Books, Articles & News
Here you can find some of the most relevant books, articles and chronicles written by H.R.H. Prince Alfred of Hawai'i on various subjects, but always related to history and based on extensive documentation.
ARTICLES
ROYAL HOUSE OF HAWAII
DYNASTIC LEGITIMACY
TO THE HAWAIIAN ROYAL LINE
This article is written in order to clarify the contention surrounding who is the correct and legitimate Royal Heir of Hawai'i. First it is helpful to provide a brief introduction to the context of the timeline of the Royal history of the Hawaiian Islands. The first European acknowledgement of the term Royal in Hawai'i is attributed to the regnant Queen Kamakahelei of the independent kingdom of the northwestern and oldest inhabited islands of Kaua'i and Ni'hau, documented as a kingdom in historical records, and an existing kingdom when Paiea Kamehameha (Kamehameha I) was gradually conquering the Hawaiian archipelago island by island until his complete unification of all the islands under one government. This is one reason why the island of Kaua'i is known among Hawaiian genealogical experts as the island of the "blue-blood" Ali'i, from where the highest ranking Ali'i throughout the archipelago descend. Ali'i is a Hawaiian word that roughly translates to ruler, chief or leader, as in the sense of a lord of a territory. The formation of the structure of Hawaiian Royal government followed the British model, however did not adopt the aristrocratic hierarchic system of the titles of Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount or Baron, because the Hawaiians already had a hierarchic system in place which consisted of various ranks of Ali'i. Although the Kingdom of Hawai'i began in 1795, at that time it did not actually consist of all the islands, but only the islands of Hawai'i, Lana'i, Moloka'i, Maui and Oahu, while the independent Kingdom of Kaua'i and Ni'ihau flourished. Kamehameha attempted more than once to conquer the Kingdom of Kaua'i and Ni'ihau to no avail, until it was peacefully included. The first Hawaiian dynasty was called the Kamehameha Dynasty, and this dynasty consisted of five kings by this name. The European kingdoms and nations formally acknowledged that Hawai'i was a Kingdom, including Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Japan, Russia, France, Germany and China, although the French ambassador attempted to plot war on the Hawaiian Kingdom to claim it for France and failed. The childless King Kamehameha V, Lot Kapuaiwa, died without having named his Heir, so it was decided that the next king was to assume the Crown by an election, and this was the first Royal election that took place in the Kingdom. The people being aware of his blood proximity, elected William Lunalilo as King. Unfortunately Lunalilo died from illness after approximately one year of his reign, giving rise to the second and last election for the Crown by the same credentials. The second and final dynasty of the Kingdom of Hawai'i began when David Kalakaua was elected, who was of the Kamehameha bloodline through Aikanaka, son of one of the High Ali'i warrior twins, known as the "Royal Twins", Kame'eiamoku and Kamanawa, who had been valuable war counsellors and generals of King Kamehameha I, and are immortalized depicted as the two tenants flanking the shield on the Royal Hawaiian Coat-of-Arms. The last Sovereign was King Kalakaua's sister, Queen Lydia Lili'uokalani. Constitutional Monarchy was implemented in the Hawaiian Kingdom by Kauikeaouli, King Kamehameha III, and endured until the illegal overthrow by American businessmen conspiring with the American Provisional Government in 1893, ultimately leading to the illegal annexation of Hawai'i in 1898. The last Crown Heir of the Kingdom was H.R.H. Princess Victoria Ka'iulani, the niece-by-blood of the Sovereign siblings.
OWANA SALAZAR
Owana Salazar is the name of a self-proclaimed pretendant. Her claim is a descendance from the Ali'i Keoua, a ruler of the youngest island of the Hawaiian islands before the islands were united into a Kingdom. Therefore, the Ali'i Keoua was a pre-unification ruler and not a Royal ruler. This is important to note because the name of Owana Salazar's organization is trademarked in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as "The Royal House of Keoua Nui", however, Keoua was evidently not a Royal ruler. Another contradiction that Owana Salazar presents to the international community via the social media platform of Facebook is the use of the name "Royal House of Hawaii", despite the fact that the name of her organization is "The Royal House of Keoua Nui". It is curious that Owana Salazar posits that Keoua was the biological father of the first king of the Kingdom of Hawai'i, however it is not taught in school books in Hawai'i that Keoua was the biological father of King Kamehemeha I. In good truth, the Ali'i Keoua was not the biological father of the first king of the Kingdom of Hawai'i, King Kamehameha I, he was his foster father. The domain name of her website is, curiously, "crownofhawaii.org", which, again, is not the correct name of her organization "The Royal House of Keoua Nui". While the website includes some Hawaiian history, upon closer look, it is also inappropriately commerce based, inappropriately features a visual index for western ceremonial attire, and there is a story presented to advocate Owana Salazar's alleged royal legitimacy that surrounds the year 1917, which, given the factual timeline of the Kingdom, is a distinct indicator of fiction. The Facebook page presents an unfortunate lack of the indicators of Royal demeanor and educated language, often using uninhibited expletives in publication captions, which, needless to say, fails to portray a respect for the royal legacy of Hawai'i. An extensive read of the website is unnecessary before it is immediately apparent that Owana Salazar does not realize that a claim of blood relation to King Kamehameha I —or consequently any of the sovereigns of the first dynasty of the Kingdom of Hawai'i— does not substantiate or define having Royal status today, because the Kamehameha Dynasty was not the last dynasty to rule. As a musician, Owana Salazar has been part of the significant Hawaiian cultural "Renaissance" that began in the islands in the 1970's, and has been positing her claims among locals based on her unfounded information about King Kamehameha I's father. For some decades in Hawai'i there had been scant open refutation of her claims by those aware of them, however this could be explained by the fact that over the decades any elders who could have negated her stance had already died, or those who are genealogically knowledgeable simply didn't give attention to her claims. It has only been during the past decade that Owana Salazar's claims regarding her position have actively begun to be contested, including by well esteemed, expert historians and pillars of the Hawaiian community. Owana Salazar appears not to understand how the term Royal —a European term which alludes to the timeline of kingdoms— is applied. This is a case in which it is important to be mindful that the term, Royal, and its meaning, do not originate from Oceania. Owana Salazar has no blood relation to any of the kings, queens or dynasties that ruled during the timeline of a kingdom in Hawai'i, therefore, while she may have an Ali'i heritage, she does not have a Royal heritage. Owana Salazar cannot produce a legitimate genealogy to support her claims of being referable in the European term of Royal, and subsequently of being a Princess, by virtue of the fact that she is not related by blood to the sovereigns of the last ruling dynasty of the Kingdom of Hawai'i. It is evident, then, that by the meanings of the structural protocol of the definition of Royal, Owana Salazar cannot claim that she is of Royal status today. Owana Salazar refers to herself as the Crown Princess, but she is not the Royal Heir. In light of these facts, Owana Salazar was not invited to Portugal by the legitimate and legal Royal House of Portugal some years ago. In Hawai'i, Owana Salazar is a musician of Hawaiian music and this is the primary mode by which she has gained some following over the decades.
KAWANANAKOA
Kawānanakoa is not the name of a pretendant, it is a family name. The House of Kawānanakoa is comprised of the descendants of David Kawānanakoa, who was not born a Prince but was given the honorary distinction of Prince styled as H.H. from his uncle by marriage, King David Kalākaua. His aunt by blood, the High Ali'i Chiefess Julia Kapi'olani, was the sister of his mother, and became Queen Consort. Abigail Kawānanakoa's name became more publicly known when Hawai'i was enjoying its "Renaissance" of culture in the 1970's. Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawānanakoa Ellerbrock was an Heir of the wealthy estate of her grandfather, the Irish plantation landowner, James Campbell, and a granddaughter of David La'amea Kahalepouli Kinoiki Kawānanakoa, who was the oldest nephew from the Consort line, namely the Queen Consort Julia Kapi'olani. Abigail Kawānanakoa was adopted by her grandmother and did not use her biological father's last name of Ellerbrock. One of the main reasons why Abigail Kawānanakoa was mistakenly considered by some to be the H.R.H. is because her mother, Lydia Lili'uokalani Kawānanakoa Morris, founded the Friends of the 'Iolani Palace, the laudable Non-Profit organization whose purpose is to strive to preserve the Hawaiian patrimony of the 'Iolani Palace, and with the ease of the massive Campbell Estate wealth established by her foreign grandfather, Abigail Kawānanakoa was able to donate money toward the 'Iolani Palace and other worthy causes. King Kalākaua's Will puts forth that the Royal line would continue with his blood, and only after his blood was extinguished, then the line of his wife (the Consort), namely the eldest of his nephews-by-marriage who were given honorary titles of Prince in the style of H.H., would follow after the remaining of the Sovereign's blood in the line of succession. By virtue of the fact that Abigail Kawānanakoa was a philanthropist, and a granddaughter of Prince David Kawānanakoa, she was considered by some to be a Princess and the Royal Heir, however, in good truth she in fact was not a Princess because her lineal descendance is directly from the position of the Consort line. This is another significant factor to understand about Royal structure. By virtue of the fact that the nephews were the Queen Consort's nephews, and not the Sovereign's nephews, the Kawānanakoa Family is permanently in the position of the Consort line. Even though the Kawānanakoa ancestral Ali'i lineage is from the "blueblood" lineage of Kamakahelei from the island of Kauai, the fact that the Kawānanakoa's position is directly associated with the Consort, and not the Sovereign, is the first indicator to all legitimate European and international Royal Families that the Kawānanakoa are not the correct family of the remaining Royal House of Hawai'i to be first in the line of Succession. Abigail Kawānanakoa served as the President of The Friends of the 'Iolani Palace, continuing her mother's work. She undoubtedly deserves the praise that she received during her life for her sustained contribution to the Friends of the 'Iolani Palace non-profit organization, however, the non-monarchic American government has no royal authority to officially adjudicate or recognize a Hawaiian Fons Honorum that some associated with her, and for which her relative, Quentin Kawānanakoa, prepared a legal filing some years ago in order to prevent Owana Salazar from her attempt to prepare a filing for the same under the federal government of the United States. In the monarchic or royal context, Fons Honorum is a legitimate right that a person inherits, an inherent right of the blood. It is not something that can be filed for in order to determine if a person has this inherent right. In the veritable context of royalty and even more specifically concerning a legitimate Royal Heir, Fons Honorum, in fact, is not something that can be filed for, applied for, or bought. This is a significant issue that Americans may not understand, while any European who is knowledgeable in the context of royalty would readily consider the notion or act of filing for Fons Honorum to be a red flag indication of fabrication. Fons Honorum is not something that can be adjudicated in order to validate the legitimacy of Royal position, and any such contrived filing is unrealistic before or after a monarchic government has been deposed. The transparency of Abigail Kawānanakoa is appreciated. She did not use the title of Princess in reference to herself during her lifetime. She admitted to Honolulu Magazine in 2021 that if the Hawaiian monarchy had continued, her cousin would have been the next ruler instead of her. Indeed, the named Crown Heir was H.R.H. Princess Victoria Ka'iulani, the niece-by-blood of the Sovereign, King David Kalākaua and that of his sister, the last Sovereign of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Queen Lydia Lili'uokalani. The descendants of the blood of the Sovereign would have to be completely extinguished of relations before the Kawānanakoa line could move forward in the succession from the position of the Consort line. This link directs to an article wherein Abigail Kawānanakoa admits that she was not a Princess or the Heir.
In good truth and in observance of King Kalākaua's Will, the principal branch of the family of the Consort line only assumes the right to succession when there are no more blood relations of the Sovereign. I would like to point out that it is honorable, and a refreshing indication of the respect for the epoch of the Kingdom that is still present in the hearts of the Native Hawaiian people today, that even though the State of Hawai'i and the 'Iolani Palace were not paying tribute to a descendant of the Sovereign line of the last ruling dynasty of the Hawaiian Kingdom, they acknowledged Abigail Kawānanakoa's passing with dignity and ceremoniously. It is always encouraging to see the government of a Republic overtly giving value to vestiges of the timeline of monarchic history.
HOAPILI BAKER
Hoapili Baker is not the first and last name of a pretendant, it is a family name. The dual surname Hoapili Baker originates from Prince Robert Hoapili Baker I. He was the eldest child of the Royal Prince Ikekeleaiku of the Royal Court of Kamakahelei, and High Ali'i Maliekaihilani (also known as Malie Kaikilani) Napu'upahoehoe, who, after the death of the Royal Prince Ikekeleaiku, later remarried a royally honored Captain of Oceanian waters named Adam C. Baker. Born a Prince, and grandson of the regnant Queen Kamakahelei of the first recorded kingdom, Robert Hoapili Baker I was the blood cousin appointed as primary royal aide-de-camp of King David Kalākaua. Prince Robert Hoapili added his step-father's name, Baker, in honor of his guidance into the political arena. The Hoapili Baker Family is related by blood to the first dynasty and the last dynasty, and their genealogy is traced back to the first archived Mo'ī —a specific Hawaiian word for a King or Queen (prior to the context of the European terminology for Royal)—of the 13th century, Līloa of the (big) island of Hawai'i. The Hoapili Baker Family are from the exact same Ali'i family bloodline from the most "blue-blood" island of Kauai that the Kawānanakoa Family descend. The High Ali'i Julia Kapi'olani, who became Queen Consort to King David Kalākaua, was a second cousin of Prince Robert Hoapili Baker I, because High Ali'i Julia Kapi'olani's grandfather, Kaumuali'i, and Prince Robert Hoapili Baker I's father, Ikekeleaiku, were brothers. Not only is the Hoapili Baker Family the highest ranking legitimate Royal branch of the blood of the last Sovereign siblings, but there is also distinct, practiced and observed Royal custom identifying the family that has the most proximity to the Sovereign's blood. For example, Prince David Kawānanakoa did not carry the crown and sceptre of the Sovereign in the funeral procession of King Kalākaua, Prince Robert Hoapili Baker I did. If Prince David Kawānanakoa had ceremoniously carried these tokens as in Royal custom then it would be clear that the more accurate family first in the Hawaiian Succession are the Kawānanakoa. In good truth, documentation of the practices of formal ceremony can serve as de facto aids in providing explicit indicators in historical research about Royal tradition. The monarchs of the last ruling dynasty, King Kalākaua and Queen Consort Kapi'olani, and Queen Lydia Lili'uokalani, observed European Royal customs. The Kawānanakoa Family have always known about the existence of the Hoapili Baker Family. The Hoapili Baker Family have always known about their Royal status. Prince Robert Hoapili Baker, being of royal blood, opted to save his family from pain of death or imprisonment by refraining from protest to assume a private life on his estate on the island of Maui after he was forced by the American Annexation Committee to register his name and indicate his property. Taking up a private life never made any legitimate Royal Family illegitimate or exempt from their rightful place of succession. Therefore, it is rational to defend that the continued principal branch of the family of the Consort line only assumes the right to succession when there are no more living members of the Hoapili Baker Family. While historical information has been accessible via the internet about the Hoapili Baker name and royal heritage, the Hoapili Baker Family maintained their private life since the American coup of 1893 until the past decade, when one family member and his wife began making incoherent claims, including from their only residence in the state of California, without notifying the elders of the Hoapili Baker Family in Hawai'i.
DARRICK BAKER
Darrick Baker, resident of California, has no legal right to represent the Hoapili Baker Family name, in fact he only has the right to use his three-word name of his organization, "House of Kamakahelei, LLC", which is not a Royal House. Darrick Baker claims to be a Christian of the Anglican Church. He holds a culinary degree from Kaua'i Community College. Darrick Baker does not promote the Hoapili Baker Royal legacy of service in reference to the family's collective bloodline or even acknowledge that other branches or members of the Hoapili Baker Family exist, including members of his own immediate family branch. Darrick Baker presents a censored, fraudulent genealogy of the current Hoapili Baker Family, and his alleged royal representation consists of the promotion of only himself and his wife, who have no children, and are beyond the age of producing children. More importantly, Darrick Baker does not descend from the correct branch of the Hoapili Baker Family to be able to represent the Royal Hoapili Baker Family name in the principal position. All the members of the different branches of the Hoapili Baker Family are in open accord on this subject, with the exception of Darrick Baker and his wife. Darrick Baker is unable to be a resident in the State of Hawai'i and operate his organization from Hawai'i due to his wife's felony conviction having been issued in the State of Hawai'i. Darrick Baker's wife is a convicted felon being monitored on the United States Government Watchlist, yet he fraudulently and immorally promotes his wife as a so-called Princess Consort of Hawai'i, going beyond ignoring that he is from the incorrect branch of the Hoapili Baker Family to represent as a Prince in the principal position, to ignore Royal principles in the Hawaiian Constitution that include that a convict cannot be a Royal Heir or a Monarch. These grave matters comprise some of the reasons why Darrick Baker is understood by the Hawaiian people to be a fraud, and why he is not acknowledged in Hawai'i. The registration of "House of Kamakahelei, LLC" is another indication of fiction, as no legitimate Royal House operates as a For-Profit enterprise. The organization, "Kamakahelei Foundation", is not engaged in any substantial work and appears only to be a front to solicit money to eclipse the fact that "House of Kamakahelei" is a For-Profit organization. It is important to mention the most recent, deliberate stance of Darrick Baker, which is the illegal modification of the domain name of his website from
"houseofkamakahelei.org"
to
"royalhouseofhawaii.com",
which is in direct violation of his USPTO Trademark registration of his three-word organization, "House of Kamakahelei". Website domain services are hardly a beacon for evidence of federal legality, anyone can buy a domain name and call their website what they wish. However, Darrick Baker's recent acquisition and illegal use of "royalhouseofhawaii.com" presents further falsification and pursuit to confuse and deceive the international community. It is not only this modification which conspicuously manifests corruption, however. By simple internet search, it is evident that Darrick Baker uses two websites, "houseofkamakahelei.org" and "royalhouseofhawaii.com", but both websites have identical content— a blatant indication of fraud. It is immediately apparent to anyone that "House of Kamakahelei" is not the same name as "Royal House of Hawai'i". Moreover, the USPTO does not permit the registration of the name "Royal House of Hawai'i", an organization's or institution's name must be specified in the registration title. Ultimately, the website "royalhouseofhawaii.com" that Darrick Baker illegally uses is not the website that represents the legitimate and legal Royal House of Hawai'i representing the Hoapili Baker Family name and legacy, it is simply a domain name purchased online by Darrick Baker and his wife, who lack the status of Royal position in the family and the approval of the Hoapili Baker Family, the legal use of the Hoapili Baker name, the education, credentials, experienced royal counsel and resources to head and operate a legitimate Royal House. Darrick Baker inconceivably refers to himself as the current "Ali'i Nui of Hawai'i". The precise translation of "Ali'i Nui" is Supreme Ruler. Darrick Baker is not officially invited to ceremonial events that pay tribute to the timeline of Hawai'i's monarchic history. By legal recommendation, the legitimate and legal Royal branch of the Hoapili Baker Family has a Disclaimer and Caveat Emptor that has been issued on their current official website since January 2020 in order to formally clarify that they are legally separate from the associations, acts and statements of Darrick Baker and his wife, indirectly serving to alert the international community to be wary of the fraudulence of these two individuals.
https://www.royal-house-of-hawaii-ka-hale-alii-o-hoapili-baker.com/445150749.html
IDONY PUNAHELE HOAPILI
Idony Punahele descends from the legitimate and legal Royal representative branch of the Hoapili Baker Family, the branch of George Ī'ī Baker, son of Robert Hoapili Baker III, and sibling of fifteen royal children. The genealogy of the branch of George Ī'ī Baker is the only royal family whose genealogy has been accepted and recorded by the United States Federal government of the State of Hawai'i in the Bureau of Conveyances in Honolulu. George Ī'ī Baker is the grandfather of Idony Punahele, and the father of Georgette Pua'ala Baker, an accomplished businesswoman, art collector and philanthropist. Georgette Pua'ala, being the eldest child of the blood of George Ī'ī, formally abdicated her position in line of succession in favor of her eldest child, her daughter, who was educated in the same international manner as the family's blood relative, the last Crown Heir of Hawai'i, the Princess Victoria Ka'iulani. Following traditional royal protocol, the Heir was to be engaged to a foreigner of royal and/or high noble blood to strengthen the Royal Family's position in the international royal arena, and King David Kalākaua was responsibly endeavoring to establish a marital contract for his niece. Idony Punahele's first Hawaiian name is Punahele and her second Hawaiian name is the family's ancestral name Hoapili. She is Christian and was baptized Catholic in Hawai'i in her infancy. Idony Punahele is an intellectual, a linguist, a polyvalent fine artist and a philanthropist. She is affiliated with the cinema industry since the age of seven and has a Masters degree in cinema related studies from the Edinburgh College of Art (University of Edinburgh), carried out her advanced studies in three European countries in the areas of linguistics, cinema, animation and multimedia production, after earning her Bachelor's degree from the prestigious Bryn Mawr College on the East Coast of the United States, an academic institution that is steadily ranked first in the nation among the most competitive academic Liberal Arts schools, is well traveled and speaks five languages —as befits the expected education of a legitimate Royal to be at least fluently bilingual —and is well within age of producing heirs. Since 2001, Idony Punahele has been living between Hawai'i, the East Coast of the United States and Europe. Since 2021 she serves as the Executive Director of International Relations for the philanthropic arm of the Royal House of Hawai'i - Ka Hale Ali'i O Hoapili Baker, The Hoapili Baker Foundation. Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her European liaisons of the Foundation Board have worked to garner the interest of academic institutions in the Iberian Peninsula to begin developing the Foundation's continuation of King Kalākaua's progressive "Hawaiian Youths Abroad Program", the program legislated by Prince Robert Hoapili Baker I in the Hawaiian Legislative Assembly. She is working to develop international study abroad programs and corresponding scholarships for Native Hawaiians throughout Europe and Asia. Since October 2022, Idony Punahele has been integrated as a judge and a partner of the Finisterra (Edge of the World) Film Art & Tourism Festival, an acclaimed international film festival consortium with more than a decade of successful festivals. Aware that cinema is a reliable and impactful form of education, she seeks to divulge Hawaiian culture, royal history, and internationally through film and animation. Idony Punahele is organizing a Finisterra Film Festival Hawai'i in Honolulu with the European members of the Foundation Board to help Native Hawaiian cineastes, entrepreuneurs, scientists, and artists have more opportunities for their work to be seen and proliferated internationally. In conclusion, the most accurate and comprehensive Royal Heir of the Royal House of Hawai'i is H.R.H. Princess Idony Punahele. Her mother, H.R.H. Princess Georgette Pua'ala Baker Luppino is the founder and CEO of The Hoapili Baker Foundation, for which she serves as Chairwoman. In February 2022, to protect the Hoapili Baker Family from the confusion caused by Darrick Baker, the Princess Idony Punahele legally changed the name of the organization for the Royal House representing the royal legacy and heritage of the Hoapili Baker Family name from "Royal House of Hawai'i - Ka Hale Ali'i O Kamakahelei" to "Royal House of Hawai'i - Ka Hale Ali'i O Hoapili Baker". "Ka Hale Ali'i O Hoapili Baker" is Hawaiian for "Royal House of Hoapili Baker". In January 2020, H.R.H. George Ī'ī Baker appointed the Princess Idony Punahele to be his Heir and act as the Head of the Royal House. H.R.H. Princess Idony Punahele has served from both the United States and Europe as the appointed Head of the Royal House of Hawai'i representing the Hoapili Baker Family name and legacy, Ka Hale Ali'i O Hoapili Baker, a Royal House of both the blood of Kamehameha and Kalākaua. In fact, the Royal Hoapili Baker Family of the legitimate representative branch of H.R.H. George Ī'ī Baker have the legal right to use the term "Royal House of Hawai'i" in all forms and media in their representation, as it is a component of their legally registered name. The native Hawaiian genealogical experts in Hawai'i who are credible, reputable sources that I would like to acknowledge are Douglas Po'oloa Tolentino (Prendergast) and Brook Kapūkuniahi Parker. Douglas Po'oloa Tolentino is a genealogical consultant and former archivist for the State of Hawai'i, a musician and an accomplished fine artist whose work is commissioned across the State, and speaks the Hawaiian language. Brook Kapūkuniahi Parker is a passionate advocate for Hawaiian history and genealogy, a gifted fine artist whose work has come to be known internationally as the visual authority for key Hawaiian historical figures of royalty and ali'i, a beloved educator and philanthropist. Both experts are of Ali'i blood, and recognize the legitimacy of the Royal Hoapili Baker Family, the representative Royal branch of Prince George Ī'ī Baker, and his eldest grandchild of the blood, Princess Idony Punahele, whom he appointed. The Royal bloodline of Hawai'i constitutes the only royalty from the United States of America.
Alfredo Côrte-Real
Examples of social media in different countries and areas: Hawai'i:
https://www.facebook.com/royalhouseofhawaii.hoapilibaker
Continental USA: https://www.facebook.com/royalhouseofhawaii.hoapilibaker.continental
Portugal: https://www.facebook.com/casarealdohavai.casarealdehoapilibaker.portugal/
Spain: https://www.facebook.com/casarealdehawai.hoapilibaker.espana
Japan: https://www.facebook.com/royalhouseofhawaii.hoapilibaker.japan
Instagram:
EX - D. MIGUEL THE ABSOLUTIST
The King who unleashed terror in Portugal
The Ex - D. Miguel, who for a short time became Miguel I, was born in Lisbon on 26 October 1802. He died in Brombach, Germany, at the age of 64 on 14 November 1866.
D. Miguel was the son of Carlota Joaquina, wife of João VI, who was nicknamed "The Clement". João reigned as Prince Regent on behalf of his Mother, Queen Maria I. He was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves from 1816 to 1822.
After the return of the Court from Brazil to Portugal, more precisely in 1824, and following the failure of the Abrilada coup, in which Infante Miguel attempted to overthrow the government of João VI, the King was forced to send Infante Miguel into exile in Vienna, Austria, for the serious acts he had committed.
Miguel was banished from Portugal for the first time by King João VI.
D. After a lunch at the Jerónimos Monastery on 4 March 1826, João VI returned to the Bemposta Palace, now the Military Academy, feeling very ill, with fainting, vomiting and intense convulsions, which lasted a few days and worsened from day to day. For this reason, the King decided to appoint his daughter, the Infanta Isabel Maria, as Regent of the Kingdom. On the night of the 9th, the situation worsened even more and King João VI died on 10th March. It was later proved that, quite mysteriously, King João VI had been poisoned.
The Infanta Isabel Maria immediately took over the interim government and the Crown Prince, Pedro, was recognised as the legitimate heir as Pedro IV of Portugal.
D. Pedro IV of Portugal then, respecting the will of the majority of the people, granted the Constitutional Charter and subsequently abdicated the Crown in favour of his still minor daughter, Maria II.
D. Pedro IV had stayed in Brazil on the written recommendation of his August Father, King João VI. Unable to be in two places at once, Portugal and Brazil, he decided to try to unify and appease the family by proposing that his brother, banished by King João VI, return under certain conditions. To do so, he would have to marry his daughter and heir to the throne, Princess Maria II. He would also have to swear to the Portuguese Constitution and fully accept and respect the Cortes.
D. Miguel readily accepted, having signed the marriage contract, respecting by the Cortes and swore an oath, all willingly and in writing. He returned to Portugal on the frigate Pérgola and disembarked at Belém pier, from where he made his way to the Palace.
On 22 February 1828, with Miguel's arrival in Lisbon, the festivities to celebrate the Infante's arrival after four years in exile began, and ended up degenerating into real scenes of terror and violence, according to Oliveira Martins.
That same day, several bands of people armed with the most diverse weapons and utensils went through the streets looking for liberals, not simply to provoke them, but also to violently attack them. Insulting and shouting "die to the "malhados"", who were the great defenders of the Constitutional regime. They chanted songs like:
"The king has arrived, the king has arrived!
And in Belém he landed;
He didn't enter the tent [palace of the Cortes]
And didn't sign the paper [Constitutional Charter]!
The paper wiped his arse!"
This type of text shows the character and education of those who uttered such verbiage.
The Infante thus returned to Portugal from his first banishment. Failing to keep his word, he broke his oath to the Portuguese Constitution, dissolved the Cortes and declared war on the woman with whom he had signed a marriage contract by proxy.
He tries to impose an Absolutist Monarchy, the only one in Portuguese history, because since the Kingdom was founded by the first King Afonso Henriques, there had always been Cortes (Parliament) made up of the People, Clergy and Nobility. For this reason, he is known as the "Absolutist King" and many people also call him "The Traditionalist" out of ignorance. Those who are Traditionalists don't attack the King or the Monarchical Laws in force, they don't break their promise or their word. He doesn't try to change the system that has been in place for centuries by making it into something it never was.
D. Miguel managed to reign between 1828 and 1834. He is said to have been a king loved by the people, but in reality he was the A king who filled prisons and fuelled the forces like nothing like this had ever happened before. He had everything that opposed him arrested or killed. That's why, when he passed through the towns, all the people cheered him effusively for fear of being hanged or imprisoned. This explains how the army of Pedro IV and Maria II, with a brutally smaller contingent - with a disproportion of less than 1 liberal soldier to more than 10 absolutist soldiers - was able to impose itself later on, certainly with the support and help of the people.
Subsequent years proved that this was simply the start of a series of measures and actions that terrorised the Portuguese population during his reign. Violence and fear were a daily constant. Portugal became a theatre of constant confrontation and terror.
All those whom the Miguelists accused of being supporters of liberalism and defenders of the Portuguese Constitution were brutally persecuted, and often imprisoned and killed. The prisons were full. Hangings took place at an unprecedented rate.
According to historian Oliveira Martins, 115 hangings took place between 1828 and 1834, the overwhelming majority of which were for political reasons. The same author also states that there were more than 26,700 political prisoners who were distributed among the prisons, namely the Limoeiro Prison in Lisbon and the Forte de S. Julião da Barra Prison in Oeiras.
As a result of this persecution, many thousands of Portuguese defenders of the Constitution and of a parliamentary system were forced to emigrate for political reasons and for the safety of their families. The number is estimated at around 13,700 people during this period alone.
All these factors led to the outbreak of the Civil War, also known as the Liberal Struggle (1832 - 1834). The Miguelist forces were defeated and the Treaty of Évora Monte was signed on 26 May 1834.
No Tratado são lhe retirados todos e quaisquer tratamentos, honras, dignidades e propriedades para ele e toda a sua descendência caso a venha a ter.
A 27 de Maio de 1834, o ex- Infante D. Miguel embarca em Sines de onde parte para o exílio. Durante todo o percurso foi vaiado e insultado pela população por onde passava.
Chegado a Itália, mais uma vez, falha com o compromisso de honra e diz que o Tratado de Évora Monte não tem qualquer validade. Aí, são lhe retirados as tensas que lhe haviam sido atribuídas para que vivesse condignamente.
Curiosamente, e depois destes tristes episódios, durante muito tempo foi sustentado pela sua irmã e cunhado, a Infanta D. Ana de Jesus Maria e pelo Duque de Loulé.
Não contente com tudo isto, escreve uma carta à sua irmã, a Infanta D. Ana de Jesus Maria, para que o autorizasse a casar com a filha desta e sua sobrinha numa tentativa desesperada de tentar regressar a Portugal.
Os seus intuitos foram malogrados e teve que seguir com a sua vida como estrangeiro, desterrado e banido para todos o sempre. Ele e toda a sua linhagem.
Depois, de ter iniciado a Guerra Civil (1832-1834). D. Miguel, derrotado, assinou a Convenção de Évora Monte. Em 27 de Maio de 1834 partiu para o exílio. No entanto, desta vez, não houve regresso…
Alfredo Côrte-Real
THE RESTORATION OF 1 DECEMBER 1640
1st December is one of the most important dates for Portugal and should be commemorated in a dignified and solemn manner.
With the disappearance of King Sebastião on 4 August 1578, Portugal was left without a king, which threw the country into a delicate situation. This was followed by a period of around two years in which a number of suitors tried to impose themselves. However, in 1580, the King of Spain Philip II (and I of Portugal) ended up imposing himself. As a result, the Kingdom of Portugal found itself under the same jurisdiction as the King of Spain, while retaining all of its autonomy. To this end, during the Cortes of Tomar in 1581, Philip I of Portugal (II of Spain) swore to respect the laws and customs of Portugal, including the maintenance of the Portuguese language as the only official language.
Since Philip I was the son of the Infanta Isabel of Portugal, he maintained a great closeness and respect for Portugal and also spoke Portuguese fluently. For all these reasons, the Portuguese generally didn't take kindly to this union. It also helped that Spain was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Europe at the time.
With Philip II of Portugal, there were no major changes, although he didn't measure up to his father. He was a somewhat neutral king for Portugal.
The same didn't happen during the reign of Philip III. He no longer had the same connection to Portugal as his predecessors, and in addition to not respecting the rights of the Portuguese, he failed to honour the commitment and oath taken at the Cortes de Tomar and sought to unify the two Iberian Crowns.
For these reasons, some of the Portuguese nobility found themselves estranged from the Crown and the Portuguese, in general, saw their interests being sidelined. The bourgeoisie was also cut off from its businesses and markets and saw the progressive loss of Portuguese overseas possessions. These losses were largely due to attacks by the English and Dutch, who mercilessly harassed and invaded the Portuguese colonies, without Madrid taking any initiative to defend them. At the same time, there was a growing climate of dissatisfaction and discontent caused by the famine and the rise in the price of wheat in 1637, which even manifested itself in what became known as the "Évora and Algarve Alterations".
This situation led to a coup on 1st December 1640 that handed the government of the Kingdom over to the House of Bragança, as they were the closest collateral and Portuguese branch of King Sebastião's line.
The Restoration of Portuguese Independence was due to a group of nobles who got together and decided to carry out this coup to free Portugal from the Spanish yoke. Neither the people nor the clergy took an active part in this coup.
After various pressures, the 8th Duke of Bragança eventually agreed to become King of Portugal. Thus, in the coup of 1 December, in which the traitor Vasconcelos was defenestrated, the Restoration of the Kingdom of Portugal took place, with a Portuguese King once again. The Coronation of the VIII Duke of Bragança as King of Portugal, using the name D. João IV, took place on 15 December 1640.
D. João IV initiated a series of diplomatic measures with the aim of gaining the support of the foreign Cortes as well as recognising Portugal's independence. He organised the army and other national structures.
During this period, a vast and extensive political and legal bibliography emerged to justify the Restoration: "Manifesto do Reyno de Portugal" by António Pais Viegas (1641), "A Arte de Reynar" (Brussels, 1642), "A Justa Aclamação" by Velasco de Gouveia (Lisbon, 1642), "Usurpação, Retenção e Restauração de Portugal" by João Pinto Ribeiro (Lisbon, 1642), "Lusitania liberata ab injusto Castelhanorum dominio restituta" by António de Sousa de Macedo (London, 1642).
D. João IV was faced with the need to justify that he was not a rebel but the legitimate heir to the throne, assuming himself to be the heir of Catarina de Bragança, a candidate for the throne who had been removed by Philip II in 1580.
New Courts were held in 1641, and a new doctrine emerged which argued that power came from God through the people, who in turn transferred it to the King. In the event of usurpation or tyranny, the people had the power to remove the King, which is precisely what happened with Philip IV.
There followed a difficult period between negotiations and war. We were at war with Spain for almost three decades and it ended with Pedro II signing a peace treaty in 1668, in which Spain recognised Portugal's independence.
The IV Dynasty of Portugal began with King João IV, and the House of Bragança became the reigning house. The title of Duke of Bragança, the palatine title of the Royal House of Portugal, became the exclusive property of the Royal Prince, i.e. the King's "eldest" son. The last legitimate and legal Duke of Bragança was King Manuel II, the last King of Portugal. Since the death of King Manuel II, the title has been vacant until Portugal is once again a Monarchy and has a King.
Alfredo Côrte-Real
THE MARINHOA BREED
Alfredo M. Côrte-Real Souto Neves *
"Landscape is essentially the physiognomic exterior of a geographical complex."
(Alberto Souto)
"Biodiversity is an increasingly necessary and scarce commodity, and therefore doubly and progressively more valuable. And what is valuable has to be paid for, according to the laws that govern the world economy."
(Fenker)
Origin and Geographical Context
The Marinhoa breed, also known as Marinhão cattle, originated in the western part of the districts of Aveiro and Coimbra, more precisely in the Vouga river basin.
The Vouga hydrographic basin covers an area of around 3,635 km², including the small hydrographic basins that are direct tributaries of the Ria de Aveiro as well as the Pateira de Fermentelos. It is bordered to the south by the Serra do Buçaco and to the north by the Leomil, Montemuro, Lapa and Freita mountains. To summarise, the Vouga river basin has a triangular shape with its apex at the mouth of the Douro and its base linking the Serra da Lapa with Cape Mondego.
This region is essentially divided into two parts: an eastern area and a western area. The western area, also known as Beira Central by Barros Gomes, has a mountainous morphology and a marked relief made up essentially of granite and schist terrain, with crops grown on terraces or levels and seeking solar orientation. It also has an irregular climate. The transition zone between these two regions defines the passage from the mountains to the plains and, due to its privileged strategic location from the point of view of trade and communication routes, the population centres of Santa Maria da Feira, S. João da Madeira, Oliveira de Azeméis, Albergaria-a-Velha and Águeda developed and settled here. The westernmost, coastal or marine area of this region is detached from the previous region, changing its shape to one without relief, made up of sedimentary soils, high humidity and a low temperature range, stretching as far as the Atlantic Ocean.
In this Western zone, according to its geo-morphology, we can also distinguish three sub-zones:
Ria - this includes the extensive and vast sheet of water known as the Ria de Aveiro, as well as all the land that surrounds the Ria de Aveiro and the land that extends to the mouth of the River Vouga. This land was formed by the erosion caused by the sea on the land and also by all the materials, many of them earthy, transported there by erosion agents such as rain and the river over time. This area comprises a large part of the municipalities of Albergaria-a-Velha, Aveiro, Estarreja, Ílhavo, Murtosa, Ovar and Vagos.
Gafanha - this is made up of the long stretch of sand that runs from Ílhavo and Vagos to Mira. This land is evidence and witness to the passage of the sea through here, which, having retreated, gave rise to it. This land, poor in its origins, has been fertilised through the noble and highly praiseworthy efforts of the farmer, essentially with organic matter from both the estuary and the sea, and has been transformed into very fertile and productive land.
Gândara - this, with its origins in Pliocene soils, comprises the area that stretches from the Vouga to the Mondego and spreads from the coastal area to the sea.
It is in this geological conformation that, through its natural barriers and the demands of working conditions and efficiency, the Marinhoa breed has improved to the present day.
History
The Marinha, an extensive flat region with high irrigation capacity provided by the numerous water lines and streams as well as the shallow depth of the water table, high fertility soils and a climate with a high degree of hygrometry, is land with enormous agricultural potential.
In regions with high fertility and, consequently, a higher population density, the land ended up being very divided up because, even with less land, it was possible to guarantee the subsistence of family groups. These factors led to the emergence of small farmers. With their emergence, and with small plots to cultivate and plough, the farmer quickly realised that he needed a driving force to meet the needs inherent in his activity. At the time, there was still no machinery available or affordable.
Thus, cattle played a decisive role in the survival of these family and rural units in the Marinho lands. In this way, cows and oxen provided the driving force needed to cultivate the fields and put them to work, as well as making it possible to transport crops and goods and providing precious meat at the end of their lives. The milk could be used internally for their own consumption, but on a very small scale, as these animals were never selected for this purpose and even less for selling and commercialising milk, not least because of their lower production capacity compared to other breeds that were appearing that were highly selected for dairy purposes. Instead, they were widely used as agricultural machinery.
Of all the cattle breeds available, the one that was favoured by farmers in Marino turned out to be the Mirandese breed. This breed had a territorial dispersion that ranged from the north to the south. This breed already had some regional variations with more or less profound characteristics and which, with the passage of time and more or less refined selections according to convenience, ended up giving rise to varieties and sub-races. As early as 1944, Silva Portugal said: "fundamentally the Marinhão is the Mirandês modified by virtue of mesological conditions".
The necessary conditions for the emergence of the Marinhoa breed were thus met. The Mirandese breed and all its derivations had much appreciated qualities such as their enormous capacity for work combined with great docility. It was precisely these characteristics that led to this type of animal being chosen by farmers in Marino. With the demands of the various jobs necessary for life in the fields, they were selected and refined, giving rise to animals that were somewhat different from those of their genetic origin. Some blood from other breeds was also introduced, such as Minhoto or Galician cattle.
On the other hand, the abundant high-quality feed and evergreen pastures also contributed to the improvement of the Marinhão, giving rise to healthy and well-nourished growth. The demanding nature of the work they were subjected to, working in the rich soils that were sometimes flooded, harvesting clams in the Aveiro estuary to fertilise the fields and the motor activity of pulling boats and nets in the fishing industry known as Arte Xávega, meant that they had to be selected on the basis of their strength, greater height, capacity for work and docility. These were fundamental characteristics for the activities carried out in the region.
The first documented references to the Marinhoa breed, or Marinhão cattle, appear from the mid-19th century onwards and are made by Silvestre Bernardo Lima, who states that Marinhão "...is the name given to the cattle that are produced, reared, worked and fattened throughout the Beira-Mar region of the Aveiro and Coimbra districts, (...) in the lands of Gandra and Marinhas".
Silvestre Bernardo Lima realised that in the area known as Marinha (part of Aveiro and Coimbra Litoral) there was a bovine breed from Mirandesa with some crossbreeding with the Minhota (or Galega) breed, which was called Marinhão. He also realised that, given the particularities and ecological characteristics of the Baixo Vouga lagoon area, which imposed great specificities such as the existence of a strong, powerful animal with high legs and whose limbs facilitated the types of ploughing required here, such as rice cultivation, which is so characteristic of this region, this type of bovine was the right animal.
There is no doubt that the Marinhão contributed greatly to the development of the entire region. It is undeniable that the appearance of the Marinhão cattle contributed enormously to improving the living and working conditions of farmers, which consequently also helped people to settle in their villages and towns.
Considering their unique characteristics of easy management, adaptability and great docility, these magnificent cattle began to be used by farmers and fishermen in a wide variety of activities, such as weeding the land, opening irrigation channels, ploughing, sowing, harvesting clams in the estuary, transporting, drawing water from norias and mills and even helping with fishing by dragging nets and pulling boats to launch them into the sea and then helping to pull them out of the water. This very traditional type of fishing is known as Arte Xávega.
In this way, the Sea Cow and the Sea Ox become an enormous asset and indispensable for good performance in the region's agricultural and fishing endeavours.
Unfortunately, in the middle of the last century - the 20th century - with the appearance of machinery, and especially the tractor, these magnificent animals became less important in all these activities. The introduction of dairy cows, which had a high milk production capacity, also contributed to a huge reduction in the number of cattle in the marsh around the same time as the introduction of the tractor. Farmers no longer needed animal power for their activities and began to opt for a type of cow that gave them extra income.
Unfortunately, this led to the Marinhoa breed entering a difficult period and running the enormous risk of extinction. A pressing need arose to preserve the genetic heritage that still exists. Fortunately, efforts were made to prevent this from happening. The breed standard was set and its characteristics defined. In 1992, the A.C.R.M. - Associação de Criadores da Raça Marinhoa (Association of Breeders of the Marinhoa Breed) was set up by a group of breeders with the aim of protecting the breeders of this indigenous breed and ensuring that the species remained alive to save it from extinction. It is this association of breeders that has managed the Genealogical Book of the Marinhoa Breed, which has been decisive for the conservation of the breed. In fact, much of the preservation of the Marinhoa breed is due to the efforts made by the A.C.R.M..
In November 2015, the management of the Genealogical Book was transferred to EABL - Associação para o Desenvolvimento da Estação de Apoio à Bovinicultura Militeira, as a result of the merger of services between these two organisations.
At the moment, the Marinhoa breed is raised almost exclusively for breeding and meat production. The animals are fed on the magnificent pastures of the Baixo Vouga lagoon region and the municipalities within the Vouga river basin, which includes part of the municipalities of Aveiro and Coimbra. The natural and very nutritionally rich diet associated with a life spent grazing freely gives its meat exceptional quality and unique characteristics. It is a gourmet product par excellence and has begun to be explored in a sublime way by some chefs.
The Marinhoa breed does not only contribute to society by helping with agricultural and gastronomic activities. It also harnesses a whole artistic imagination, from ceramics to the manufacture of handicrafts such as the famous and exclusive Cangas da Marinhoa. In ceramics, it is still very common today to see dishes decorated with motifs from the most diverse and versatile activities carried out by Marinhoa cows. They are also represented in beautiful and artistic tile panels, marking an era and a time that we believe has not been lost. These panels represent living memories and bear witness to a time gone by. Tile work is often associated with a type of architecture that, in turn, has also indelibly marked the rural and even urban landscape, crystallising and immortalising both the race and the activity they carried out. Handicrafts include the manufacture of beautiful and symbolic yokes. These are unique. Their origin is based on the specific activities related to these animals and they were created using the materials used to build the Moliceiros boats. Their symbolism and colours are also the same as those of this type of boat. Unfortunately, this type of handicraft is also on the verge of extinction. Only one person is known to make them, Mr Joaquim "Ruivo", who was born and lives in Bunheiro and is descended from a line of craftsmen dedicated to this art. Marinhoa yokes are a reflection of this breed's connection with aquatic activities, as their motifs, colours and dyes derive directly from those used on the mollusc boats that are characteristic of this region. Everything must be done to ensure that this form of folk art and source of ethnography is not lost.
As a result of the need to leverage all this good existing work and to make the Marinhoa breed known "outside the walls", in the middle of the pandemic year, more precisely on 8 April 2021, the Confraria da Raça Marinhoa was created. On 18 August 2021, the public deed of constitution of the Confraria da Raça Marinhoa was drawn up at the Notary's Office in Albergaria-a-Velha.
This Confraternity is the result of an in-depth reflection on the history and culture of a wide-ranging region that stretches from Aveiro to Coimbra and is linked to a rurality that is tending to be lost nowadays. The aim of this Confraternity of the Marinhoa Breed goes far beyond the traditional concept of Gastronomic Confraternities, as it is intended not only to promote the dissemination of this symbolic and iconic Marinhoa breed and its gastronomic and organoleptic qualities and potential, but also of all the culture, ethnography, history and other aspects of this noble animal. The Brotherhood has its headquarters in Angeja, in the municipality of Albergaria. Its scope is based on the nineteen municipalities that make up the region considered to be the Manor of Marinhoa.
Let's hope that all these organisations and institutions, duly supported by the local authorities, can contribute to revitalising this noble Marinhão bovine so that its species becomes better known and publicised, even abroad, and that its diversity and genetic heritage are ensured, freeing it from the danger of extinction once and for all, marking and preserving a place in the world that is also its own!
Bibliography and Documentation:
ACRM - "Elements for the characterisation of the Marinhoa breed". Associação dos Criadores de Bovinos da Raça Marinhoa, Verdemilho - Aveiro (1998).
ALBERGUE - "History and Heritage of the Municipality of Albergaria-a-Velha", no. 5 - article "The Albergaria-a-Velha Carnival of 1938" by Hélder Silva and Tiago Ferreira (2018).
GASPAR, Jorge - "As Feiras de Gado na Beira Litoral"; Livros Horizonte, Espaço e Sociedade collection, 2nd edition (1986).
GRANDE CORTEJO ETNOGRÁFICO DA TERRA MARINHOA, Registo Fotográfico para Memória Futura; Published by Murtosa Town Council (2014).
LEÃO, Fernando - "Baixo Vouga Lagunar - Pedestrian Routes"; Quercus, National Association for Nature Conservation, Aveiro (2003).
LIMA, S. B. - "ALGUNS APONTAMENTOS SOBRE AS RAÇAS BOVINAS PORTUGUESAS", (1870-71).
RECREATIONS OF XÁVEGA AND CHINCHORRO ART, Photographic Record for Future Memory; Murtosa Town Council Edition (2013).
BATTLE OF MATAPÃO
Alfredo M. Côrte-Real Souto Neves
from the D. João VI Institute
The famous and historic Battle of Matapao (or Matapan) took its name from the cape located at the end of the central spur of Moreia, the ancient Peloponnese in Greece, in the Gulf of Laconia, where the Portuguese naval forces opposed the armada of the Ottoman Empire. This cape is the southernmost point of the entire European continent.
Due to its geostrategic location, this cape has been the scene of countless activities and passages throughout history, having given rise to the name of two battles, one of which is more famous than the other: the first and historic Battle of Matapão pitted the Portuguese squadron, sent by King João V and commanded by the Count of Matapão, against each other. The second took place during the Second World War, on 29 March 1941, and pitted the British squadron commanded by Admiral Cuningham against an Italian division of destroyers and cruisers which, curiously, never fired a single shot.
In the 18th century, Sultan Ahmed III was trying to recover what the Ottoman Empire had lost in the Treaty of Karlowitz in 1697. To do this, he sought to expand into the western Mediterranean, causing the Turkish armada to persistently ravage the Venetian coast in Italy.
This led Pope Clement XI to ask the King of Portugal, João V the Magnanimous, for help. Portugal was living in a time of splendour and greatness derived from the revenues of the Portuguese Discoveries and its Overseas Provinces. In 1716, in response to the Holy Father, King João V sent a Portuguese squadron to help the Italians against the Turks who were frequently travelling the Mediterranean waters.
So, on 5 July 1716, a small squadron of nine ships set sail from Lisbon, made up of five ships (1), a frigate (2), a brulote (3), a tartana (4) and a transport ship under the command of Chief of Division Lopo Furtado de Mendoça, Count of Rio Grande, to confront this Turkish force that was threatening the serenity and tranquillity of the Venetians. The fleet called at Livorno and then headed for the island of Corfu, which was defended by an Austrian general and blockaded by the Turks. When the Turks learnt of the approach of the Portuguese fleet, they raised the siege and withdrew. This mission was not very successful, as the Turkish naval forces were not spotted during the time it took, and the Portuguese squadron returned to Portugal without having clashed.
As the threats to Venetian possessions continued, and following a new Papal request in December 1716, a new squadron of 11 ships was formed in 1717, consisting of five ships (1) and two frigates (2), which were accompanied by two brulotes (3), a tartana (4) and a logistical transport ship carrying the supplies and materials needed for the enterprise. This squadron had a firepower of 448 artillery pieces on its ships.
The squadron was commanded by the Count of Rio Grande, Lopo Furtado de Mendoça, Admiral of the fleet and embarked on the ship "Nossa Senhora da Conceição" (Captaincy). The ship "Nossa Senhora do Pilar" (Admiralty) was under the command of the Count of S. Vicente, Manuel Carlos de Távora and Sergeant Major of the Battle of the Sea, the ship "Nossa Senhora da Assunção" (Fiscal) was commanded by the Colonel of the Regiment of the Royal Navy and Fiscal of the squadron, Pedro de Sousa Castelo Branco. The ship "Nossa Senhora das Necessidades" was under the command of Captain Gillet du Bocage and, lastly, the ship "Santa Rosa" was commanded by Captain João Baptista Tolhano. Under the command of Captain João Pereira de Ávila and Captain Bartolomeu Freire were the frigates "Rainha dos Anjos" and "S. Lourenço" respectively. Lourenço". The two brigs were named "Santo António de Lisboa" and "Santo António de Pádua". The logistical support ship, carrying spares and also intended to serve as a hospital ship, was named the "St Thomas of Canterbury".
This squadron anchored in the cove of Paço de Arcos on 25 April 1717, and sailed out of Lisbon on 28 April, heading for Corfu. They put to sea and passed the Strait of Gibraltar after four days, on 2 May. On 10 May they sighted Alicante, having crossed the Mediterranean waters off the islands of Ibiza and Formentera, belonging to the Balearic Islands archipelago, on 12 May. On 19 May they sighted Sardinia and on the 21st Sicily. On 24 May they anchored in Palermo, Italy. The aim was to meet up with the armadas of the Pontifical States, Venice, Florence (Tuscany) and Malta. On 25 May, they celebrated Corpus Christi on board.
On 28 May, they took off from Palermo and passed through Messina on 30 May, the islands of Zante and finally Corfu, where they met up with the allied Christian armies on 10 June. Thus, a force capable of confronting the Turkish armada was formed. After the meeting of all the members of the new fleet, a council was formed on board the Venetian flagship and it was decided to go after the enemy, who, according to various reports, was close by. So the fleet set sail, sailing at full tilt in search of a confrontation with the Turkish enemy. On 4 July 1717, the Turkish fleet was sighted near Cape St Angelo.
The Papal armada was divided into three squadrons, as was customary, and consisted of the vanguard, centre and rear. In accordance with Papal orders, the supreme command of the entire armada was given to Pisani, who followed separately aboard the rowing fleet.
By Papal decision and appointment, the commander-in-chief of the entire allied squadron, which included the Portuguese ships, was French Lieutenant General Jacques-Auguste Maynard, Chevalier de Belfontaine, who sailed on the Maltese ship "Santa Catarina" and already had a great deal of naval experience. This caused some unease among the Portuguese, who resolutely refused to be under the Frenchman Maynard's wing, as well as vehemently refusing to replace the Royal Flag of Portugal with the Papal flag on their ships. So the Chevalier de Bellefontaine was notified that they would only obey Pisani. The Portuguese were told to stay in the rear.
For days, the allied squadron tried to pursue and catch up with the Turkish ships, but to no avail. After a few days, the Turks were lost from sight. For logistical reasons, such as the lack of water and firewood, the Allied force anchored for refuelling in the Passavia cove.
On 18 July, news arrived that the Turkish fleet was approaching. On the 19th, the Allied armada put to sea, hoisted the sails and sighted the Turks. Due to the lack of wind, they were unable to leave the cove. The strength of the Turkish fleet was 54 ships against a total of 35 ships and frigates of the Christian fleet. The little wind was highly favourable to the Turks, who positioned themselves creating a vast offensive line, closing the bay and forcing the allied forces to remain inside the inlet. All this was aggravated by the lack of wind, which made it impossible for the allied ships and frigates to manoeuvre. This left the Christian fleet at a great disadvantage and in a very complicated situation. The allied armada took up a position in the first line of confrontation with the Turks, leaving the smaller ships inside the inlet, seeking their protection with the ships and frigates on the first battlefront.
The Portuguese ships, commanded by the Count of Rio Grande, positioned themselves at the far end of the battle line. Thus began a bloody battle in which the artillery fire was brutal and relentless. After a while, the Italian ships, with the exception of the "Fortuna Guerreira", withdrew to the interior of the cove. This left the Portuguese ships, the Maltese ships and a Venetian ship to fight. After a short time, Lieutenant General Belfontaine and the Maltese ships followed the example of the Venetian ships, withdrawing into the bay and abandoning the Portuguese squadron and the Fortuna Guerreira to their fate. Thus, abandoned to their fate, the Portuguese were forced to hold out and face the wrath and attacks of the Turks, in a totally unbalanced and unequal fight, in a precarious and highly disadvantageous situation for the Lusitanians. The Count of Rio Grande, Admiral of the Portuguese fleet, decided at all costs to stay in the fight despite the delicate situation he had been placed in. The Turks launched a ferocious attack on the ship "Nossa Senhora do Pilar", which was attacked by ten Turkish ships.
The Admiral of the Portuguese fleet decided to place himself between the "Nossa Senhora do Pilar" and the enemy, trying to save the Portuguese ship and unleashing intense fire on the Turks. This position was so well defended and the Portuguese fire so intense that Ibrahim-Paxá, Admiral of the Turkish fleet, signalled his fleet to retreat, leaving the victory of such a hard and unequal battle to the Portuguese. At the request of Pope Clement XI and the Venetian Admirals, the Count of Rio Grande decided to keep the Portuguese squadron in those Mediterranean waters for a while to protect them, staying until 15 August 1717. On this date, the Portuguese squadron withdrew, arriving in Messina on 24 August and being greeted with great enthusiasm by the population. The Count of Rio Grande was asked for help, which he promptly granted. The victorious Armada returned to Portugal, entering the Tagus and anchoring in Lisbon on 6 November 1717.
The siege and naval battle of Corfu on 8 July 1716. When the Portuguese squadron that year arrived in Corfu in August, the Ottomans had already lifted the siege.
This important naval battle is of extreme and singular importance because it was the last Turkish attempt to expand into the western Mediterranean, becoming an indelible landmark in the history of Europe, keeping it true to its foundations to this day.
https://suaalteza-domfilipe.casa/condes-do-rio-grande/batalha-de-matapao/