Francisco Xavier de Mendonça Corte-Real (c. 1710 – July 16, 1789) was a Portuguese naval officer, traveler, and colonial administrator, serving as the Governor of Macau from 1788 to 1789.[1][2] Born into nobility in Goa, he joined the Portuguese Navy in his youth, eventually holding prominent positions in colonial leadership towards the latter part of his life.
Francisco Xavier de Mendonça Corte-Real | |
|---|---|
 Oil painting thought to depict Corte-Real | |
| 57th Governor of Macau | |
| In office July 21, 1788 – July 18, 1789 | |
| Preceded by | Bernardo Aleixo de Lemos e Faria |
| Succeeded by | Lázaro da Silva Ferreira and Manuel António Costa Ferreira (co-serving) |
| Member of the Goa Municipal Council | |
| In office 1787 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1710 Goa, Portuguese India |
| Died | July 16, 1789 (aged 78–79) Portuguese Macau |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Portugal |
| Branch/service | Portuguese Navy |
| Rank | Naval Captain |
Background
editCorte-Real was born in Goa, Portuguese India (present-day India), around 1710 into a noble family. His father's name was António; Antònio, a Catholic priest as well as a military officer, was the son of Diogo de Mendonça Corte-Real, Portugal’s former Secretary of State. On the other hand, Francisco’s mother was said to have been part native Goan, in addition to her Portuguese ancestry.[3][2]
Colonial affairs
editGoa
editIn about 1787, Corte-Real was ordered to arrest Father José Antonio Gonçalves or José Felippe Gonçalves, residents of the parish of Piedade, for the crime of lesa-majestade (treason). The accused were believed to be the leaders of a planned insurrection.[3]
Macau
editOn July 21, 1788, he was appointed Governor of Macau. At this point in time, Corte-Real was familiar with the place, having previously served as Infantry Captain in the Guia Fortress. His passage there was rough, and he, alongside his family, survived a shipwreck, boarding a nearby English vessel.[2]
During his term, he lost all of his possessions, incurring a debt to the Senate. Consequently, his wife and children returned to Goa in 1789, although Corte-Real himself would stay.[2]
Personal life
editHe was married and had children, as mentioned earlier.[2]
He died on July 16, 1789, in Macau—a surgeon had confirmed his death, determining that the cause of it was from a long-standing ailment he had been suffering from for quite some time.[4]
References
edit- ^ Gomes, Artur Levy (1957). Esboço da história de Macau, 1511 a 1849 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Repartição Provincial dos Serviços de Economia e Estatística Geral (Secção de Propaganda e Turismo). pp. 295–297.
- ^ a b c d e "澳門總督花利亞卸任，李露就任澳門總督". www.macaumemory.mo. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
- ^ a b Rivara, Joaquim Heliodoro da Cunha (1875). A Conjuração de 1787 em Goa, e varias cousas desse tempo. Memoria historica (in Brazilian Portuguese). Imprensa Nacional. pp. 5–15.
- ^ "澳督李露在澳門富商西蒙•羅咱家中突然去世". www.macaumemory.mo. Retrieved 2024-10-05.