Captain-major - South America

South America

• Brazilian provinces (some had Governors from the start):
  • Ceará, a captaincy since 1619 (1621-1656 subordinated to Maranhão), there were Captains-major 30 June 1699- 17 January 1799, then Ceará captaincy was split from Pernambuco (to which it had been subordinated since 1656) under its own Governor
  • Espírito Santo, which had been a donataria under its own Governors since 1535, had captains-major 1627-1675, then again two Governors Donatory, and more Captains-major 1682-1799 (though since 1718 it was a crown colony, subordinated to Bahia), afterwards again Governors
  • Grão-Pará had Captains-majors since in 1615 the settlement begun as a part of Marahão (it was the residence of its Governors 1737-1755) - 1753, next Governors(-general)
  • Maranhão had Captains-major 1745 - 1775, next (as before since 9 January 1616) Governors
  • since its creation in 1582 in the Captaincy of Paraíba, subordinated to Pernambuco, except the occuption (Dutch Directors 1635-1645) and the single 1645-1655 Junta (council), till 1797, next Governors; in 1799 a separate Captaincy of Paraíba do Norte was created
  • at least one Captain-Major is known of the Captaincy of Pernambuco (1535 founded as Donátaria of Nova Lusitania, renamed in 1575), Manuel de Mascarenhas Homem; no later then 1699 it got its own Governors, but nevertheless it became in 1716 a Crown colony, called captaincy of Pernambuco.
  • the 1597 founded Captaincy of Rio Grande had a single Captain-major 1697-1701, Bernardo Vieira de Mello, next Governors, subordinated to Pernambuco till 1808; since 1737 it got its modern name Rio Grande do Norte
  • at least since 1761 in the 1759 founded Captaincy of São José do Piauí, subordinated to Maranhão until 1811, from then with its own governors, since 28 February 1821 renamed Province of Piauí
  • São Vicente had Captains-major 1533 (till 1691 alongside Donatários); on 17 April 1709 the name of São Vicente changed to São Paulo e Minas de Ouro, since 18 June 1710 it had its own Governors (in 1750 it was renamed São Paulo, since 28 February 1821 it is a province)
  • Sergipe d'el Rei had Captains-major since 1696 (also after the 1763 merger with Baía) till 20 February 1821, next it was a province under its own Governors