Dutch Brazil
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Dutch Brazil, also known as New Holland, was the northern portion of Brazil, seized by the Dutch during the Dutch colonization of the Americas. From 1630 onward, the Netherlands came to control almost half of Brazil, with their capital in Recife. The Dutch West India Company set up their headquarters in Recife. The governor, Johan Maurits invited artists and scientists to the colony to help promote Brazil and increase immigration. The Portuguese won a significant victory at the Second Battle of Guararapes in 1649. On 26 January 1654, the Dutch surrended and signed the capitulation, but only as a provisory pact. By May 1654, the Dutch demanded that the Dutch Republic was to be given New Holland back. On 6 August 1661, New Holland was formally ceded to Portugal through the Treaty of The Hague.
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[edit] Dutch Attempts to Colonize Brazil
[edit] The Significance of Spain
Spain had controlled the Dutch for a number of years, however in 1596 the Dutch rebelled and raided many Spanish lands in the Americas and the Caribbean. In 1609 the Dutch gained independence from Spain, therefore creating the United Provinces of the Netherlands. The two countries signed a twelve year peace treaty in which the Netherlands were allowed to tade with Spanish controlled Portuguese settlements in Brazil. By 1621 both the establishment of the West Indische Compagnie and the expiration of the twelve year peace treaty caused conflicts to appear between the Portuguese Brazillians and the Dutch. By 1624 the Dutch felt the need for more land and invaded Brazil.
[edit] Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos
In December 1623, Commander Jan Van Dorth lead the West Indische Compagnie (WIC) to Salvador, which was then the capitol of Brazil. They arrived there on May 8th, 1624, on which Portuguese Governor Diogo de Mendonça surrendered to the Dutch. However, by April 30th, 1625, the Portuguese regained control of the city with the help of a combined Spanish and Portuguese force of fifty-two ships, 12,566 men, and the military leadership of Don Fadrique de Toledo y Osorio. However, by 1628 the capturing of a silver fleet in Matanzas Bay provided the (WIC) with the funds to attempt another conquest on Brazil.
[edit] Nieuw Holland
In the Summer of 1629, the Dutch coveted a newfound interest in obtaining Pernambuco, a Brazilian state famous for its sugar. The Dutch fleet was led by Hendrick Corneliszoon Loncq, the WIC gained control of Olinda by February 16th, 1630 and Recife (the capitol of Pernambuco) and Antonio Vaz by March 3rd. Mathias de Albuquerque the Portuguese governor led a strong Portuguese resistance which hindered the Dutch from developing their forts on the lands which they had captured. By 1631, the Dutch left Olinda and tried to gain control of the Fort of Cabedello on Paraíba, the Rio Grande, Rio Formoso, and Cabo de Santo Agostinho. These attempts were also however unsuccessful. Still in control of Antonio Vaz and Recife, the Dutch later gained a foothold at Cabo Santo Agostinho. However, after the Portuguese regained Porto Calvo, the WIC gave control of Nieuw Holland to Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen due to the great advantage the Portuguese had over the Dutch by controlling Porto Calvo. By 1634 the Dutch controlled from the coastline of the Rio Grande do Norte to Pernambuco's Cabo de Santo Agostinho. They still maintained control of the seas as well. By 1635 many Portuguese settlers were choosing Dutch occupied land over Portuguese controlled land. The Dutch offered freedom of worship and sercurity of property. In 1635 the Dutch conquered three strongholds of the Portuguese the towns of: Porto Calvo, Arraial do Bom Jesus, and Fort Nazare on Cabo de Santo Agostinho. These strongholds gave the Dutch increased sugar lands which led to an increase in profit.
[edit] Nieuw Holland Under Johan Maurits Van Nassau-Siegen
[edit] Government
Maurits claimed to have always loved Brazil due to its beauty and its people. He organized a form of representative local government by creating municipal councils and rural councils. Through these he began to modernize the country with streets, bridges, and roads in Recife. On the island of Antonio Vaz, he founded the town of Mauritsstad (also known as Mauricia) where he created an astronomic observatory and a meteorological station, which were the first in the Americas. Under Maurits protection for Brazilian Jews who had been formerly ostracized was increased. He allowed former Jews who had been forced to convert to Christianity to return to their former faith.
[edit] Dutch-Brazilians
[edit] Dienaaren
The Dutch-Brazilians were divided into two separate groups, the first of which was known as “Dienaaren.” Dienaaren were soldiers, bureaucrats, and Calvinist ministers employed by the WIC.
[edit] Vrijburghers/Vrijluiden
Vrijburghers were the second group of Dutch-Brazilians who were all the other Dutch-Brazilians that did not fit into the category of Dienaaren. The Vrijburghers were mostly ex-soldiers formerly employed by the WIC but began then to settle down. Others included Dutch who left the Netherlands to find a new life in Niew Holland. This group was the most economic in Niew Holland since most trade was under the control by these.
[edit] The End of Dutch Brazil
[edit] WIC Loses Control
After Maurits loses power in Nieuw Holland, the WIC thus loses control over the colony. Portuguese planters under control of Maurits organized a revolt against the Dutch. The Portuguese allied with Spanish enemies and gained Várezea, Serinhaem, Pontal de Nazaré, the Fort of Porto Calvo, and Fort Maurits in 1645. On December 13th 1647, the Dutch left Itaparica and on January 28th, 1654, the WIC lost control of Recife, leaving the Portuguese their colony of Brazil therefore making Niew Holland no more.
[edit] Peace Treaty
Seven years after the surrender of Recife, a peace treaty was organized between Holland and Portugal. The treaty was signed on August 6th, 1661 and demanded that the Portuguese paid 4 million cruzados over the span of 16 years in order to help the Dutch recover from the loss of Brazil.
[edit] See also
- Battle of Tabocas
- Colonial Brazil
- Dutch West India Company
- First and Second Battle of Guararapes
- Pernambuco
[edit] References
http://www.colonialvoyage.com/brazil.html
[edit] Literature
- Boxer, C.R., The Dutch in Brazil, 1624-1654, The Clarendon press, Oxford, 1957. ISBN 0-208-01338-5
[edit] External links
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