Manuel da Nóbrega facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Manuel da Nóbrega
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Father Manuel da Nóbrega on a commemorative Portuguese stamp of the 400th anniversary of the foundation of São Paulo.
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| Born | October 18, 1517 Sanfins do Douro, Kingdom of Portugal
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| Died | October 18, 1570 (aged 53) |
| Nationality | Portuguese |
| Occupation | Jesuit priest, missionary |
| Known for | First Provincial of the Society of Jesus in the colony of Brazil. Founder of Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. |
Manuel da Nóbrega (born October 18, 1517 – died October 18, 1570) was an important Portuguese Jesuit priest. He was the very first leader of the Society of Jesus (a Catholic religious order) in colonial Brazil. Along with José de Anchieta, he played a huge role in the early history of Brazil. He helped start several major cities, like Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. He also founded many Jesuit schools and seminaries.
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Early Life of Manuel da Nóbrega
Nóbrega was born on October 18, 1517, in a town called Sanfins do Douro, in Portugal. His family was well-known; his father, Baltasar da Nóbrega, was a respected judge. Manuel went to universities in Porto and Salamanca, Spain. He also studied at the University of Coimbra in Portugal. In 1541, he earned degrees in church law and philosophy. In 1544, he joined the Jesuit order. After becoming a priest, he worked in different parts of Portugal.
Missionary Work in Brazil
In 1549, King John III of Portugal asked the Jesuits to send missionaries to Brazil. The goal was to teach Christianity to the Native Americans. They also wanted to build churches and schools, and educate the colonists. Nóbrega joined the fleet of the first Portuguese Governor-General, Tomé de Sousa.
Arrival in Brazil and Founding Salvador
Nóbrega arrived in Bahia on March 29, 1549, with five other Jesuits. The Governor-General's first big task was to create the new capital city, Salvador. Nóbrega helped celebrate its first Mass in 1549.
Challenges and Defending Native People
Nóbrega and his fellow Jesuits tried hard to do their work. But they faced many problems. The colonists often treated the Native Americans badly and tried to force them into labor. Nóbrega strongly defended the Native Americans. This led to big arguments with the colonists and even with the Governor-General.
To get more power in his fight, Nóbrega asked the King to create a special church office in Brazil called an episcopacy (a bishop's area). This was approved in 1551. The first Bishop of Brazil, Dom Pedro Fernandes Sardinha, started his work in 1552. By then, Nóbrega had already started the Jesuit College of Salvador. Nóbrega was then made the first leader of the Jesuits in the New World. He held this position until 1559.
Focusing on Education for Children
Nóbrega realized it was very hard to teach Christianity to adult Native Americans. So, he decided the Jesuits should focus on teaching children instead. Children were more open to new ideas. The Jesuits started elementary schools. They taught Portuguese, Latin, reading, writing, and religion.
Nóbrega found that singing was a great way to get students' attention. He was one of the first to use music in education in Brazil. To help teach the children, Nóbrega had an idea. He brought seven orphan children to Brazil. They learned Tupi, the language of the Native Americans. This made them bilingual, so they could act as translators. These children often traveled with the Jesuits to faraway places. The Native Americans protected and cared for them. Several of these children later became Jesuit priests themselves.
Founding São Paulo
In 1552, Nóbrega traveled with Tomé de Sousa to the area of São Paulo. In 1553, more Jesuits arrived, including a young new member named José de Anchieta. Nóbrega decided their new mission was to build villages on the high plateau above the coast. This would help them teach and educate the Native Americans better.
So, on January 25, 1554, Nóbrega and Anchieta celebrated the first mass. This was at the new, simple Jesuit College of São Paulo dos Campos de Piratininga. They chose this day to honor Saint Paul. The small settlement around this Jesuit school grew into one of the world's largest cities: São Paulo.
Jesuit Missionary Practices
When Nóbrega and his men arrived in Brazil, they started teaching and baptizing the native people. They built chapels and schools. They were proud of how many native people became Christians. The Jesuits taught them prayers, writing, and singing. Nóbrega reported that 500 native people were baptized in the first five months. Many more were learning about Christianity.
Challenges with Colonists
Portuguese colonies in Brazil had issues like forced labor and unfair treatment of native people. Nóbrega was worried that the Portuguese settlers were not setting a good example. He could not stop the unfair practices among the Portuguese. So, he decided it was best to keep the native people and the Portuguese separate. He wanted to limit the native people's contact with the colonists. He also tried to make the Jesuits less dependent on support from the Portuguese king.
Nóbrega was happy that many native people became Christian. This happened even though they were often treated poorly by the Europeans. The sugar plantations in Brazil, for example, relied heavily on native labor. Later, the Portuguese started using African slave labor. These changes had a lasting impact on the native people. They had to live by Portuguese rules and adapt to new ways of life.
War and Expansion
The Portuguese colonists continued to exploit and attack native villages. This happened even though Nóbrega tried to make peace. The Tamoio and Tupiniquim tribes were most affected. They formed a powerful alliance called the Tamoio Confederation. They began attacking the villages founded by the colonists. São Paulo was attacked many times, but the Portuguese fought back.
Peace Efforts and French Invasion
Nóbrega tried to make a peace treaty with the Tamoio Confederation. He felt that all their efforts and the Portuguese colony were in great danger. Nóbrega and Anchieta stayed for a while in Iperoig (today's Ubatuba). They talked with the tribal leaders. Nóbrega managed to achieve a temporary peace. Anchieta's knowledge of Tupi, the language spoken by most of the native people, was very helpful. Anchieta had even created a vocabulary and grammar for the language.
However, a French invasion force arrived in 1555 in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro. This event was called France Antarctique. The native people saw a chance to get help from the French against the Portuguese. So, Nóbrega had no choice but to support the military actions. These were sent by the third Governor-General, Mem de Sá, in 1560, and by his nephew, Estácio de Sá, in 1565. The French colonists were defeated and forced out. Their native allies were brought under control.
Later Life and Legacy
After the French were expelled, Nóbrega founded a new Jesuit College in Rio. It was called the College of Saint Vincent. He became its rector (dean). In 1570, he was again chosen to be the leader of the Jesuit Order in Brazil. But he passed away before he could take the job. He died on October 18, 1570, which was his 53rd birthday. Seven years later, José de Anchieta, his great student and friend, became the Jesuit leader in Brazil.
Images for kids
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Father Manuel da Nóbrega on a commemorative Portuguese stamp of the 400th anniversary of the foundation of São Paulo.
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Statue of Manuel da Nóbrega in front of the Chapel of Our Lady of Help, Salvador
See also
In Spanish: Manuel da Nóbrega para niños
- Jesuit Reductions
- São Paulo dos Campos de Piratininga
- Colonial Brazil
- Pátio do Colégio
- Portuguese colonization of the Americas
- José de Anchieta
- Antarctic France
