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Salvador—Brazil Dutch-Portuguese War (1624–1625)

Type Event Region South America Time 1624–1625

In 1624–1625 the Dutch West India Company seized Salvador, capital of Bahia, then lost it to a joint Spanish-Portuguese fleet—the first major Iberian…

Timeline

  1. 1624Salvador (Bay of All Saints) · BahiaJacob Wicke led a WIC fleet ashore and besieged the city for about two months; the Portuguese garrison surrendered in early July. The Dutch took over the colonial capital of Brazil, the sugar mill network, and some slave trade routes, shocking all of Portuguese America.
  2. 1624–1625Bahia and Rio de Janeiro · BahiaThe Dutch imposed military rule in Salvador but failed to control the interior; Spain and Portugal, unified under Philip IV, organized a joint fleet, assembling counterattack forces from Europe and Rio de Janeiro.
  3. 1625City of Salvador · BahiaToledo led 52 warships and over 12,000 soldiers to defeat the Dutch at the bay mouth and recapture the city, ending the Dutch occupation. Though an Iberian victory, the battle exposed the vulnerability of Brazil's defenses, prompting Portuguese America to strengthen coastal defenses and triggering subsequent long-term Dutch penetration of northeastern Brazil.

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