Manoel Botelho de Oliveira

Birth: Salvador, Bahia, 1636

Death: Salvador, Bahia, January 5, 1711

Poet, Lawyer, Capitão Mor, Fidalgo of the House of His Majesty. Intellectual defender of Portugal in the Portuguese Restoration War (1640-1668)

Link to BRASILHIS Database: https://brasilhis.usal.es/es/personaje/manoel-botelho-de-oliveira

Manoel Botelho de Oliveira (Salvador, Bahia, 1636-1711) is renowned in the History of Brazilian Literature as the first author born in what is now Brazil to publish a literary work: Música do Parnaso (Lisbon, 1705). His father, the Portuguese tailor Antonio Álvares Botelho, made his fortune by joining the military campaign against the Dutch in Portuguese America, known as the “Jornada dos Vassalos” / “Jornada del Brasil” (1625). Following the success of the military venture, Álvares Botelho chose to settle in the Bahian Recôncavo and enlisted in the Ordenança troops. There, he defended the city as a soldier against the Dutch attacks of Piet Heyn (1627), Cornelis Corneliszoon Jol (1628) or the Count of Nassau himself (1638) with “very courage and risk of his life”[1]. These courageous military services by Botelho de Oliveira’s father and other relatives, including his older brother, Antonio Botelho, later led to economic and social benefits, secured through requests for mercies at the Paço of Lisbon. Álvares Botelho married Leonor de Oliveira, of New-Christian origin[2]. In the late 1630s, he loaned significant sums of money to the Municipal Chamber of Salvador, along with useful artillery objects and enslaved people owned by him, which contributed to enhancing the city’s fortifications in the face of repeated Dutch attacks. In 1639, he was promoted to captain of infantry, and in 1659, he was elected treasurer of the orphans’ chest of the Municipal Chamber of Salvador.

Following the family’s social rise – his father went from having a mechanical profession to a lender at the Municipal Chamber of Salvador – Botelho de Oliveira was a schoolboy at the College of the Jesuits at Salvador, and later he went to Portugal to study Law at the University of Coimbra between 1657 and 1665[3]. His studies in Coimbra came to follow a tradition from the mid-17^th century rooted in the most socially relevant families of Portuguese America: the first male child inherited the estate – the real estate –, the second – in this case Botelho de Oliveira – used to go to Europe to obtain a Bachelor’s degree and pursue a career – in the administrative, ecclesiastical or even university field – and the third took religious vows. During his years in Coimbra, where he met the later famous poet Gregório de Matos, he also wrote verses and at least one comedy in Spanish, which he published anonymously in 1663 with the title Hay amigo para amigo[4]. From a biographical perspective, his years in Coimbra allowed him to become part of the select group of lawyers loyal to the Portuguese crown and establish a wide network of personal relationships on both sides of the Atlantic.

During his time in Coimbra, Manoel Botelho de Oliveira closely witnessed several significant military battles between the Kingdom of Portugal and the Hispanic Monarchy, resulting in Portuguese victories that solidified the Restoration: the battle of the Linhas of Elvas (January 14, 1659), the battle of Ameixial (June 8, 1663), the battle of Castelo Rodrigo (July 7, 1664) or the battle of Montes Claros (June 17, 1665), among others. Furthermore, his involvement in polyglot literary endeavours, particularly in poetry and theater, during his years in Coimbra not only adhered to the prevailing poetic conventions but also contributed to his acquisition of cultural prestige among the Salvadorian society. The formative years of his education and experiences in Coimbra can be viewed as the establishment of his social and cultural capital, establishing his standing as a respected and esteemed figure among the homens bons [good men] of Salvador, Bahia. Upon his return to Brazil, Botelho de Oliveira excelled in the legal profession, particularly as a lawyer at the Casa da Relação, where he defended cases related to “holders of royal tithes, whaling and wine rights”, significantly contributing to the augmentation of the Royal Treasury. His success extended beyond the legal realm, as evidenced by his ownership of two sugar cane mills in the Bahian Recôncavo[5]. His civic contributions are notable, having served as a vereador (councilman) twice and providing substantial financial support for the works of the Casa da Moeda. Additionally, his impact extended to the sertão of Bahia, where he held the Letters-patent of Capitão Mor in districts of Papagaio, Rio do Peixe and Gamelaria of the parish of Jacobina, playing a role in the dismantling of organized quilombos[6]. In recognition the multiple services provided to the crown, both by him and his relatives in the fight against the Dutch enemy, Botelho de Oliveira was honored with the promotion to Fidalgo of the House of His Majesty at the beginning of the 18^th century.

Manoel Botelho de Oliveira’s unwavering support for the Portuguese Restoration is evident in his poetic works, many of which are dedicated to notable Portuguese military figures who distinguished themselves in battles against the Hispanic Monarchy. His literary prowess and deep engagement with public life spanned across Salvador and the court of Lisbon. This dual role as a lawyer and poet allowed him to actively participate in the cultural and political milieu of his time, especially considering that literary mastery was a common pursuit among individuals close to centres of power. His poetic range was extensive, covering diverse subjects such as the arrival of a new governor to Salvador, the passing of Queen Maria Sofia Isabel in 1699, the birth of an heir to the throne, and more. Furthermore, certain poems reflect a dialogue with his contemporaries, including poets like Jerônimo Baía[7], showcasing the interconnectedness and intellectual exchange among prominent literary figures of the era.

The dedication of Manoel Botelho de Oliveira’s significant poetic work, Música do Parnaso (1705), serves as a definitive testament to his clear political alignment with the Portuguese Restoration. This notable work is dedicated to D. Nuno Álvares Pereira de Melo (1638-1725), the Duke of Cadaval, who held the highest rank among Portuguese nobles after the kings of the House of Braganza. D. Nuno Álvares Pereira de Melo’s involvement as a young man in the Alentejo campaigns against the troops of the Hispanic Monarchy prompted Botelho de Oliveira to commemorate and extol his actions in an extensive dedication:

Bem certificado estava de seu marcial ânimo e militar ciência o nosso Sereníssimo Monarca, pois em Sábado 4 de Outubro lhe encarregou o governo da primeira linha do exército, para que dirigisse a marcha dele ao sítio, que se pretendia, empresa tão difícil em si, como pelas circunstâncias para Vossa Excelência gloriosa, porque obedecendo com pronto rendimento à real vontade e encarregando-se com singular prudência desta ação, que Sua Majestade lhe fiara, fez marchar o exército com tão admirável ordem, que todos os cabos nacionais e estrangeiros concorreram a dar-lhe os parabéns do acerto, com que Vossa Excelência desempenhou felizmente o bom sucesso, que nesta empresa se desejava. Bem conheceram a Vossa Excelência por herói capaz e digno de outras maiores as Majestades ambas, pois na bataria, que se fez no Porto de Águeda em sete de Outubro, vendo-o livre das balas do inimigo, especialmente de uma que lhe chamuscou a anca e cauda do cavalo, em que andava montando, não podendo dissimular o seu júbilo, davam também multiplicados parabéns a Vossa Excelência de escapar a tantos perigos, em que o meteu o seu valor, e de que o livrou a providência divina […].[8]

These elements of the dedication not only underscore Botelho de Oliveira’s unwavering commitment to the cause of the Portuguese Restoration but also emphasize his deep knowledge of the political influential figures of his time. This quoted historical event took place in 1658 at Badajoz, and the “Majestades ambas” [“Both Majesties”] pertains, obviously, to D. Afonso VI and D. Pedro II. During the Portuguese assault on the San Miguel fort, D. Nuno Álvares Pereira de Melo sustained two gunshot wounds, one of which inflicted a lasting injury to his left shoulder that required extensive medical care. Through an accolade in writing, Manoel Botelho de Oliveira literary attributes the wounds to the horse, and frees his knight, the Duke of Cadaval, from any harm. D. Nuno Álvares Pereira de Melo played a significant role as the primary plenipotentiary for the Peace Treaty with the Hispanic Monarchy in 1668 and held pivotal political and military positions throughout his life, particularly during the reign of D. Pedro II.

In additional poems of the book Música do Parnaso, Manoel Botelho de Oliveira provides verses and references dedicated to several military figures with notable contributions during the battles of the Portuguese Restoration. Notably, one of the most significant poems is the one dedicated to the Marquis of Marialva: “Panegírico ao Excelentíssimo Senhor Marquês de Marialva, Conde de Cantanhede, no tempo que governava as Armas de Portugal”. This poem comprises 34 octaves and is dedicated to D. Antonio Luís de Meneses (1603-1675), the third Count of Cantanhede and the first Marquis of Marialva. He was a distinguished general during the Portuguese Restoration War and later ascended to the position of State and War Councillor, among other significant roles. D. Antonio Luís de Meneses led the Portuguese troops to a momentous victory in the Battle of the Linhas of Elvas (1659), for which he was granted the title of Marquis of Marialva. Following the Portuguese triumph at Montes Claros (1665), arguably one of his most notable military feats, he played a key role in the peace negotiations with the Hispanic Monarchy (1668). Many poets of the era, including Jerônimo Baía, Gregório de Matos, Diogo de Monroy e Vasconcelos, and Francisco de Vasconcelos, composed poems dedicated to him. In stanza VIII of this poem, Botelho de Oliveira eloquently portrays a poignant ode to the Portuguese homeland, which, cruelly subjected to the Castilian yoke, ascends through the sword of the Marquis of Marialva:

VIII

Quando a pátria sujeita se rendia

Do castelhano império à força crua,

Oh como infelizmente se afligia,

Fúnebre, triste, desmaiada, nua!

Depois, isenta da violência impia,

Despindo as dores da tristeza sua,

Aclamou-se no ardor de vossa espada

Festiva, alegre, valerosa, ornada.[9]

It’s fascinating to note the breadth of Manoel Botelho de Oliveira’s poetic endeavors, as he dedicated poems or made mentions of figures such as D. Afonso Furtado de Castro do Rio de Mendonça, D. João de Lencastre, D. Sancho Manoel, D. Rodrigo da Costa, and D. Francisco de Sousa, among others, all of whom played varying roles, more or less actively, during the extensive Portuguese Restoration War. These compositions aren’t exclusively centered on military events, as Botelho de Oliveira had various motivations for commending these individuals. However, it’s noteworthy that in many of these circumstantial poems, references to a violent and cruel Spain or Castile are recurrent. For instance, in the romance IX “Ao Senhor D. Rodrigo da Costa, vindo a governar o Estado do Brasil”, the verses recall the father of the honoree, D. João da Costa, who was the first Count of Souré and one of the forty conspirators who instigated the Restoration in December 1640:

Sois descendiente del Conde,

A quien el León de España

Daba infelices bramidos,

Porque le quebró sus garras.

Consiguió tantas victorias,

Que al mismo tiempo juntaba

En la frente los laureles,

Quando en la mano las palmas.[10]

The consolidation of Manoel Botelho de Oliveira’s secular poetic works in Música do Parnaso — with his religious poetry allocated to the manuscript Lira Sacra, dated 1703 — presents a compelling biographical testimony of his intricate personal connections within Portuguese society following the Portuguese Restoration. This collection serves as a lens through which one can perceive a rich and complex web of interpersonal relationships spanning across Portugal and Brazil. It elucidates a framework of sociability characterized by the exchange of services and benefits among individuals based on vertical links between unequals. Notably, Botelho de Oliveira often places himself in a position lower on the vertical axis relative to the characters mentioned in his poems. However, this does not preclude both parties from feeling obliged to reciprocate based on the principles of loyalty and service, while also adhering to the traditions of the Ancien régime. Whether driven by political strategy, personal conviction, or the family’s legacy of combatting the Dutch aggressor, Manoel Botelho de Oliveira diligently preserved the memory of the Portuguese Restoration throughout his life. This commitment was such that he expressed concern that his poems dedicated to commemorating Portuguese military figures be included in his poetry collection Música do Parnaso, published relatively late, specifically in 1705, if compared to the quoted events.

[1] With “muito valor e risco de sua vida” (“Mercy of D. Pedro II to Manoel Botelho de Oliveira”, Lisbon, March 21, 1697, Registo Geral de Mercês de D. Pedro II, Lv. 11, fl. 210v. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo). For the historical data detailed below, cf. the aforementioned mercy and the following documents: “Mercy of D. Pedro II to Manoel Botelho de Oliveira”, Lisbon, October 31, 1697, Chancelarias Régias de D. Pedro II, Lv. 24, fls. 113v, 114r and 114v. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo; “Mercy of D. Pedro II to Manoel Botelho de Oliveira”, Lisbon, May 9, 1704, Registo Geral de Mercês de D. Pedro II, Liv. 11, fl. 210r, 210v and 255v. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo; cf. also Muhana 2005 and Rodrigues-Moura 2017.

[2] On the more than possible Jewish-converted origin of Botelho de Oliveira’s maternal family, cf. Rodrigues-Moura 2008. His first wife, Antonia de Meneses, appears in the documentation as New Christian (cf. Novinsky 1992: 171). Once widowed, Botelho de Oliveira became acquainted with a family very well situated in the society of Salvador, Bahia (cf. Rodrigues-Moura 2008: 111-113). However, the “mancha” of being a new Christian haunted him all his life. Thus, although he obtained the Habit of the Order of Christ through a mercy of D. Pedro II, he was not admitted to this institution because he was “infamed” als New Christian (“Proof of Manoel Botelho de Oliveira to enter the Order of Christ”, Lisbon, June 15, 1705, Habilitações à Ordem de Cristo, Letra M, Maço 39, n.º 92. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo; cf. also “Recourse to the Proof of Manoel Botelho de Oliveira to enter the Order of Christ”, Lisbon, October 26, 1706, Habilitações à Ordem de Cristo, Letra M, Maço 39, n.º 92. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo; “Mercy of D. Pedro II to Manoel Botelho de Oliveira”, Lisbon, March 20, 1697, Registo Geral de Mercês de D. Pedro II, Lv. 11, fls. 255v and 445r. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo).

[3] For his years at the University of Coimbra, cf. Rodrigues-Moura 2020.

[4] About the discovery of this comedy, cf. Rodrigues-Moura 2005.

[5] Cases of “contradadores dos dízimos reais, pescaria das baleias e direitos dos vinhos” (“Provision of D. Pedro II to Manoel Botelho de Oliveira”, January 14, 1694, Chancelaria Régia de D. Pedro II, Lv. 21, fl. 454r. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo).

[6] Cf. Moura 1959: 74, and Barros 1920: 203. Because Botelho de Oliveira appointed Pedro de Barros Sueiro as Sargento Mor, under his jurisdiction, it is not certain that the lawyer and poet participated in person in the repression of the aforementioned quilombos (cf. “Letters patent of D. João de Lencastre to Manoel Botelho de Oliveira”, Salvador, June 4, 1702. Colonial, Patentes 1696-1703, Lv. 335, fl. 341r, 341v and 342r. Salvador, Bahia, Arquivo Público do Estado da Bahia; “Letters patent of D. João de Lencastre to Pedro de Barros Sueiro”, Salvador, June 5, 1702. Colonial, Patentes 1696-1703, Lv. 335, fl. 342r, 342v and 343r. Salvador, Bahia, Arquivo Público do Estado da Bahia).

[7] Botelho de Oliveira’s literary relationships with contemporary poets on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean is a topic that still deserves to be studied (cf., for example, Rodrigues-Moura 2011 and 2020).

[8] Oliveira 1705: dedication, without page numbering [6].

[9] Oliveira 1705: 93. Botelho de Oliveira himself published also a second poem dedicated to the Marquis of Marialva: romance VII: “Ao Excelentíssimo Senhor Marquês de Marialva, dando-lhe os parabéns da vitória de Montes Claros” (Oliveira 1705: 209-210).

[10] Oliveira 1705: 213.

SOURCES

• “Provision of D. Pedro II to Manoel Botelho de Oliveira”, January 14, 1694, Chancelaria Régia de D. Pedro II, Lv. 21, fl. 454r. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo.
• “Mercy of D. Pedro II to Manoel Botelho de Oliveira”, Lisbon, March 20, 1697, Registo Geral de Mercês de D. Pedro II, Lv. 11, fls. 255v and 445r. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo.
• “Mercy of D. Pedro II to Manoel Botelho de Oliveira”, Lisbon, March 21, 1697, Registo Geral de Mercês de D. Pedro II, Lv. 11, fl. 210v. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo.
• “Mercy of D. Pedro II to Manoel Botelho de Oliveira”, Lisbon, October 31, 1697, Chancelarias Régias de D. Pedro II, Lv. 24, fls. 113v, 114r and 114v. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo.
• “Letters patent of D. João de Lencastre to Manoel Botelho de Oliveira”, Salvador, June 4, 1702. Colonial, Patentes 1696-1703, Lv. 335, fl. 341r, 341v and 342r. Salvador, Bahia, Arquivo Público do Estado da Bahia.
• “Letters patent of D. João de Lencastre to Pedro de Barros Sueiro”, Salvador, June 5, 1702. Colonial, Patentes 1696-1703, Lv. 335, fl. 342r, 342v and 343r. Salvador, Bahia, Arquivo Público do Estado da Bahia.
• “Mercy of D. Pedro II to Manoel Botelho de Oliveira”, Lisbon, May 9, 1704, Registo Geral de Mercês de D. Pedro II, Liv. 11, fl. 210r, 210v and 255v. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo.
• “Proof of Manoel Botelho de Oliveira to enter the Order of Christ”, Lisbon, June 15, 1705, Habilitações à Ordem de Cristo, Letra M, Maço 39, n.º 92. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo. “Recourse to the Proof of Manoel Botelho de Oliveira to enter the Order of Christ”, Lisbon, October 26, 1706, Habilitações à Ordem de Cristo, Letra M, Maço 39, n.º 92. Lisbon, Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Barros, Francisco Borges de (1920). Bandeirantes e Sertanistas Bahianos. Bahia: Imprensa Oficial do Estado.
• Moura, Clovis (1959). Rebeliões da Senzala. Quilombos, insurreições, guerrilhas. São Paulo: Edições Zumbi.
• Muhana, Adma (2005). “Introdução”, in Oliveira, Manuel Botelho de, Poesia completa. Música do Parnasso. Lira sacra, Adma Muhana (ed.). São Paulo: Martins Fontes, pp. XI-XCI.
• Novinsky, Anita (1992). Cristãos Novos na Bahia: a Inquisição. São Paulo: Perspectiva. [first edition 1970]
• Oliveira, Manoel Botelho de. (1703). Lira Sacra. Manuscrito. Biblioteca Pública de Évora, sig. CXIV / 1 – 4.
• Oliveira, Manoel Botelho de. (1705). Música do Parnaso dividida em quatro coros de Rimas portuguesas, castelhanas, italianas & latinas. Com seu descante cómico reduzido em duas Comédias. Lisboa: Oficina de Miguel Manescal.
• Rodrigues-Moura, Enrique (2005). “Manoel Botelho de Oliveira, autor del impreso Hay amigo para amigo. Comedia famosa y nueva, Coimbra, Oficina de Tomé Carvalho, 1663”, Revista Iberoamericana, vol. LXXI, number 211, April-June, pp. 555-573.
• Rodrigues-Moura, Enrique (2008). “El abogado y poeta Manoel Botelho de Oliveira (1636-1711): ‘infamado de cristão novo’”, Hispania Judaica Bulletin, vol. 6, pp. 105-129.
• Rodrigues-Moura, Enrique (2011). “Engenho poético para cantar um artifício engenhoso. O astrolábio de Valetim Estancel nos versos de Botelho de Oliveira e Gregório de Matos”, Navegações. Revista de Cultura e Literaturas de Língua Portuguesa, vol. 4, numer 2, July-December, pp. 151-166.
• Rodrigues-Moura, Enrique (2017). “Nacimiento y óbito de Manoel Botelho de Oliveira: Ciudad de Salvador de Bahía, 1636-1711”, Revista de Estudios Brasileños, vol. 4, number 8, second semester, pp. 113-126. Rodrigues-Moura, Enrique (2020). “Percurso acadêmico de Manoel Botelho de Oliveira em Coimbra (1657-1665). Documentação conservada no Arquivo da Universidade de Coimbra”, Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro, Year 181, number 483, May-August, pp. 355-396.