colony · South America

Captaincy of Espírito Santo

1535 CE – 1821 CE · capital Vitória

A Portuguese captaincy on Brazil's southeastern coast founded in 1535, which survived indigenous wars and pirate raids to become a province and state of Brazil.

Origins

In 1534 King John III granted the captaincy of Espírito Santo to Vasco Fernandes Coutinho, who landed in 1535 and founded Vila Velha. Attacks by the Goitacá and other peoples forced settlers to move to an island, where the town of Vitória was founded in 1551 and became the capital.

Rule and society

Espírito Santo grew sugar and was a base for Jesuit missions, including that of José de Anchieta, who died there in 1597. The captaincy remained small and poor, raided by French, English and Dutch privateers. In the 18th century the crown discouraged roads into the interior to protect the gold district of Minas Gerais.

Decline and legacy

The crown bought the captaincy from its proprietors in 1718, and it was placed under Bahia before regaining its own governor in 1810. In 1821 it became a province, and later a state of the Republic of Brazil.

Connections (1)

  • Captaincy of Espírito Santo was part of Colonial Brazil1535 CE – 1821 CE

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Captaincy of Espírito Santo. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/captaincy-of-espirito-santo
MLA
“Captaincy of Espírito Santo.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/captaincy-of-espirito-santo. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Captaincy of Espírito Santo.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/captaincy-of-espirito-santo.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Captaincy of Espírito Santo’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/captaincy-of-espirito-santo (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻