Manuel Cabral de Alpoim facts for kids

Quick facts for kids General Manuel Cabral de Melo y Alpoim
Castle of Belmonte, belonging to their ancestors
Lieutenant Governor of Corrientes
In office 1629–1633
Preceded by	Francisco Arias de Mansilla
Succeeded by	Luis de Navarrete
Lieutenant Governor of Corrientes
In office 1634–1636
Preceded by	Luis de Navarrete
Succeeded by	Pedro Dávila Enríquez
Mayor of Corrientes
In office 1656–1657
Preceded by	?
Succeeded by	?
Alcalde de la Hermandad in Buenos Aires Province
In office 1621–1622
Preceded by	?
Succeeded by	?
Personal details
Born	Manuel Cabral de Melo e Alpoim 1589 Vila do Porto, Azores, Portugal
Died	1676 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Spouses	Inés Arias de Mansilla Juana Delgado de Espinosa
Military service
Allegiance	Spanish Empire
Branch/service	Spanish Army
Years of service	1620-1676
Rank	General

Manuel Cabral de Melo e Alpoim (1589–1676) was a Portuguese nobleman who worked for the Spanish Empire. He was a very important military leader and politician in the Río de la Plata region in the early 1600s.

He served as a mayor (alcalde) and a lieutenant governor (teniente de gobernador) in Corrientes Province in Argentina. He also owned a lot of land and was known for hunting wild cattle. He was one of the most powerful "accioneros" (people who hunted wild cattle) in the Viceroyalty of Peru.

Manuel Cabral de Melo's Early Life

Manuel Cabral de Melo was born in 1589 in Vila do Porto, on Santa Maria Island in the Azores. His parents were Amador Vaz de Alpoim and Margarida Cabral de Melo. His family belonged to the Portuguese nobility.

In 1598, when Manuel was nine, his family moved to Buenos Aires. They had lived in Brazil for five years after an earthquake hit the Azores in 1591.

Education and Early Career

Manuel started his studies at the Jesuit College in Buenos Aires. He then continued his education in Lisbon, Portugal. In 1613, he returned to Buenos Aires and began working in his father's business.

His father passed away in Buenos Aires around 1617, and his mother died around 1630. After finishing his studies, Manuel took on several important military and government jobs.

First Public Roles

In 1621, Manuel's first public job was "Alcalde de la Hermandad." This meant he was like a mayor for the areas outside the main city of Buenos Aires. Later, he became a "Regidor" of the Cabildo de Buenos Aires, which was like being a council member. He was very active in important matters for the Río de la Plata region.

Military and Government Service

Around 1620, Manuel moved to the city of Corrientes. In 1629, he was appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of the Province. He played a key role in stopping a rebellion by local Indigenous groups.

Protecting the Jesuits

In 1628, some Spanish Jesuits were attacked and killed by the "cacique" (leader) Ñezú. This happened in the San Nicolás settlement, located across the Uruguay River. Among those killed was Roque González de Santa Cruz.

Manuel Cabral de Melo led an army of 200 Guarani soldiers from Itatí to Rio Grande do Sul. His quick action helped save many lives. He also provided about 40,000 cattle to help create new settlements in the area.

The Heart of Roque González

Manuel's soldiers found the heart of Roque González de Santa Cruz, which had been burned and pierced with an arrow. Manuel's soldiers brought the heart back to the city of Corrientes.

He served as Lieutenant Governor of Corrientes from 1629 to 1633, and again from 1634 to 1636. In 1656, he was elected as the first mayor of Corrientes.

Ranching and Land Ownership

Manuel also worked in farming and livestock in Buenos Aires and Corrientes. In 1620, he received permission to hunt "ganado cimarron," which were wild cattle and horses. These animals were very common in the Buenos Aires Province.

He owned a large ranch in Monte Grande. He also managed his mother's ranch in Luján. In 1627, he bought the rights to be the "Accionero Mayor del Ganado Vacuno" (main hunter of wild cattle) for the city of San Juan de Vera de las Siete Corrientes.

Manuel was highly respected by the local Indigenous people. He gave them special permits to hunt cattle from the settlements so they could feed their families.

Later Military Actions

In 1637 and 1638, Manuel took part in expeditions against rebel tribes in the Calchaquí Valleys. These expeditions were led by Governor Pedro Dávila Enriquez and his successor, Mendo de la Cueva.

Manuel Cabral de Melo y Alpoim was an active member of the local military groups (militias) of the Spanish army in Buenos Aires. He used various weapons for fighting and defense, including two arquebuses (old guns), a sword, and an iron spear.

Manuel Cabral de Melo's Family

Manuel Cabral de Melo was married twice. His first wife was Inés Arias de Mansilla. His second wife was Juana Delgado de Espinosa.

He had two daughters, Margarita and Gregoria. He also had a son, Juan Cabral de Alpoim y Arias de Mansilla, who also became a mayor, council member, and landowner in Corrientes Province.

Noble Ancestry

Manuel came from a very old and noble family. He was a distant relative of the royal families of Portugal, Castile (Spain), France, and England.

His father's family were descendants of medieval knights from France, possibly from Normandy. His mother's family was directly related to the Portuguese royal families. Some of his famous ancestors included kings like Afonso III of Portugal and John of England.

His noble background was officially confirmed by a special certificate of nobility from the King of Arms of Portugal in Lisbon. Manuel's maternal ancestors were also related to Gonçalo Velho Cabral and Pedro Álvares Cabral, who were famous explorers. Gonçalo Velho Cabral discovered the Azores, and Pedro Álvares Cabral discovered Brazil.

Today, there is a museum in the city of Corrientes named after him: the Museo Histórico de Corrientes Tte. Gdor. Manuel Cabral de Melo Alpoín.

See also

In Spanish: Manuel Cabral de Melo y Alpoin para niños

Images for kids

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  The Jesuit martyrs