Sergipe - History

History

São Cristóvão was the site of the first Portuguese settlement, in 1591, at Sergipe D'El-Rey, which is today Sergipe (the name Sergipe is actually a Tupi word, meaning river of the "crab"), and later became the state's capital for a while.

As with other states in the northeast, Sergipe was invaded numerous times by the Dutch, and frequently raided by French buccaneers. During the 17th century, the state was known throughout the Americas for its king-wood, a prized commodity that was the primary attraction during the buccaneer raids, and probably a factor in Dutch military expeditions. From 1641 to 1645, the territory belonged to Dutch-controlled Brazil (New Holland). The Dutch built a fort (the first one in the region) between the rivers São Francisco and Sergipe. In 1645, the Portuguese regained control. By the 18th century, the Portuguese military had driven off the pirates permanently.

In 1855, under the administration of provincial president Inácio Joaquim Barbosa, the capital was moved to Aracaju.

In the 1930s, Sergipe became notorious for its outlaws, including Virgolino Ferreira da Silva, - better known as Lampião, the "King of Bandits", who terrorized the state for almost a decade until his beheading by the Brazilian police in 1938. His head was later displayed on a pole in a village square.