Name Henrique Dias | ||
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Died 1662, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil | ||
Mecanismos de Self-Attention - Henrique Dias
Henrique Dias (died 8 June 1662) was a literate Afro-Brazilian soldier and militia leader born in the Portuguese colony of Brazil. He was born to freed slave parents. There is no consensus among historians whether he was born free or captive. He volunteered to serve against the Dutch invaders in 1633. He led a force of 300 men of color, using guerrilla tactics against Dutch forces, and played important roles in the First and Second Battles of Guararapes. For his courage and leadership in battle, the Portuguese king made him a knight of the Order of Christ. He was granted in Brazil the title of "Governor of All Creoles, Blacks, and Mulattoes." As important as personal honors were, Dias traveled to Portugal and petitioned the crown to grant freedom to the enslaved blacks who served with him. Furthermore, the unit should have "all the rights and privileges of white units."
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Colonial officials created militias composed of freeborn and recently manumitted blacks. These militias, which could be used to quell slave revolts, were referred to as "Henriques". Henriques were an example of cofradia or brotherhoods, usually having their own patron saint. In 1789, 752 crioulo and black freedmen served in seven Henriques regiments.
