Moinhos Castle
Encyclopedia
Moinhos Castle or Castle of São Cristóvão, also referred to as Fort of São Luís is a castle
in Angra
, Terceira Island
in Azores
. "Moinhos" means "Mills" in Portuguese, testimony to the mill that gave it its common name.
. It would become a fortification of modest proportions, in the current Alto da Memória, in a dominant position over the valley, river and the town harbour, still following the late-medieval military designs: rather high, inside the earth, away from the sea. The slope of that elevation, had an artificial river running, for with the power of its waters, move the wheels of the mills that were built on its course. This fact has made the place being popularly known as Moinhos Castle meaning "Mills" castle.
Although expected to receive the donation of these areas in 1474, he was donated the Captaincy of Praia. The first Captain-major
of the Captaincy of Angra, João Vaz Corte-Real found no reason to continue the defensive work.
Years later, the island was attacked by Castilian sailors that initially landed in Angra and then on Praia. For this reason, in 1482, the Infanta Dona Beatriz, who ruled the islands on behalf of her son, the Captain-Major Dom Diogo, in a letter to Álvaro Martins, warned that Castilian vessels were haunting the seas of the Azores, sending to the island Pedro Anes Rebelo, as a provider of fortifications, to guide him as Captain-major of Praia in the fortification of his village. Anes Rebelo came to wed on the island, a niece of the wife of João Vaz Corte-Real, Captain-major of Angra, having completed the construction of the Castle of São Cristóvão in 1493, of which he was the first governor.
In 1495, the Alcaidaria-mor of the castle was given to the Captain-major of Angra itself, who lived there for a while, but later placed there another respectful person, with salary and title of Lieutenant, and with it the obligation to live there. The annexation of the Alcaidaria-mor of the castle to the captaincy, could explain the name of São Cristóvão, when the construction of the Castelo de São João Baptista do Monte Brasil
, the Captain-major was the marquis Cristóvão de Moura.
In the context of the Portuguese Restoration War
, the artillery of the Castle of São Sebastião attacked with success the Castle of São Filipe, surrounded by the forces of Terceira. After its strategic role was lost, its dependencies were used as the gunpowder storehouse of Angra, that were transferred there from the Praça Velha, for security reasons.
The property was donated to the City of Angra in 1839 to give rise to a promenade. Thus, on May 20 of 1844, work began on the demolition of the old walls, for the construction of a memorial
in honour of Pedro IV of Portugal, whose foundation stone was placed on March 3 of 1845, reportedly the same rock in which the monarch first stepped on equal day and month in 1832, while disembarking in the harbour of Angra.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in Angra
Angra do Heroísmo
Angra do Heroísmo , locally referred to as Angra, is a municipality and city on the island of Terceira, within the Portuguese autonomous region of the Azores. The municipal area has a population of 35,581 and an area of . Along with Praia da Vitória to the north, it is one of two municipal...
, Terceira Island
Terceira Island
Referred to as the “Ilha Lilás” , Terceira is an island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 56,000 inhabitants in an area of approximately 396.75 km²...
in Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
. "Moinhos" means "Mills" in Portuguese, testimony to the mill that gave it its common name.
History
The first fort in the archipelago was built between the 1460s and 1470s, by the founder of Angra, Álvaro MartinsÁlvaro Martins
Álvaro Martins, also known as Álvaro Martins Homem, was a 15th century Portuguese alleged to have explored the western Atlantic and later the African coast...
. It would become a fortification of modest proportions, in the current Alto da Memória, in a dominant position over the valley, river and the town harbour, still following the late-medieval military designs: rather high, inside the earth, away from the sea. The slope of that elevation, had an artificial river running, for with the power of its waters, move the wheels of the mills that were built on its course. This fact has made the place being popularly known as Moinhos Castle meaning "Mills" castle.
Although expected to receive the donation of these areas in 1474, he was donated the Captaincy of Praia. The first Captain-major
Captain-major
Captain-major is the English rendering of the Portuguese title Capitão-mor for colonial officers, put in charge of a capitania, Portuguese possession deemed not important enough to have its own colonial Governor.Due to the impossibility of exercising direct control and sovereignty over islands,...
of the Captaincy of Angra, João Vaz Corte-Real found no reason to continue the defensive work.
Years later, the island was attacked by Castilian sailors that initially landed in Angra and then on Praia. For this reason, in 1482, the Infanta Dona Beatriz, who ruled the islands on behalf of her son, the Captain-Major Dom Diogo, in a letter to Álvaro Martins, warned that Castilian vessels were haunting the seas of the Azores, sending to the island Pedro Anes Rebelo, as a provider of fortifications, to guide him as Captain-major of Praia in the fortification of his village. Anes Rebelo came to wed on the island, a niece of the wife of João Vaz Corte-Real, Captain-major of Angra, having completed the construction of the Castle of São Cristóvão in 1493, of which he was the first governor.
In 1495, the Alcaidaria-mor of the castle was given to the Captain-major of Angra itself, who lived there for a while, but later placed there another respectful person, with salary and title of Lieutenant, and with it the obligation to live there. The annexation of the Alcaidaria-mor of the castle to the captaincy, could explain the name of São Cristóvão, when the construction of the Castelo de São João Baptista do Monte Brasil
Castelo de São João Baptista do Monte Brasil
The Fortaleza de São João Baptista, also known as Fortaleza do Monte Brasil and Fortaleza de São Filipe is a historic fortress located in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo in the south of the island of Terceira in the Azores, Portugal.-History:A defense study for the Azores began in the middle...
, the Captain-major was the marquis Cristóvão de Moura.
In the context of the Portuguese Restoration War
Portuguese Restoration War
Portuguese Restoration War was the name given by nineteenth-century 'romantic' historians to the war between Portugal and Spain that began with the Portuguese revolution of 1640 and ended with the Treaty of Lisbon . The revolution of 1640 ended the sixty-year period of dual monarchy in Portugal...
, the artillery of the Castle of São Sebastião attacked with success the Castle of São Filipe, surrounded by the forces of Terceira. After its strategic role was lost, its dependencies were used as the gunpowder storehouse of Angra, that were transferred there from the Praça Velha, for security reasons.
The property was donated to the City of Angra in 1839 to give rise to a promenade. Thus, on May 20 of 1844, work began on the demolition of the old walls, for the construction of a memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
in honour of Pedro IV of Portugal, whose foundation stone was placed on March 3 of 1845, reportedly the same rock in which the monarch first stepped on equal day and month in 1832, while disembarking in the harbour of Angra.