before 1488 - after 1539), was a 16th C. Portuguese
nobleman and colonial officer, governor of Tangier
from 1508 to 1521 and 1536 to 1539 and governor of Portuguese India
from 1522 to 1524.
, and his wife D. Joana de Vilhena. He was named after his renowned grandfather, Duarte de Menezes, 3rd Count of Viana
, captain of Alcácer-Ceguer.
, a function he had already been effectively performing in his father's name since 1507. He carved out a reputation as a military leader in numerous engagements around Tangier.
as the next governor of Portuguese India
, succeeding Diogo Lopes de Sequeira
. Duarte de Menezes left Lisbon in April, 1521, with an armada
of 11 carracks destined for India. He was accompanied by his brother D. Luís de Menezes, who captained one of the ships. On the outgoing leg, Menezes's armada was joined by a squadron of four ships, commanded by Martim Afonso de Mello, destined for China. Menezes's armada arrived in Goa
at the end of August, 1521. He assumed office in early 1522, upon the departure of his predecessor.
D. Duarte de Menezes tenure as governor was considered disastrous. Accused of corruption, he was arrested by his successor, Vasco da Gama
, in 1525, and sent back to Portugal in chains. He was imprisoned for nearly seven years in the castle of Torres Vedras
, before being finally released by the intercession of powerful friends.
. He held that post until January, 1539, when he handed over the government to his son, D. João de Meneses.
Duarte de Menezes lived out the remainder of his days in Portugal.
Don (honorific)
Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:...
Duarte de Menezes (before 1488 - after 1539), was a 16th C. Portuguese
Kingdom of Portugal
The Kingdom of Portugal was Portugal's general designation under the monarchy. The kingdom was located in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Europe and existed from 1139 to 1910...
nobleman and colonial officer, governor of Tangier
Tangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
from 1508 to 1521 and 1536 to 1539 and governor of Portuguese India
Portuguese India
The Portuguese Viceroyalty of India , later the Portuguese State of India , was the aggregate of Portugal's colonial holdings in India.The government started in 1505, six years after the discovery of a sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, with the nomination of the first Viceroy Francisco de...
from 1522 to 1524.
Background
D. Duarte de Menezes was the eldest son of the powerful noble D. João de Meneses, 1st Count of Tarouca and Prior of CratoPrior of Crato
The Prior of Crato , was the traditional title given to the head of the Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in Portugal...
, and his wife D. Joana de Vilhena. He was named after his renowned grandfather, Duarte de Menezes, 3rd Count of Viana
Duarte de Menezes, 3rd Count of Viana
Dom Duarte de Menezes, was a 15th C. Portuguese nobleman and military figure. Duarte de Menezes was the 3rd Count of Viana do Alentejo, 2nd Count of Viana , Lord of Caminha and the first Portuguese captain of Alcácer-Ceguer.- Family :Duarte de Menezes was an illegitimate...
, captain of Alcácer-Ceguer.
Tangier
In 1508, Duarte de Menezes succeeded his father as Portuguese captain of TangierTangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
, a function he had already been effectively performing in his father's name since 1507. He carved out a reputation as a military leader in numerous engagements around Tangier.
India
In 1521, D. Duarte de Menezes was named by King Manuel I of PortugalManuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
as the next governor of Portuguese India
Portuguese India
The Portuguese Viceroyalty of India , later the Portuguese State of India , was the aggregate of Portugal's colonial holdings in India.The government started in 1505, six years after the discovery of a sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, with the nomination of the first Viceroy Francisco de...
, succeeding Diogo Lopes de Sequeira
Diogo Lopes de Sequeira
Diogo Lopes de Sequeira was a Portuguese fidalgo, sent to analyze the trade potential in Madagascar and Malacca, he arrived at Malacca on 11 September, 1509. He left the next year when he discovered that Sultan Mahmud Shah, the local leader, was devising his assassination...
. Duarte de Menezes left Lisbon in April, 1521, with an armada
Portuguese India Armadas
The Portuguese India armadas were the fleets of ships, organized by the Portuguese crown and dispatched on an annual basis from Portugal to India, principally Goa...
of 11 carracks destined for India. He was accompanied by his brother D. Luís de Menezes, who captained one of the ships. On the outgoing leg, Menezes's armada was joined by a squadron of four ships, commanded by Martim Afonso de Mello, destined for China. Menezes's armada arrived in Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
at the end of August, 1521. He assumed office in early 1522, upon the departure of his predecessor.
D. Duarte de Menezes tenure as governor was considered disastrous. Accused of corruption, he was arrested by his successor, Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
, in 1525, and sent back to Portugal in chains. He was imprisoned for nearly seven years in the castle of Torres Vedras
Torres Vedras
Torres Vedras is a city and a municipality in the district of Lisbon, Portugal, about 50 km north of Lisbon. It belongs to the Oeste subregion and the Centro region.The municipality covers an area of 405.89 km² distributed over 20 freguesias...
, before being finally released by the intercession of powerful friends.
Tangier again
The rehabilitation of Duarte de Menezes was sufficiently complete that in October 1536, he managed to be appointed to his old post as governor of TangierTangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
. He held that post until January, 1539, when he handed over the government to his son, D. João de Meneses.
Duarte de Menezes lived out the remainder of his days in Portugal.
External links
- genealogy of D. Duarte de Menezes at geneall.com