Manuel Francisco Xavier
{{Short description|Brazilian plantation owner (died 1840)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Manuel Francisco Xavier
| image = Manuel Francisco e Francisca Elisa Xavier.jpg
| caption = Francisca Elisa and Manuel Francisco Xavier
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| birth_place = Faial Island, Portuguese Empire
| death_date = 1840
| death_place = Paty do Alferes, Empire of Brazil
| nationality =
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| spouse = Francisca Elisa Xavier
| children =
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| homepage =
}}
Captain-major Manuel Francisco Xavier (died 1840) was a Portuguese-born Brazilian plantation owner, who owned, along with his wife Francisca Elisa Xavier, were wealthy land owners in the Vale do Paraíba region of what is now the state of Rio de Janeiro.{{Cite web |last=TEIXEIRA, Milton |year=2006 |title=Fazendas de Café (monografia) |url=http://www.sindegtur.org.br/2006/arquivos/fcafe.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090711085710/http://www.sindegtur.org.br/2006/arquivos/fcafe.pdf |archive-date=11 July 2009 |access-date=15 February 2024 |website=Sindicato Estadual dos Guias de Turismo do Rio de Janeiro |publisher=Sindegtur.org.br |page=2 }} These included the Freguesia (currently Aldeia de Arcozelo), Maravilha and Santa Tereza plantations, along with Cachoeira farm. The largest slave revolt in the region, led by Manuel Congo and Mariana Crioula, occurred on the plantations they had owned.{{cite web|url=https://g1.globo.com/rj/sul-do-rio-costa-verde/noticia/2021/08/18/peca-conta-historia-de-marianna-crioula-lider-de-rebeliao-de-negros-escravizados-em-paty-do-alferes.ghtml|title=Peça conta história de Marianna Crioula, líder de rebelião de negros escravizados em Paty do Alferes|website=G1|author=|date=18 August 2021|access-date=22 February 2024}}
Biography
{{main|Manuel Congo|Mariana Crioula}}
In 1804, he married Francisca Elisa.{{cite web|url=https://paroquiadesaojudastadeu.org.br/seminario-arquidiocesano-celebra-110-anos-de-fundacao/?doing_wp_cron=1708396141.8829309940338134765625|title=Seminário Arquidiocesano celebra 110 anos de fundação|website=Paróquia São Tadeu - Icaraí|author=|date=11 January 2019|access-date=22 February 2024}} According to coronel Francisco Peixoto de Lacerda Vernek, Xavier was inconsistent in his treatment of the people he enslaved, at points being lenient, at other points extremely severe. An inventory made of Xavier's property, made in 1840 and two years after Manuel Congo revolted, counted 449 enslaved people, 85% of whom were men and 80% were African.
During the course of the rebellion, Xavier had asked for help from a local squire from the freguesia of Nossa Senhora da Conceição do Paty do Alferes, lieutenant coronel José Pinheiro de Souza Vernek, though was not successful. He had already had a prolonged political conflict with sergeant-major and later padre {{ill|Inácio de Sousa Vernek|pt}}, the grandfather of José Pinheiro de Souza Vernek and chief colonel of the 13th Legion of the National Guard {{ill|Francisco Peixoto de Lacerda Vernek|pt}}.
The revolt was very successful, as 300 of the around 400 that were freed were able to escape. Those who escaped eventually reunited to participate in the rebellion. In response, the Brazilian National Guard was called in a contingent of 180 men led by then-Coronel Luís Alves de Lima e Silva. They captured Mariana and 15 other enslaved people, though they were acquitted.{{cite web|author=Bussinger, Aderson|url=https://esquerdaonline.com.br/2021/03/17/a-luta-das-mulheres-e-o-legado-de-marianna-crioula/|title=A luta das mulheres e o legado de Marianna Crioula|date=17 March 2021|access-date=1 August 2023|website=Esquerda Online}} Mariana, however, was forced to watch the execution of Manuel Congo.{{cite web|url=https://www.ihu.unisinos.br/178-martirologio-latino-americano/571326-6-de-setembro-de-1839|title=6 de setembro de 1839|website=Instituto Humanitas Unisinos|author=|date=6 September 2020|access-date=1 August 2023}}
Xavier died in 1840 in Paty do Alferes.
See also
References
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Bibliography
- RAPOSO, Ignacio. Historia de Vassouras. Vassouras: Fundação 1º de Maio, 1935.
- SCISÍNIO, Alaôr Eduardo. Dicionário da Escravidão. Rio de Janeiro: Léo Christiano Editorial Ltda, 1997.
- GOMES, Flávio dos Santos. Histórias de Quilombolas. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2006.
- SOUZA, Alan de Carvalho. Terras e Escravos: A desordem senhorial no Vale do Paraíba. Jundiaí, Paco Editorial: 2012.
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Category:People from the Portuguese Empire
Category:People from Faial Island
Category:People from Rio de Janeiro (state)