São Luís or São Luís do Maranhão is a Brazilian municipality and the capital of the state of Maranhão.
With more than four centuries of history, the city has many attractions listed as World Heritage Sites, as well as the largest architectural ensemble of Portuguese tiles in Latin America.
The historic centre of São Luís do Maranhão has around 4,000 buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Among the most emblematic are the Palácio dos Leões, the Cathedral of Sé, the Convent of Mercês, the Casa das Minas and the Artur Azevedo Theatre.
The mixture of peoples has generated a rich series of cultural manifestations, such as bumba-meu-boi, tambor de crioula, cacuriá and the traditional June festivals.
In addition, the city has a strong influence of Jamaican music and is popularly known as the Brazilian capital of reggae.
Another strong point is its cuisine, with dishes such as cuxá rice, fried fish and prawn cake.
Açaí, tapioca and bacuri ice creams are also local favourites.
São Luís do Maranhão is the only Brazilian city to have been founded by the French on 8 September 1612, invaded by the Dutch and finally colonised by the Portuguese.
It is located on the island of Upaon-Açu in the South Atlantic, between the bays of São Marcos and São José de Ribamar.
In 1621, when Brazil was divided into two administrative units – the State of Maranhão and the State of Brazil – São Luís was the capital of the first administrative unit.
In 1997, the historic centre of the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Video History of the foundation of São Luís MA
History of the foundation of São Luís do Maranhão
For many years, the north of Brazil was ignored by the Portuguese crown.
São Luís then became a haven for pirates and was coveted by the French, who were already interested in establishing a colony in these lands.
On 19 March 1612, an expedition left the French port of Cancale to cross the Atlantic and reach São Marcos Bay, with the aim of conquering the Gulf of Maranhão and establishing equinoctial France.
In charge were Daniel de La Touche, Lord of La Ravardière, related to François de Razilly, Lord of Razilly, Aunelles – King Henri IV’s aide-de-camp, a gentleman of his chamber, related to Cardinal Richelieu – Nicolas de Harlay, Lord of Sancy, and the Baron de Molle and Gros-Bois, a member of Parliament and the King’s Council.
With them, a caravan of 500 men arrived in the new land on three large ships. They saw it as a strategic location for maritime trade.
“There is nothing to compare with the beauty and charm of this land, its fertility and abundance of everything that man can imagine”.
These are the words of the Capuchin friar Claude d’Abbeville in “História da missão dos padres capuchinhos na Ilha do Maranhão e terras circunvizinhas”, published in 1614 and translated by Sérgio Milliet, in which he gives a pertinent description of the founding of the city, where he was present.
Arrival of the French
The French arrived on the island of Upaon-Açu (Ilha Grande), so called by the Indians who inhabited it, on 12 August 1612.
Ignoring the Indians who already inhabited the region, it was agreed that the foundation would take place on 8 September of that year, a date consecrated to the Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary.
The symbol of this moment was the erection of a large cross, followed by a mass and a procession.
The Catholic symbol was erected in front of the fortress on the outskirts of the city, where the city was to be expanded.
The fort was called Saint-Louis, in honour of the boy king Louis XIII.
In time, the name was extended to the town and the whole island. “When the cross was erected […] the island was also blessed, while many cannons were fired from the forts and ships as a sign of rejoicing,” says Claude d’Abbeville.
One of the aims of the enterprise was to establish a Catholic colony in South America.
For the Church, the discovery of the New World meant the need to catechise the Indians.
According to the historical information in Claude d’Abbeville’s book, the Tupinambás were interested in the newly introduced religion.
Portuguese return
In 1614, a Portuguese military expedition, known in history as the Miraculous Journey, expelled the French from Maranhão.
Commander Jerônimo de Albuquerque settled at the mouth of the Munim River, where he built the Santa Maria Fort on the site of Guaxenduba.
Daniel de La Touche, Lord of La Ravardière, attacked the fort on 19 November, but was defeated in battle.
The battle of Guaxenduba was an important step for the Portuguese towards the final expulsion of the French from Maranhão. In the 1759 book História da Companhia de Jesus na Extinta Província do Maranhão e Pará (History of the Society of Jesus in the Extinct Province of Maranhão and Pará), Father José de Moraes recounts the appearance of Our Lady of Victory to intervene on the Portuguese side.
The saint is said to have turned sand into gunpowder and pebbles into bullets.
Dutch presence
In 1641, a Dutch squadron led by Admiral Jean Cornelizoon Lichardt, with 2,000 armed men, sacked the city and took Governor Bento Maciel prisoner.
The Dutch wanted to expand the sugar industry by acquiring new sugarcane plantations in the interior of the captaincy, as they had done in other towns in the northeast.
The Dutch were expelled from São Luís by the Portuguese in 1644.
The settlers were led by Antônio Teixeira de Melo, who had succeeded Antônio Muniz Barreiros as leader of the resistance against the invaders.
In order to prevent further invasions, the colonial government decided to create the state of Grão-Pará and Maranhão, independent from the rest of the country, in order to guarantee colonisation.
After the expulsion of the French, the fort of Saint-Louis was renamed São Phelippe, in honour of the reigning monarch of Portugal.
The town, however, continued to be called São Luís.
History of the foundation of São Luís do Maranhão
Tourist guide of São Luís do Maranhão
