The Campaign of Porto Calvo, alternatively recognized as the Fall of Porto Calvo, denotes a

military expedition Expeditionary warfare is a military invasion of a foreign territory, especially away from established bases. Expeditionary forces were in part the antecedent of the modern concept of rapid deployment forces. Traditionally, expeditionary forces we ...

directed by

John Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen John Maurice of Nassau ( ; ; ; ; 17 June 1604 – 20 December 1679), called "the Brazilian" for his fruitful period as governor of Dutch Brazil, was Count and (from 1664) Prince of Nassau-Siegen. He served as ''Herrenmeister'' (equivalent to Gra ...

, aimed at the capture of Porto Calvo. This endeavor proved successful as Prince John Maurice effectively secured control over the entire region.

Background

Following the initiation of the Groot Desseyn by the

Dutch West India Company The Dutch West India Company () was a Dutch chartered company that was founded in 1621 and went defunct in 1792. Among its founders were Reynier Pauw, Willem Usselincx (1567–1647), and Jessé de Forest (1576–1624). On 3 June 1621, it was gra ...

, a strategic endeavor marked by its expansive aspirations, the

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

progressively assumed control over various Portuguese forts and colonies. Notably, the year

1624 Events January–March * January 14 – After 90 years of Ottoman occupation, Baghdad is recaptured by the Safavid Empire. * January 22 – Korean General Yi Gwal leads an uprising of 12,000 soldiers against King Injo i ...

saw the Dutch fleet arriving off the coast of Salvador, where a swift invasion ensued, resulting in the city's capture within a remarkably brief span of 24 hours. This marked an acceleration of their territorial expansion in

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

. In

1636 Events January–March * January 1 – Anthony van Diemen takes office as Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), and will serve until his death in 1645. * January 18 – ''The Duke's Mistress'', the las ...

, was appointed as the governor of Dutch-held possessions in Brazil. Animated by an unwavering determination to augment Dutch Brazil's territorial dominion, Prince John Maurice spearheaded multiple far-reaching expeditions aimed at further territorial growth and consolidation. John Maurice was also sent for another reason since, Don Luis de Rojas y Borgia arrived in

Upon his arrival, he disembarked his troops at Jaragua and initiated

guerrilla warfare Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include recruited children, use ambushes, sabotage, terrori ...

against the opposing forces. This involved attacks on

farms A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...

and

plantations Plantations are farms specializing in cash crops, usually mainly planting a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Plantations, centered on a plantation house, grow crops including cotton, cannabis, tobacco ...

. These actions were primarily carried out from the captaincy of Porto Calvo. At one point, a proposal was put forth by Von Schoppe to undertake a more aggressive approach by attacking and destroying the enemy bases. Despite initial reservations, this proposal was eventually accepted. As a result, a decision was made to shift from a defensive stance of protecting farms and plantations to an offensive strategy.

Campaign

Upon the arrival of

Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen John Maurice of Nassau ( ; ; ; ; 17 June 1604 – 20 December 1679), called "the Brazilian" for his fruitful period as governor of Dutch Brazil, was Count and (from 1664) Prince of Nassau-Siegen. He served as ''Herrenmeister'' (equivalent to Gra ...

Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...

, he brought with him a fleet comprising four ships and a contingent of 350 personnel. Recognizing the need for additional support, he appealed to Von Schoppe for a reinforcement of 3,000 troops. The convergence of their forces took place in

February February is the second month of the year in the Julian calendar, Julian and Gregorian calendars. The month has 28 days in common years and 29 in leap years, with the February 29, 29th day being called the ''leap day''. February is the third a ...

, at the mouth of the Uma River. Subsequently, a series of engagements and battles ensued against Portuguese forces as they advanced towards Barra Grande. Their campaign eventually led them to the strategically fortified position of Forte do Bom Sucesso. After a period of approximately one to two weeks, the fort succumbed to the combined forces, resulting in its capitulation. Following this victory, the expedition proceeded to engage in the plundering of Alagos. Subsequently, they reached the Heart of Porto Calvo, where a significant battle with Portuguese forces, known as the Battle of Porto Calvo, transpired. This encounter concluded in victory of the Dutch, triumphing over the combined Portuguese-Spanish forces. With this pivotal victory secured, the stage was set for the commencement of a siege against the heavily fortified stronghold of Porto Calvo. The fortress was very strategically positioned surrounding

hill A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit, and is usually applied to peaks which are above elevation compared to the relative landmass, though not as prominent as Mountain, mountains. Hills ...

s, manned by a substantial contingent of soldiers, which rendered it well-guarded. Employing a tactical approach, the Portuguese forces positioned on the hills engaged in artillery fire against the Dutch. In response, the

forces undertook the construction of tunnels leading towards the fort, a process that spanned approximately a week. Subsequently, the fortress of Porto Calvo yielded, surrendering to the Dutch forces, the Dutch got a very large amount of artillery, and mortars this was a great addition to the WIC's arsenal

Aftermath

The campaign achieved notable success, marked by the acquisition of a substantial

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

inventory and the effective containment of

guerilla warfare Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include recruited children, use ambushes, sabotage, terrorism ...

activities. Additionally, the campaign led to a significant territorial expansion of

Dutch Brazil Dutch Brazil (; ), also known as New Holland (), was a colony of the Dutch Republic in the northeastern portion of modern-day Brazil, controlled from 1630 to 1654 during Dutch colonization of the Americas. The main cities of the colony were the c ...

's domain.

References

{{notelist Porto Calvo Porto Calvo Porto Calvo Porto Calvo Military history of Brazil Eighty Years' War (1621–1648) Porto Calvo Porto Calvo of