João Rodrigues de Vasconcelos e Sousa, 2nd Count of Castelo Melhor

João Rodrigues de Vasconcelos e Sousa, 2nd count of Castelo Melhor jure uxoris, was a Portuguese military officer and colonial administrador. He was lord of Valhelhas, Almendra, and Mouta Santa, and held the offices of alcaide-mor and comendador of Pombal, alcaide-mor of Penamacor, governador das armas (military governor) of the provinces of Entre-Douro-e-Minho and Alentejo, and member of the Council of War.[1]

His Lordship

The Count of Castelo Melhor
Governor of the State of Brazil
In office
10 March 1650 – 14 December 1654
MonarchJoão IV
Preceded byAntónio Teles de Meneses, 1st Count of Vila Pouca de Aguiar
Succeeded byJerónimo de Ataíde, 6th Count of Atouguia
Military Governor of the Minho Province
In office
1643–1645
MonarchJoão IV
Preceded byGovernment Junta
Succeeded byDiogo de Melo Pereira (acting)
In office
1646–1649
MonarchJoão IV
Preceded byFrancisco de França Barbosa (acting)
Succeeded byD. Francisco de Azevedo e Ataíde
Military Governor of the Alentejo Province
In office
1645–1646
MonarchJoão IV
Preceded byJoão Mendes de Vasconcelos (acting)
Succeeded byMatias de Albuquerque, Count of Alegrete
Personal details
Born1593
Kingdom of Portugal
Died13 November 1658
Ponte de Lima, Kingdom of Portugal
Spouse(s)Mariana de Lancastre Vasconcelos e Câmara
Military service
AllegianceKingdom of Portugal
Years of service1640-1658
Battles/warsPortuguese Restoration War

On the death of his brother, he succeeded in the House of Vasconcelos and in the claim to marry the heiress of the House of Castelo Melhor, by virtue of a clause in the former's last will and testament.[2] He distinguished himself with patriotism during the period of the Portuguese Restoration War. When João IV of Portugal was proclaimed king, he undertook an ultimately unsuccessful but widely celebrated effort, along with D. Rodrigo Lobo and other noblemen, to return to his country the Portuguese galleys anchored in Cartagena. Once his plan was discovered by the Spanish, he was arrested along with some of his co-conspirators, stoicly resisting the suffering imposed upon him in order to not denounce his remaining accomplices. When he was being returned in custody to Castile, Dutch corsairs rescued him at the request of King João IV, and led him back to Portugal.[3]

Welcomed with honours by the new monarch, he was appointed to the offices of Military Governor of the Provinces of Minho and Alentejo, as well as to a seat in the Council of War.[4]

He left Lisbon on November 4, 1649, at the command of the first Fleet of the General Commerce Company of Brazil, as appointed Governor-General of Brazil, having as his second-in-command admiral Pedro Jacques de Magalhães, future Viscount of Fonte Arcada. He took office in Bahia on January 4, 1650.

Returning to Portugal, and accompanied by his son, Luís de Vasconcelos e Sousa, he still fought in the 1658 campaign of the Portuguese Restoration War against the Spanish dominion over the Kingdom of Portugal.[5]

References
  1. D. António de Vasconcelos e Sousa. Um modelo de justo equilíbrio entre bondade e rigor, por Cristina Maciariello, pág. 5
  2. D. António de Vasconcelos e Sousa. Um modelo de justo equilíbrio entre bondade e rigor, por Cristina Maciariello, pág. 5.
  3. D. António de Vasconcelos e Sousa. Um modelo de justo equilíbrio entre bondade e rigor, por Cristina Maciariello, pág. 5
  4. D. António de Vasconcelos e Sousa. Um modelo de justo equilíbrio entre bondade e rigor, por Cristina Maciariello, pág. 5
  5. Castelo Melhor (Luís de Vasconcelos e Sousa 6.º conde da Calheta e 3.º conde de), Portugal - Dicionário Histórico, Corográfico, Heráldico, Biográfico, Bibliográfico, Numismático e Artístico, Volume II, págs. 890-891, Edição em papel © 1904-1915 João Romano Torres - Editor, Edição electrónica © 2000-2012 Manuel Amaral
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