Matias de Albuquerque, Count of Alegrete
The Count of Alegrete | |
|---|---|
Portrait by Feliciano de Almeida, c. 1673–75 | |
| Governor General of Brazil | |
| In office 1624–1627 | |
| Monarch | Philip III of Portugal |
| Preceded by | Diogo de Mendonça Furtado |
| Succeeded by | Diogo Luís de Oliveira |
| Loco Tenente (Governor) of Pernambuco | |
| In office 1620–1627 | |
| Monarchs | Philip II of Portugal Philip III of Portugal |
| Preceded by | Martim de Sousa Sampaio |
| Succeeded by | Luis de Rojas y Borja, Duque de Ganja |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Paulo de Albuquerque c. 1580 Olinda, Portuguese colony of Brazil |
| Died | 1647 Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Portuguese Empire |
| Branch/service | Army |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars | Dutch-Portuguese War Portuguese Restoration War |
Matias de Albuquerque, Count of Alegrete (Olinda, colony of Brazil, 1580s – Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal, 9 June 1647) was a Portuguese colonial administrator and soldier. He was nicknamed "Hero of Two Continents" for his performance, beginning in 1624, against the Dutch invaders of colonial Brazil (Captaincy of Pernambuco) and for his role, beginning in 1641, as a general in Portugal, fighting for king John IV during the Portuguese Restoration War, where he won the battle of Montijo over the Spaniards in 1644. For this victory he was rewarded the title of Count of Alegrete by the king.
The youngest son of Jorge de Albuquerque Coelho, Matias was baptized as Paulo de Albuquerque, but he changed his name to Matias to honor his relative and godfather, Matias de Albuquerque, who was the Viceroy of India.