Martim Corrêa de Sá

Birth: Rio de Janeiro, around 1575

Death: Rio de Janeiro, August 10th, 1632

Capitão-mor and governor of Rio de Janeiro on two occasions, from 1602 to 1608 and from 1623 to 1632.

Link to BRASILHIS Database: https://brasilhis.usal.es/es/personaje/martim-correia-de-sa

Member of a powerful and respected family linked with Rio de Janeiro’s administration — held in high regard by the residents for its involvement, among other things, in the expulsion of the French from the settlement — he governed Rio de Janeiro on two occasions: from July 1602 to June 1608 and from June 1623 to August 1632, when he passed away. Born in that captaincy around 1575, he was the son of Salvador Corrêa de Sá (the Elder), nobleman of the Royal House, and, according to several sources, his first wife, Inês de Souza (Rheingantz, 1965:394). Educated in Europe, he frequented the Court in Madrid, where he offered his war services. He was wed in Cádiz to D. Maria de Mendonça Benevides, daughter of the governor of that locality (Coaracy, 2009:36)

A nobleman from the Royal House and commander of the Order of Christ (1602), he was rejected for a second term in the government of Rio de Janeiro. Rui Vaz Pinto (1618) was chosen in his place, appointed by the king after a consult with the Treasury Council, despite the opposition of Conde Meirinho Mor, who thought Martim de Sá would be a more convenient choice in that office (Sá; Siqueira, 2020:97) for being regarded as a person of “parts and repute with whom the locals of the land and natives are on good terms with for the good dealings and experience that he displayed in such matters of governance as well as of war”[1], coming to govern the captaincy again a second time only years later.

His political trajectory started during the Union of the two crowns of Spain and Portugal (1580-1640) and marked a period of important advances in the captaincy of Rio de Janeiro (Abreu, 2010:18), inserting it in the colonial system, which was starting to delineate itself in Brazil. According to Coaracy, the 17th century was the period of great sugar cane engenhos “which lined out the [city’s] wealth and shared the lands of its first fields, establishing the original families that would build the core of its population” (Coaracy, 2009:27) and (…) was growing to conquer the hinterlands and foreign threats coming from the sea” (Coaracy, 2009:28).

It’s in this context that we will find Martim de Sá taking part, alongside his father, in expeditions since the end of the 16th century, employing expeditions in the hinterlands of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo, not only in exploratory surveys, but also in search of natives to capture and bring to the city in which he would come to govern afterward. According to Boxer (1973:21), Martim de Sá captured Anthony Knivet in 1592, a British adventurer who was accompanied by pirates and who would end up becoming a servant of Sá’s family, accompanying him on expeditions and leaving behind important written reports. Among the achievements of Martim de Sá, we can highlight his engagement against the Temiminós in Espírito Santo (1593), where he was almost drowned, were it not for the intervention of an Amerindian called Patamicu, his slave; his assault on the Goitacazes, the leading of a bandeira (1596), (Belchior, 1965:415) with seven hundred (700) Portuguese and two hundred (200) indigenous people with which he led an attack against the Tamoios of the Vale do Paraíba.

Around 1594, we can underscore some of the properties that Martim de Sá, according to Belchior (1965:421), owned alongside his brother Gonçalo de Sá: sesmaria land grants in Rio de Janeiro all across the lands of Tijuca, which later were split, leaving Martim de Sá with the western part of it, stretching all the way to Guaratiba, and a few leagues of land in the Restinga de Jacarepaguá. Other than those land grants, Martim de Sá also had a pottery facility near the Carioca River, on the old path of Botafogo, and explored the sugarcane mill in the Socopenapã Lagoon (nowadays Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon).

Effectively, according to Felisbello Freire (1912:119), the Portuguese crown was undergoing a series of difficulties and needed to develop a policy of military defense and choose experienced and loyal men to serve as governors. For this reason, Martim Correa de Sá was chosen for two terms, considering he already displayed experience and knew the region well, since, according to Knivet, he always took part in his father’s exploratory expeditions in search of natives for captivity, even before he did so by himself through his own expenditures (Boxer, 1973:21). He was appointed by his father, Salvador Correia de Sá, administrator of the mines of São Paulo (Coaracy, 2009:49), had dealings with the Tupis, learned their common language (Boxer, 1973:54), and was the administrator of war services with the superintendency in charge of all indigenous aldeias along the coast during the government of Ruiz Vaz Pinto in 1618 (Coaracy, 2009:52).

Martim de Sá displayed diligence in the defense of the Brazilian coast, repelling foreign privateers and equipping the entrance to the inlet of Rio de Janeiro (Belchior, 1965:416). So much so that, in his first government, already aware of the dangers that the city of Rio could face, he took charge of its defense, building the Fort of Santa Cruz by the sea, nowadays the church of Cruz dos Militares (Coaracy, 2009:37). He also built other forts, such as São Thiago, São Gonçalo, and São Sebastião, with the same objective (Felisbello, 1912:118).

Martim de Sá’s first term was not without jurisdictional conflicts. Regarded as a local hinterland explorer, he continued to capture slaves through multiple regions, so much so that the São Vicente council, in 1605, protested that he “sent three ships to rescue natives in this jurisdiction and in parts of Santo Amaro” (Belchior, 1965:416), Coaracy (2009:41) points out that, in 1608, Martim de Sá kept exploring inland, while his uncle Manuel Correia did so through the sea to combat an intruding Dutch ship attempting to smuggle brazilwood in Cabo Frio. The Dutch were defeated, imprisoned, and sent to Bahia, where they remained, gathering information that would later be used in their second invasion of Brazil, in 1624. However, such information contradicts another report claiming that the entire crew of the ship was slain by natives and sunk near the entrance of the inlet (Belchior, 1965:416).

Even after the end of his first term, Martim de Sá kept working on multiple occasions to defend the city of Rio de Janeiro. At the end of 1614, during the government of Constantino Menelau, he fought a Dutch armada, led by Admiral Jorge Van Spilberge, stationed near the Guandu River’s estuary. He defeated the Dutch, imprisoning Francisco Duchas, who, once sent to Salvador, returned to the Netherlands (Belchior, 1965:417). Around the end of 1616, Martim de Sá was in Portugal with a few samples of gold, petitioning the Court to concede experienced miners to help prospect gold and silver mines. Also in 1616, he received the title of Knight of the Order of Santiago, even before turning 21. In the next year, Martim de Sá received orders to return to Brazil and take natives from Cabo Frio to aid in Rio’s defense, threatened by foreigners (Norton, 1965:19; AHU, Cx I, D. 7 – RJ Castro de Almeida). Back in Brazil in 1618, Martim de Sá and his father were put in charge by the governor-general, Luís de Souza, to search for silver mines in Sergipe. However, they had no success in this task (Boxer, 1973:53).

Martim de Sá’s services for his city and the colony were numerous, as seen by his expedition southwards around 1620, surveying the possibility of colonizing the island of Santa Catarina (Coaracy, 2009:57). It was in this context that, in 1623, Martim de Sá took charge of the administration of Rio de Janeiro for the second time. Differently from what was common practice back then, in which an appointment of a governor required his presence in Europe, Martim de Sá’s nomination did not follow this rule, receiving such appointment while overseas, which reflects the Correa de Sá family’s prestige and their good ties with the Crown’s councils, offering numerous services to the Crown not just in America but also in Europe.

According to Boxer (1973:58), the West India Company (founded in 1621) wished to occupy certain areas of America, including Bahia. Faced with the imminent foreign attack and fearing the possible invasion in the meridional parts of Portuguese America, Martim de Sá started to repair fortifications (Coaracy, 2009:58). He also split the city into military districts and put officials in charge of them (Freire, 1912:119). He was aware of the locals’ necessity for fresh water, promising to supply the city by building infrastructure to transport water from the Carioca River. However, despite the high expectations, the hiring of a master mason by the local council, and the help of natives, the construction didn’t happen (Coaracy, 2009:59).

Martim de Sá spared no effort in aiding the city of Salvador during the Dutch invasion (1624), sending men, caravels, and boats under the command of his son Salvador Correia de Sá e Benevides. So much so that the residents of Rio de Janeiro, represented by the council in a letter (1623) sent to King Filipe III, acknowledged that Martim de Sá pacified the shores of the city at his own expense, with his servants and natives (Norton, 1965:20)[2]. In his second term, other than prioritizing the defense of the city with the construction of the São Martinho fortification at Cara do Cão hill to prevent the São João fort from being assaulted by mounted attacks, he encouraged the cultivation of sugarcane (Ferrez, 2015:16). It’s important to note that, during his government, he drafted the new House of Council and Prison in the Várzea, determining the alignment of the buildings, which until then had no pre-established criteria. Having previously exalted him in 1624, the council now accused him of barely giving attention to public order. In his defense, Martim de Sá wrote a letter contesting such claims, affirming his assiduity and dedication to such matters for the well-being of the city, while also claiming that the city now was an ideal place to defend the territory from enemies and that he did not falter in his duty as governor, underscoring the importance of his family to the city: “For this city was received from the Sás, and it’s not well for it to be lost during the time of a Sá” (Belchior, 1965:418).

After the three years of his second term, Martim de Sá was reappointed to Rio de Janeiro’s government in 1626, this time for an undetermined term (Coaracy, 2009:65). In this new appointment, he dedicated himself to curbing illicit deals done by middlemen. The governor and the council decided to “close and nail the doors with planks (…) so that there are no more public selling shops” that could harm the population (Belchior, p. 420). He also regulated the freight of ships that used to be freely stipulated by the owners (Freire, 1912:123). Aware of the illegal commerce of brazilwood in the region between the Macaé River and the Cape of São Tomé, Martim de Sá, as the royal authority in the colony, gave sesmaria land grants to captains who took part in the conquest and settlement of Campos dos Goitacazes, seeking to populate those abandoned lands (Coaracy, 2009:66), and, according to Freire (1912:125), those captains were the first to establish the basis of the agricultural work in the region near Cabo Frio, employing native slave labor.

According to Belchior (1965:419), having received the news of the Dutch attack on Pernambuco (1630) and fearing a similar fate for Rio de Janeiro, Martim de Sá took, among other things, the following measures: improved the equipment of Santa Cruz and São João fortresses by the entrance of Guanabara Bay; fortified São João fortress so that the enemy couldn’t disembark by the beaches of Sugar Loaf, a strategic point from where one could launch an attack by land; forced natives from the hinterlands to come to the littoral and sent them to different points of the coast where the enemy troops could disembark, and integrated the natives in the Jesuit aldeias to the city’s defensive system. In 1631, administrative conflicts involving colonial authorities emerged once again, standing out among those: the ouvidor-geral of the southern captaincies, whose measures were against the interests of powerful locals; the ouvidor-geral of Bahia, who took for himself authority superior to that of his southern counterpart; and the governor-general of Brazil, who intimidated Rio’s ouvidor for refusing to put another person in charge of the office. Martim de Sá was the solution to such contentions, showing support for the governor-general’s appointment to the office of ouvidor and helping him arrest the previous official in charge. Martim de Sá died in his city – Rio de Janeiro – on August 10th, 1632, and was buried in the church of Frades do Carmo (Coaracy, 2009:70).

[1] AHU, Cx 1, D. 3, RJ – Avulsos.

[2] AHU, Cx. 1, D.8, RJ – Castro e Almeida.

SOURCES

• AHU, Cx. I, D. 3 – RJ Avulsos – Lisboa, 30 de agosto de 1616 – Consulta do Conselho da Fazenda ao rei D. Filipe II sobre o requerimento do governador e capitão-mor nomeado para o Rio de Janeiro Rui Vaz Pinto solicitando adiantamento do ordenado do seu cargo, visto a sua mercê referir apenas a embarcação e mantimento. 
• AHU, Cx. I, D. 7 – RJ Castro e Almeida – Lisboa, 20 de abril de 1617. Carta do Capitão-mor Martim de Sá dirigida ao Rei Filipe II, na qual se refere à ordem que recebera de partir para o Brasil, de fazer descer o gentio ao litoral de Cabo Frio, de fundar aldeias e defender a costa das Capitanias do Rio de Janeiro, Santos e São Paulo dos navios estrangeiros que ali tentassem aportar.
• AHU, Cx. I, D. 8 – RJ Castro e Almeida – Rio de Janeiro, 21 de fevereiro de 1623. Carta da Câmara do Rio de Janeiro, dirigida ao Rei Filipe III na qual relata os relevantes serviços prestados pelo Capitão-mor Martim de Sá.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Abreu, M. A. (2010). Geografia Histórica do Rio de Janeiro (1502-1700). Rio de Janeiro: Andrea Jakobsson Estúdio; Prefeitura da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro, v.2.
• Belchior, E. O. (1965). Conquistadores e Povoadores do Rio de Janeiro. Livraria Brasiliana Editora, Rio de Janeiro.
• Boxer, C. R. (1973). Salvador de Sá e a luta pelo Brasil e Angola (1602-1686). São Paulo, ed. Nacional, ed. da USP, vol. 35.
• Coaracy, V. (2009). O Rio de Janeiro no século XVII: raízes e perspectivas. Rio de Janeiro: Sindicato Nacional dos editores de Livros.
• Ferrez, G.; Maya, R. C. (1965). A mui leal e heróica cidade de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro: quatro séculos de expansão e evolução. Paris:  Editado por R. de Castro Maya, C. Guinle de Paula Machado, F. Machado Portella, Banco Boavista.
• Freire, F. (1912).  História da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro, 1564-1700. Rio de Janeiro: Typografia da Revista dos Tribunaes.
• Norton, L. (1943). A dinastia dos Sás no Brasil (1558-1662). Lisboa, Divisão de Publicações e Bibliotecas/Agência Geral das Colônias.
• Rheingantz, C. G. (1965). Primeiras Famílias do Rio de Janeiro (séculos XVI e XVII). V. 2. Rio de Janeiro: Livraria Brasiliana Editora. Sá, H. T. de; Siqueira, M. I. de.  (2020). As tantas intromissões e desordens: conflitos na dinâmica administrativa da Capitania do Rio de Janeiro In: Santos Pérez, J. M e Outros (eds). Redes y Circulación em Brasil durante la Monarquía Hispánica (1580-1640). Madrid: Sílex.