State of Brazil


The State of Brazil was one of the states of the Portuguese Empire, in the Americas during the period of Colonial Brazil.

History

In 1621, the Governorate General of Brazil was split into two states, the State of Brazil and the State of Maranhão. The state was created on June 13, 1621 by Philip II of Portugal.
This action divided Portuguese America into two administrative units, with the capital of the State of Brazil located in São Salvador and the capital of the State of Maranhão located in São Luís.
The State of Brazil became a Viceroyalty in January 1763, when the capital of the State of Brazil was transferred from São Salvador to Rio de Janeiro.

Composition

The State of Brazil originally included 12 of the original 15 captaincies, all except Ceará and Maranhão, two parts, which included the subcaptaincy of Para west of the Tordesillas Line at that time :