On the Conquest of the Captaincy of Rio Grande: The Perception of the Captain General of Paraíba, Feliciano Coelho (1597)

ABSTRACT

Responding in a letter of August 20, 1597 to Philip II, King of Spain (I of Portugal) who ordered the expulsion of the French from the coast of Rio Grande do Norte, so threatening the Portuguese sovereignty on this territory, the captain-general of Paraíba, Feliciano Coelho de Carvalho, one of the main protagonists in the conquering process of the Captaincy of Rio Grande, the present State of Rio Grande do Norte, describes the procedures taken or to be taken to achieve it. In this article, we analyze the referred letter by placing it in its historical context and by comparing its content with that of other contemporary documentary sources, to verify, as much as possible and based on this rare and yet little explored document, confirmations, contradictions, interests and conflicts related to the theme.

Keywords:
Feliciano Coelho; Conquest; Rio Grande; Potiguaras; Colonial Brazilian History