The story of the Costa do Descobrimento begins on 22 April 1500, when Pedro Álvares Cabral‘s squadron spotted a rounded hill, Mount Pascoal, to the south of Bahia.
In search of a safe place to dock, the thirteen ships sailed north along the coast and, at dusk on April 24, anchored in a wide, deep-water bay that would come to be called Cabrália Bay, in the present-day town of Santa Cruz Cabrália.
Brazilian painter (1865-1959)
On May 2, Cabral left behind two convicts with the mission of learning the language and customs of the Tupiniquin Indians, and two grunts who deserted to venture into the lush tropical forests. It was the beginning of the white man’s occupation of the new lands.
See the map of the Discovery Coast
See the map of Porto Seguro beaches
Watch videos about discovering Brazil
A viagem de Pedro Alvares Cabral04:40
Descobrimento do Brasil em 22 de abril de 1500
Capitanias Hereditárias08:24
Descobrimento do Brasil - Aula09:54
Parque Nacional Histórico Monte Pascoal02:16
In 1532, when the Brazilian coast was already being plundered by corsairs in search of Brazilwood, and news of the discovery of precious metals in Spanish America was circulating, Portugal decided to promote the occupation of the territory through the System of Hereditary Captaincies.
The captaincy of Porto Seguro, whose domains extended from the right bank of the Jequitinhonha River to the left bank of the Doce River, was granted to Pero Campos de Tourinho, a Portuguese nobleman from Viana do Castelo.
In 1534, having sold everything he owned, Pero Campos de Tourinho set sail for Brazil in two caravels and two ships, bringing with him his wife, his sons Fernão and André, relatives and settlers, a total of 600 people.
Still in 1534 he ordered the foundation of the village of Nossa Senhora da Pena, where the upper town of Porto Seguro is today, and the transfer of the village of Santa Cruz to a hill near the mouth of the João de Tiba river, in the present municipality of Santa Cruz Cabrália.
With the creation of the captaincy, the economy diversified. The town became a base from which to organise expeditions into the interior of the country in search of precious stones and metals.
Sugar mills were also established in the region.
However, the settlement continued to be attacked by the Aimorés, a situation common to most captaincies. The Portuguese settlers were often killed, their houses destroyed and their crops burned.
The failure of the captaincies led Portugal to set up a government general in Salvador in 1549.
The first governor-general, Tomé de Souza, brought with him troops, ships ready to defend the coast and, above all, the Jesuits to promote the catechesis of the native population. This religious order was crucial to the colonisation of the Porto Seguro region.
The Jesuits founded villages such as São João dos Índios, now Trancoso, and Ajuda, attracting Indians willing to be catechised in exchange for protection against slavery. As well as villages, they also built residences such as that of the Redeemer in the town of Nossa Senhora da Pena.
The Captaincy of Porto Seguro remained practically undeveloped until the middle of the 18th century.
In 1760, the Marquis of Pombal implemented a new colonial policy, expelling the Jesuits and incorporating the captaincy into the Portuguese crown. This helped to alleviate some of the poverty in the region.
In the 19th century, the village survived on fishing, boat building, logging and agriculture.
In 1954 construction began on the BR-101, the Rio-Bahia motorway. Although the motorway brought some development to the region, it also facilitated the destruction of much of the remaining forest. With the completion of the BR-101 motorway in 1972, Porto Seguro began a new period in its history, becoming one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in Brazil.
In addition to the historical monuments, churches and houses, the landscape that witnessed the arrival of Cabral’s fleet evokes history. In 1976, the entire municipality of Porto Seguro was declared a National Historical Site, consolidating its historical and cultural value to the country.
History of the Discovery Coast in Bahia – History of Brazil
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