Duarte de Meneses

Duarte de Menezes
Governor Duarte de Menezes, in Ásia Portuguesa of Manuel de Faria e Sousa
Governor of Portuguese India
In office 1522–1524
Monarch	John III of Portugal
Preceded by	Diogo Lopes de Sequeira
Succeeded by	Vasco da Gama
Personal details
Born	Before 1488 Kingdom of Portugal
Died	After 1539 Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal
Nationality	Portuguese
Spouse(s)	Filipa de Noronha
Children	João de Meneses Pedro de Meneses Fernando de Menezes Joana de Menezes Inácia de Menezes Brites de Menezes
Military service
Allegiance	Portuguese Empire
Battles/wars	Moroccan-Portuguese conflicts

Dom Duarte de Menezes (before 1488 - after 1539), was a 16th-century Portuguese nobleman and colonial officer, governor of Tangier from 1508 to 1521 and 1536 to 1539 and governor of Portuguese India from 1522 to 1524.

D. Duarte de Menezes was the eldest son of the powerful noble D. João de Meneses, 1st Count of Tarouca and Prior of Crato, and his wife D. Joana de Vilhena. He was named after his renowned grandfather, Duarte de Menezes, 3rd Count of Viana, captain of Alcácer-Ceguer.

In 1508, Duarte de Menezes succeeded his father as Portuguese captain of Tangier, a function he had already been effectively performing in his father's name since 1507. He carved out a reputation as a military leader in numerous engagements around Tangier.

In 1521, D. Duarte de Menezes was named by King Manuel I of Portugal as the next governor of Portuguese India, succeeding Diogo Lopes de Sequeira. Duarte de Menezes left Lisbon in April, 1521, with an armada of 11 carracks destined for India. He was accompanied by his brother D. Luís de Menezes, who captained one of the ships. On the outgoing leg, Menezes's armada was joined by a squadron of four ships, commanded by Martim Afonso de Mello, destined for China. Menezes's armada arrived in Goa at the end of August, 1521. He assumed office in early 1522, upon the departure of his predecessor.