2. Damiana da Cunha was a Tribal women
who was known as a teacher, missionary,
mediator, and expedition leader
Damiana lived in the Goias region of
Brazil in the mid 1700’s up until her
death in 1831. This was a time following
the removal of the Jusiets. Also during
her lifetime the Anglo-Portuguese treaty
was made.
Damiana was the Granddaughter of the
Caiapo Chief Angrai-oxa and became the
god daughter and hostage of the
Portuguese Governor Luis da Cunha
Meneze.
Living with the Portuguese she learned
their ways, their language, and their
religion.
When the Governor was recalled to
Portugal in 1783, She went to live in a
domestic Indian village of Sao Jose.
3. Because of her Christian education
and native status as a Chiefs
granddaughter she became the
perfect mediator for the two cultures
and a community leader.
However, in the City of Sao Jose the
Natives were mistreated, many
deserted, resorting in pillaging
Portuguese settlers the Brazilian
frontier.
A cycle of natives leaving and
Damiana going on expeditions
convening them to return would
continue until her fifth expedition
lead to her death in 1831.
Damiana continued her expeditions
because she was a devout Christian
and wanted to bring her people to
Christianity.
4. Antonio de Gouveia, born in 1528 in
Azones, lived until sometime on the
late 16th century. He was described
as: having deceptive charm,
knowledge of astronomy, alchemy
and a foreteller of fortunes. He
practiced medicine, magic, mined
for gold, enslaved indigenous
people, and ironically was a catholic
priest.
He lived in a time when Coffee and
agriculture had been brought to
Brazil, however the Portuguese were
having trouble with the rebelling
indigenous population. The Jesuits
were bringing Catholicism to Brazil
and at attempting to pacify the
population while trying to
discourage conquistadors from
brutalizing and enslaving them.
5. Antonio de Gouveia became
imprisoned by the Inquisition for
his practice of alchemy, magic,
astronomy, and fortune telling. He
went through a cycle of escaping
and being re-imprisoned until his
banishment to Brazil in 1567.
There he was known as the “Gold
Priest” for is exploration in search of
Gold. He also became criticized for
his cruel tactics; enslaving and
branding the faces of Indians in the
same day that he would celebrate
mass.
He was a detrimental ambassador of
Catholicism and on 1571 ordered to
be arrested and sent back to
Portugal where history loses him.
6. Isabel (or Tecuichpotzin) Moctezuma was
born in 1509 and died in 1550. During her
lifetime during her life time she saw the
conquest of the Aztecs by Cortez, the colonial
viceroy of New Spain, and the arrival of the
printing press.
Isabel was the last surviving heir of the
Emperor Moctezuma II.
Following her father’s death from small pox
her custody was given to Cortez.
Isabel would be married five different times;
two times to Aztecs (one of whom died
mysteriously and the other tortured and killed
by Cortez), and three to Spaniards two of
which died again mysteriously and the last
outlived her.
In 1526, Cortes granted Dona Isabel and her
descendents the revenue from an important
town called Tacuba. In hopes that she and her
descendents would not petition for the
inheritance of Moctezuma II.
7. From her many marriages she produced
7 children, one of which one was an
illegitimate child fathered by Cortez .
Cortes strategically arranged the Isabel’s
Marriages with Spanish nobleman and
conquistadores .With her heritage she
would serve as an example of a
Hispanicized and Catholic Aztec women
bridging the gap between the two worlds.
Isabel’s fifth husband helped her start
the legal battle of reclaiming her rightful
inheritance from Montezuma. In hope of
a decision in her favor she outlined the
claims of inheritance between her
legitimate six children.
After her death her surviving husband
returns to Spain to continue the legal
pursuit and in 1590 the decision was
reached to grant her heirs “revenues from
vacant ecomiendas” in Mexico leading to
a more independent New Spain.
8. In 1650 at a time of the Habsburgs, before
the removal of the Jesuits, and very low
point in Indian population; came an
interesting scandal in the town of Lagos
in New Spain.
Beatriz de Padilla was accused of
poisoning one of her lovers and driving
another to insanity with magic.
Beatriz was born a slave, at one point
became free and lived a promiscuous
lifestyle. She bore four children from
three fathers, one from the Priest Diego
Ortiz which she was accused of
poisoning.
The charges were brought about by the
family of Ortiz who were outraged he
had taken Beatiz as his head of house
and planned to leave his entire estate to
here and their illegitimate son.
9. At this time it was acceptable for men
even Priests to have slaves or women of
color as mistresses. However it was not
accepted to make it public, nor make one
in charge of a household, and it was
definitely not acceptable to make one an
heir of an estate.
To the disgust of the society of Lagos
Beatize was acquitted be the inquisition.
At this time in this society women of
color were in some ways more free then
women with lighter skin and in high
status. These women were free to dress,
walk, and talk the way they wanted. They
were free to pursue any love interests.
Freedoms respectable white woman did
not have.
10. During the period of 1589 and 1632
Enrico Martinez lived in Mexico
City.
Enrico had traveled Europe
developing a taste for astronomy,
astrology, physics and mathematics.
He knew many languages and one
he immigrated to New Spain
became interpreter for the Spanish
inquisition.
He later found means of supporting
himself as a printer.
Some of his scientific interests could
have gotten him in trouble with the
Spanish Inquisition. He had to be
careful especially with his ideas of
astronomy.
11. In 1606 he published a book
entitled Reportotio de los
tiempos e hitoria natural desta
Nueva Espana, in which he
described a solution to a local
problem concerning drainage in
Mexico city.
As a result he was appointed
chief engineer of a massive
drainage project.
Unfortunately in 1623, the
project was an enormous failure
due to his lack of technical
expertise, and primitive
hydraulic engineering
knowledge of the time period.
12. Micaela Angela Carrillo was a
remarkable women who in the
1730’s overcame near poverty to
become a wealthy land owner of
Nuestra Senora de Asuncion.
After the death of her husband
this women of Nobal blood was
reduced to laboring in the fields
to produce pulque, an
intoxicating drink which the
sold and traded with, in a nearby
city.
Dona Micaela owned land and
property worth more than 1,000
pesos at a time when a laborer
might earn 35-50 pesos a year.
13. During the years that she
was a widow she produced
three illegitimate children
which she not only
supported but ensured
they learned a trade.
The story of Micaela is a
story that exemplifies the
possibilities of women
living independently and
actually increasing their
wealth in colonial America.
