List of governors of Portuguese India

The government of Portuguese India started in 1505, six years after the discovery of the sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, with the nomination of the first Viceroy Francisco de Almeida, then settled at Kochi. Until 1752, the name "India" included all Portuguese possessions in the Indian Ocean, from southern Africa to Southeast Asia, governed - either by a Viceroy or Governor - from its headquarters, established in Goa since 1510. In 1752 Mozambique got its own government and in 1844 the Portuguese Government of India stopped administering the territory of Macau, Solor and Timor, being then confined to Malabar.

The following is a list of rulers during the history of Portuguese India as a viceroyalty or governorship.[1]

Official Title| Office-Holder| Mandate Begin| Mandate End| Notes
Viceroy
(nom.)		 D. Tristão da Cunha 1504 1505 First to be nominated viceroy,
never assumed office
Viceroy D. Francisco de Almeida 12 Sep 1505 Nov 1509 conquered Kilwa,
erected forts in Anjediva, Cochin, Cannanore,
refused to cede office until after Diu,
died at Table Bay, on return voyage, March, 1510
Governor and
High Captain(*)		 D. Afonso de Albuquerque 4 Nov 1509 Sep 1515 conquered Goa, Malacca and Hormuz,
died off Goa, Dec. 1515
Governor Lopo Soares de Albergaria 8 Sep 1515 Sep 1518 erected forts in Colombo (Ceylon) and Quilon
returned to Portugal
Governor Diogo Lopes de Sequeira 8 Sep 1518 Jan 1522 Albuquerque's old lieutenant,
erected fort at Chaul,
returned to Portugal
Governor D. Duarte de Menezes 22 Jan 1522 Sep 1524 former captain of Tangier,
dismissed and returned to Portugal
Viceroy D. Vasco da Gama 5 Sep 1524 Dec 1524 old discoverer of Indies route,
died at Cochin, Dec 1524
Governor D. Henrique de Menezes 17 Jan 1525 Feb 1526 died at Cannanore, Feb 1526
Governor Lopo Vaz de Sampaio Feb. 1526 Nov 1529 arrested, returned to Portugal as prisoner
Governor Nuno da Cunha 18 Nov 1529 Sep 1538 son of Tristão da Cunha,
conquered northern province (Bassein, Bombay, Diu, Daman)
died at sea on return to Portugal, Mar 1539
Viceroy D. Garcia de Noronha 14 Sep 1538 Apr 1540 Another old Albuquerque liutenant,
died in Cochin, Apr 1540
Governor D. Estêvão da Gama 3 Apr 1540 May 1542 son of Vasco da Gama,
Captain of Malacca f.1538,
returned to Portugal
Governor Martim Afonso de Sousa 8 May 1542 1545 donatary-captain of São Vicente f.1534,
returned to Portugal
Governor D. João de Castro 10 Sep 1545 1548 Nephew of Garcia de Noronha
, promoted to Viceroy in early 1548
Viceroy D. João de Castro 1548 Jun 1548 died at Goa, Jun 1548
Governor Garcia de Sá 6 June 1548 Jun 1549 acquired Bardez and Salcette,
died at Goa, Jun 1549
Governor Jorge Cabral 13 Jun 1549 Nov 1550 interim governor,
returned to Portugal
Viceroy D. Afonso de Noronha Nov 1550 Sep 1554 former governor of Ceuta, 1540–49,
returned to Portugal
Viceroy Pedro Mascarenhas 23 Sep 1554 Jun 1555 old discoverer of Indian Ocean islands,
died at Goa, Jun 1555
Governor Francisco Barreto 16 Jun 1555 Sep 1558 returned to Portugal
Viceroy D. Constantino de Braganza 8 Sep 1558 Sep 1561 returned to Portugal
Viceroy D. Francisco Coutinho 7 Sep 1561 Feb 1564 died at Goa, Feb 1564
Governor João de Mendonça 19 Feb 1564 Sep 1564 returned to Portugal
Viceroy António de Noronha 3 Sep 1564 Sep 1568 died at sea on return to Portugal
Viceroy Luís de Ataíde 10 Sep 1568 Sep 1571 returned to Portugal
Governor António de Noronha 6 Sep 1571 Dec 1573 [returned to Portugal]
Governor António Moniz Barreto 9 Dec 1573 Sep 1576 [returned to Portugal]
Governor Diogo de Menezes Sep 1576 Aug 1578 [returned to Portugal]
Viceroy Luís de Ataíde (second time) 31 Aug 1578 Mar 1581 [died at Goa, Mar 1581]
Governor Fernão Teles de Menezes 1581 1591
Viceroy Matias de Albuquerque 1591 1597
Viceroy D. Francisco da Gama,
conde da Vidigueira		 1597 1600
Viceroy Aires de Saldanha 1600 1605
Viceroy Martim Afonso de Castro 1605 Jun 1607 [died at Malacca, Jun 1607]
Governor Fr. Aleixo de Meneses,
Archbp of Goa		 Jun 1607 1609
Governor André Furtado de Mendonça 1609
Viceroy Rui Lourenço de Távora 1609 1612
Viceroy D. Jerónimo de Azevedo 1612 1617
Viceroy D. João Coutinho 1617 1619
Governor Fernão de Albuquerque 1619 1622
Viceroy D. Francisco da Gama (second time) 1622 1628
Viceroy Fr. Luís de Brito e Meneses,
Bishop of Meliapore		 1628 Jul 1629 [died at Cochim, Jul 1629]
Governing Council 1. Nuno Álvares Botelho
2. D. Lourenço da Cunha
3. Gonçalo Pinto da Fonseca		 1629
Viceroy Miguel de Noronha, conde de Linhares 1629 1635
Viceroy Pero da Silva 1635 Jun 1639 [died at Goa, Jun 1639]
Governor António Teles de Meneses 1639 1640
Viceroy João da Silva Telo e Meneses, conde de Aveiras 1640 1644 [returned to Portugal]
Viceroy Filipe de Mascarenhas 1644 1651
Viceroy João da Silva Telo e Meneses, conde de Aveiras
(second time)		 1651 [died at Mozambique, en route to India]
Governing Council 1. Fr. Francisco dos Mártires (Archbp of Goa)
2. Francisco de Melo e Castro
3. António de Sousa Coutinho		 1651 1652
Viceroy Vasco de Mascarenhas, Conde de Óbidos 1652 1655 [expelled in internal coup]
Usurper Brás de Castro (usurper) 1655 [arrested by successor]
Governor Rodrigo Lobo da Silveira, conde de Sarzedas 1655 Jan 1656 [died at Goa, Jan 1656]
Governing Council 1. Manuel Mascarenhas Homem
2. Francisco de Melo e Castro
3. António de Sousa Coutinho		 Jan 1656 1661
Governing Council 1. Luís de Mendonça Furtado e Albuquerque
2. Manuel Mascarenhas Homem
3. D. Pedro de Lencastre		 1661
Governing Council 1. Luís de Mendonça Furtado e Albuquerque,
2. António de Melo e Castro
3. D. Pedro de Lencastre		 1661 1662
Viceroy António de Melo e Castro 16 Dec 1662 1666
Viceroy João Nunes da Cunha, Conde de São Vicente 1666 Nov 1668 [died at Goa, Nov 1668]
Governing Council 1. António de Melo e Castro,
2. Manuel Corte-Real de Sampaio
3. Luís de Miranda Henriques		 Nov 1668 1671
Viceroy Luís de Mendonça Furtado e Albuquerque 1671 1676 [died off Lisbon on return voyage]
Viceroy D. Pedro de Almeida, Conde de Assumar 1676 1678 [died at Goa, 1678]
Interim Governor António Brandão, Archbishop of Goa
(sometime with António Pais de Sande)		 1678 1681
Viceroy Francisco de Távora, conde de Alvor 1681 1686
Governor D. Rodrigo da Costa 1686 1690
Governor D. Miguel de Almeida 1690 Jan 1691 [died at Goa, Jan 1691]
Governing Council 1. Fernando Martins Mascarenhas Lencastre
2. Fr. Agostinho da Anunciação (Archbp of Goa)		 Jan 1691 1692
Viceroy Pedro António de Meneses Noronha de Albuquerque 1692 1697 [returned to Portugal]
Viceroy Antônio Luís Gonçalves da Câmara Coutinho 1697 1701
Governing Council 1. Fr. Agostinho da Anunciação (Archp of Goa)
2. D. Vasco Lima Coutinho		 1701 1702
Viceroy Caetano de Melo e Castro 1702 1707
Viceroy D. Rodrigo da Costa
(second time, as Viceroy now)		 1707 1712
Viceroy Vasco Fernandes César de Meneses, Conde de Sabugosa 1712 1717 [returned to Portugal]
Governor Fr. Sebastião de Andrade Pessanha, Archbp of Goa Jan 1717 Oct 1717
Viceroy Luís Carlos Inácio Xavier de Meneses, conde de Ericeira Oct 1717 1720
Viceroy Francisco José de Sampaio e Castro 1720 Jul 1723 [died at Goa, Jul 1723]
Interim Governor Cristóvão de Melo Jul 1723
Governing Council 1. Cristóvão de Melo
2. Fr. Inácio de Santa Teresa (Archbp of Goa)
3. Cristóvão Luís de Andrade		 1723 1725
Viceroy João de Saldanha da Gama 1725 1732 [returned to Portugal]
Governing Council 1. Cristóvão de Melo
2. Fr. Inácio de Santa Teresa (Archbp of Goa)
3. Tomé Gomes Moreira		 1732
Viceroy Pedro de Mascarenhas, conde de Sandomil 1732 1740 [returned to Portugal]
Viceroy Luís Carlos Inácio Xavier de Meneses, conde de Ericeira
(second time)		 1740 1742 [Died at Goa, 1742]
Governing Council 1. Francisco de Vasconcelos
2. Lourenço de Noronha
3. Luís Caetano de Almeida		 1742 1744
Viceroy Pedro Miguel de Almeida Portugal e Vasconcelos,
conde de Assumar, marquis de Alorna		 1744 1750
Viceroy Francisco de Assis de Távora,
marquis of Tavora		 Sep 1750 1754 [returned to Portugal,
executed in 1759]
Viceroy Luís Mascarenhas, conde de Alva 1754 Jun 1756 [Died at Goa, Jun 1756]
Governing Council 1. António Taveira da Neiva Brum da Silveira
(Archbp of Goa)
2. João de Mesquista Matos Teixeira
3. Filipe de Valadares		 1756 1757
Viceroy Manuel de Saldanha e Albuquerque, conde da Ega , 1758 1765 [returned to Portugal]
Council 1. António Taveira da Neiva Brum da Silveira
(Archbp of Goa)
2. João Baptista Vaz Pereira
3. D. João José de Melo		 1765 1768
Governor João José de Melo 1768 1771 [Promoted to Captain-General, 1771 (**)]
Governor and
Captain-General		 João José de Melo 1771 Jan 1774 [died at Goa, Jan 1774]

(*) - In 1508, King Manuel I of Portugal partitioned the Indian Ocean into two "High Captaincies" - (1) Capitão-Mor dos mares da Ethiopia, Arabia e Persia (centered at Socotra) covering the east African and Arabian-Persian coasts, from Sofala to Diu; (2) Capitão-Mor dos mares da India (centered at Cochin), covering the Indian coast from Diu down to Cape Comorin. Afonso de Albuquerque was Captain-General of the latter. Jorge de Aguiar was made Captain-General of the former.

(**) - Title of Viceroy of Indies extinguished by royal letter in 1771, replaced by Capitão-Geral (Captain-General) of the Indies.

References

  1. ^ List based on: Danvers, Frederick Charles (1988) The Portuguese in India: being a history of the rise and decline of their eastern empire. Asian Educational Services; p. 487 (Appendix B); and Henry Morse Stephens (1892) Albuquerque, Oxford: Clarendon Press, Vol. 4,p.13

Further reading