João Soares de Albergaria
| João Soares de Albergaria | |
|---|---|
| João Soares | |
| 1st Donatary-Captain of Santa Maria | |
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In office 1474–1499 |
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| Monarch | |
| Preceded by | Gonçalo Velho Cabral |
| Succeeded by | João Soares de Sousa |
| Constituency | Santa Maria |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
João Soares 1415 |
| Died | 1499 |
| Citizenship | Kingdom of Portugal |
| Nationality | Portuguese |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Relations |
Parents
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| Children |
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| Residence | Vila do Porto |
| Nickname(s) | João Soares Velho |
Parents
João Soares de Albergaria (c. 1415 - 1499), also referred to as João Soares (or João Soares Velho), was the second Portuguese Dontary-Captain of the islands of Santa Maria and São Miguel, succeeding his maternal uncle Gonçalo Velho Cabral in the title. After selling his rights to the Captaincy of the island of São Miguel, to Rui Gonçalves da Câmara, he continued as Donatary-Captain of Santa Maria.
He was the son of Fernão Soares de Albergaria and Teresa Velho Cabral, one of the sisters of Gonçalo Velho Cabral.
He married Brites Godins, yet had no heirs. In 1474, due to his wife's illness, Albergaria moved to the island of Madeira, in order to "find remedies and medics" to treat his wife's condition, as well as a milder climate for her to convalesce. They lodged with the family of the Captain of Funchal, João Gonçalves Zarco and his brother, Rui Gonçalves da Câmara. As Father Gaspar Frutuoso would later relate, due to the unproductivity of the island, the many costs he developed during his move and treatments for his wife, Soares de Albergaria would decide to sell the Captaincy of São Miguel for 2,000 cruzados and 60,000 kilograms of sugar to Rui Gonçalves for his hospitality; this contract was approved by Beatrice of Burgundy, Diogo, Duke of Viseu and, ultimately, ratified by the King Afonso V on 10 March 1474.
João Soares de Albergaria settled the island, and restructured the population, founding the principal village, Vila do Porto, and becoming the base for future Captains-Generals in the islands of the Azores. His maternal uncle was the "Commander of Santa Maria and Captain of the Azores", within a structural framework that was not properly defined. His position as Captain of Santa Maria was confirmed in a similar edict from King Afonso V of Portugal, months later:
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Wikipedia