O Forte de Vera Cruz de Itapecuru, hoje em ruínas, está localizado na margem esquerda da foz do rio Itapecuru, antiga Calvário do Itapecuru, hoje município de Icatu, no litoral do Estado do Maranhão.
MARQUES (1970) refere uma disputa política como pano de fundo para a fundação deste forte, apoiado em BERRETO (Anais Históricos), que refere a chegada de Bento Maciel Parente à cidade de Belém do Pará, e "ardendo nos desejos de ocupar o governo da Capitania, intentou lograr as suas esperanças pelos meios ilícitos das alterações do sossego público; mas o Capitão-mor Pedro Teixeira, que era tão valoroso como acautelado, desenganou de sorte as suas pretensões, que se recolheu logo ao Maranhão, onde fundou um forte no rio Itapicuru". Completa a informação referindo que Pedro Teixeira ergueu o forte em 1620, para defesa contra os ataques indígenas, que embaraçavam o cultivo da cana-de-açúcar (op. cit., p. 284).
No contexto da Guerra Holandesa (1630-54), foi ocupado quando da conquista holandesa de São Luís (25/nov/1641). As versões para o fato são diferentes:
A historiografia brasileira reporta que, naquele momento, os conquistadores holandeses fintaram os cinco proprietários de engenhos na ribeira do Itapicuru em cinco mil arrôbas de açúcar, e que, com o produto destas, reedificaram e alargaram este forte, então desguarnecido e em ruínas (MARQUES, 1970:284).
A historiografia holandesa reporta que: "(...) Na terra firme existiam alguns [engenhos] em Itapecuru. Os moradores deste lugar, prometendo fidelidade à Companhia [das Índias Ocidentais] e passando-lhe à jurisdição, abriram o seu forte ao capitão Schadde." (BARLÉU, 1974:233).
As fontes holandesas referem que a ocupação não foi pacífica:
"Tinha-se informado [em Pernambuco] com certeza que o Maranhão sacudira o nosso jugo; que portugueses e brasileiros, mancomunados para tamanho crime, tinham trucidado com abominável ousadia, os soldados holandeses, que nada esperavam e, ocupando o forte do Calvário às margens do Itapecuru, sitiavam a cidade de São Luís, onde praticavam todas as violências da guerra; que os sitiados necessitavam de socorro imediato, porque, vencida a cidade, periclitaria a província. Os governadores de Pernambuco, (...) logo mandaram para lá, com trezentos soldados e duzentos índios conscritos no Ceará, o tenente-coronel Hinderson, para que, subjugados os cabeças da rebelião, restabelecesse ele a ordem e fizesse voltar o amor da obediência.
Atacando o inimigo com essa força, expulsou-o da sua trincheira, mas quando investiu o reduto maior, foi coagido, após acesa refrega, a bater em retirada, indo acampar alí perto. Os inimigos, por terem morrido os primeiros dos seus, sairam da ilha durante a noite inteira, e assentaram os arraiais no continente, à beira do rio, no lugar onde as gargantas dos montes fechavam as entradas. O exército deles compunha-se de setecentos homens, entre portugueses e mestiços, e mais três mil índios." (BARLÉU, 1974:250-251).
Quando da contra-ofensiva portuguesa de 1644 em Pernambuco, Antônio Muniz Barreiros, reforçado por tropas de Antônio Teixeira de Melo atacam o Forte de São Luís (fev/1644), mas são rechaçados, perecendo o primeiro. Teixeira de Mello recua e toma o Forte do Calvário (01/out/1644), que se encontrava guarnecido por um destacamento de 70 homens, artilhado com oito peças. Após a conquista, essa artilharia foi retirada para tomar parte na reconquista de São Luís (GARRIDO, 1940:38-39). Teixeira de Mello prosseguiu fazendo uma campanha de emboscadas, até que, fortalecido, marcha sobre São Luís, conquistando-a, e expulsando os holandeses.
Durante o governo de Francisco de Sá de Menezes, o Forte da Vera Cruz, ou Forte do Calvário, foi reedificado em 1682, à custa de João de Souza Soleima, com a intenção de levantar uma Casa-forte para defesa dos ataques indígenas, sob a invocação do Santo Cristo da Serra de Semide (Forte do Santo Cristo), da qual não restam vestígios (MARQUES, 1970:284).
O Ofício de 21/jan/1777, do Governador Joaquim de Mello Póvoas ao Sr. Martinho de Mello e Castro, informa que este forte estava artilhado com seis peças (MARQUES, 1970:284).
O Relatório de 21/mar/1797 sobre as fortalezas de São Luís, pelo Ajudante de Ordens Luís Antônio Sarmento da Maia para o Governador da Capitania, D. Fernando Antônio de Noronha (1792-98), informa: "Este forte, que defende a ribeira do Itapicuru deve ser reedificado e guarnecido de artilharia, por ser um lugar forte e único, onde os defensores desta cidade se podem fazer fortes no caso de ser esta tomada." (MARQUES, 1970:284).
O mesmo autor cita o Roteiro da viagem que fez às fronteiras da Capitania do Maranhão e de Goiás no ano de 1815, do Capitão Francisco de Paula Ribeiro, que afirma que ainda então se divisavam "os fragmentos de um pequeno fortim, que há poucos anos acabou de se arruinar, tendo sido grande prudência o haver-se conservado, coisa que custava bem pouco, como chave dos sertões da Capitania por aquele lado, pois que no caso de futuras precisões o auxílio da referida Capitania não permitiria passar por ali contra a vontade de qualquer pequena guarnição, que ali tivesse o mais pequeno barco de pescadores." (op. cit., p. 284-285).
Foi avaliada em 20:000$000 réis perante o Juízo Municipal do termo do Rosário (16/abr/1836). No contexto da Balaiada (1838-41), o 1º Tenente de Engenheiros João Vito Vieira da Silva, encarregado pela Presidência da Província da fortificação da Vila do Rosário, uma légua acima, no curso do rio, procedeu à reconstrução do Forte da Vera Cruz em 1840. Reconstruiu o portão principal, que não tinha coxia, ergueu uma dependência para Oficial inferior, o Corpo da Guarda, Casa do Comandante e Armazém da Pólvora, calçou a praça superior, ergueu duas paredes para conter o aterro desta praça, e duas plataformas para artilharia, tendo gasto apenas 2:728$980 réis, pelo que recebeu elogio do Marquês de Caxias, então Presidente e Comandante das Armas da Província (MARQUES, 1970:285).
Estava relacionada entre os Próprios Nacionais, assim descrita nos livros da Tesouraria Geral:
"Forte da Vera Cruz de pedra e cal, situado na margem esquerda do [rio] Itapicuru, distrito da vila do Rosário, tem 80 braças de frente, norte a sul, além dos vãos compreendidos em duas circunferências de 180 palmos cada uma, ocupadas por dois baluartes, que guardam duas praças de armas, e 23 [braças] de fundo, leste a oeste, cuja muralha tem sete palmos de grossura e o parapeito três.
Uma das praças de armas tem 80 palmos de comprimento sobre 69 de largo, entre dois baluartes semi-circulares de 188 palmos de circunferência cada um, e a outra 80 palmos de comprido sobre 58 de largo entre outros dois baluartes semi-circulares de de 44 palmos de circunferência cada um, com dois armazéns de 33 palmos de comprido sobre 21 de largo cada um entre as ditas praças de armas, com uma casa de 78 palmos de comprido sobre 32 de largo por trás da segunda praça de armas, dividida em três quartos, dos quais um serve de Capela, outro de Prisão, e outro com mirante para aquartelamento com outra pequena praça de 22 palmos." (apud MARQUES, 1970:285).
De acordo com BARRETTO (1958) as suas ruínas se encontravam, à época (1958), "afogadas na mata" (op. cit., p. 16).
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Fortification Visualization |
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• On fortification’s view page there are fortification name, its location (City, State, Country, Continent) and all other available data about it.
• First, you will see a window with a main text that contains the fortification’s history and other information about its project and construction, its buildings, works and other interventions all over the years, information about armaments and troops, interventions of archaeology, information about legal protection, relevant historical facts associated to this fortification and other information you think it is important. • Below text window, there is the Medias box: Interactive Map, Videos, Images, panoramics and CAD Designs. Click on border of the Media you want to view available content miniatures. Below, in this Help text, you can read about navigating between every different medias. Click on miniature to view it full size. This media is viewed at the same window that previously had the main text. Medias Box – Interactive Map: o An Interactive Map shows the fortification’s localization visualized by a satellite image. It is not a static picture but a dynamic one, which works with a Google MAP technology. You can go next and go back through the map with it, zoom in and zoom out, and view satellite pictures. o Click on correspondent border in medias box and on the link “Click here to view the Interactive Map of this fortification’s localization". o The Interactive Map shows viewed fortification’s geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude). There are three navigation ways: Map, Satellite and Hybrid. Use navigation commands to navigate through the map, moving to any direction you want. Still, you are able to move through the map by dragging cursor with left mouse button, always pressing it. o Click on “Return to text” option to close the map and go back to main fortification text. Medias Box – Vídeos: o To open videos, click on the correspondent border in medias box in order to load the miniatures with available files about this fortification. Use horizontal roll bar to show all available videos. o Click on video miniatures you want in order to load available information about it – they are showed at the same window which previously had the main text. o At the view window there are: video title, your identification number (ID), a description about its content, video credits, date of realization and user name who registered the file – can be fortification’s tutor or other contributor user (see below information about “Contributions” item). Click on contributor’s name to access available information about this user. o Beside these information, there is a frame icon with the file size (Kb). Click on frame icon to open and watch it. o On the base of the visualization’s window, you can access other available videos with Previous and Next commands. Between the two commands there are the total of available videos and the number of the video that you are watching. o Click on “Return to text” option in order to close the visualization window of videos and to go back to fortification main text. • Medias Box - Images: o To open Images (pictures, old iconographies: plans and maps), click on corresponding border in medias box, in order to load miniatures of available files about the fortification. Miniature images are the first to appear available in medias box when you access fortification page at the first time. Click on a miniature to visualize it bigger. The bigger image is visualized on the same window that was occupied by the main text. o When accessing images, first you will see only four miniatures, and beside, there is the number of available images about the fortification. o Click on Show All link to view the total of miniatures. o Use horizontal roll bar to show all available images and click on the miniature you want to load with its available information. o Click on Search link (Images border or miniatures box) to open a selective consult images form . o On Search Form for images it is possible to search for the identification number (ID); image classification category; key-word of image description; any word which is in image credits; the year of image realization, in this case, with the option of searching for a specific date or looking for images from before or after a specific date. o On visualization window, there are not only the image but: its title, its classification category, its identification number (ID), a description about its content, its realization date and credits, name of the user who registered it (publisher), can be fortification tutor or other contributor (see below information about “Contributions” item). Click on contributor’s name to access his available information. o Click on image, on visualization area, to open the original file on other window of your Web Browser, usually it is in a bigger size, with a better visualization. You can get the same result by clicking on " See image at original size" link. o Below visualization window, Previous and Next commands allow to access other available images. Between the two commands there are the total of available images and the number of the image that is being showed at the moment. o Click "Auto" to select this item option, going next automatically to an image from other. o Only for the users who are connected to fortalezas.org Website (logged in the restrict edition area), it is available an Edition option, with which the register Tutor can go straight to edition area in order to change registered data. o On top of page, the print icon opens a new window of your Web Browser, where you can print the page content that you are viewing. o Click on “Return to text” option and close the visualization window to go back to main text. • Medias Box - Panoramic: o To open Panoramic (photographic panorama in 360 degrees), click on corresponding border in medias box, in order to load miniatures of available files about the fortification. Use horizontal roll bar to show all Panoramic available. o Click on panoramic miniature wanted to load its available information which are at the same window previously busy by the main text. o On visualization window, there are not only the image but: its title, its classification category, its identification number (ID), a description about its content, its realization date and credits, name of the user who registered it (publisher), can be fortification tutor or other contributor (see below information about “Contributions” item). Click on contributor’s name to access his available information. Beside these information, there is a frame icon with the file size (KB). o Click on this frame to open it and see the panoramic. o Below visualization window, Previous and Next commands allow to access other available images. Between the two commands there are the total of available images and the number of the panoramic that is being showed at the moment. o Click on “Return to text” option and close the visualization window to go back to main text. • Medias Box – CAD Design: o To open CAD Design (DWG format of CAD file, as graphic survey registers, restoration projects etc), click on correspondent border in medias box, in order to load miniatures with available files about a fortification viewed. Use the horizontal roll bar to show all available CAD files. o Click on miniature wanted to load its available information which are at the same window previously busy by the main text. o On visualization window, there are: CAD Design title, its identification number (ID), a description about its content, design’s author credits, realization date, name of the user who registered it (publisher), can be fortification tutor or other contributor (see below information about “Contributions” item). Click on contributor’s name to access his available information. o Beside these information, there is a frame icon with the file size (KB). Click on frame icon to open and view the design (you must have Autocad installed in your computer or other software of DWG file visualization). o Below visualization window, Previous and Next commands allow to access other available designs. Between the two commands there are the total of available designs and the design number that is being showed at the moment. o Click on “Return to text” option and close the visualization window to go back to main text. • Below medias box, there are many inquiries with parameterized data about this fortification: Recent name, Other denominations, Type, Year of beginning etc. Parameterized data are those with which is possible to do researches on fortifications Search page. Researches can be done with each inquiry individually or by a combination of inquiries. • In “Project Author” and “Began in the governor of” is available a link to access the historical Character data listed there, forwarding to a section of fortalezas.org Website Characters. After this, use “Back” command and return to fortification visualization page. • Below parameterized data box there is an entitle box: Related Characters, where there are listed the name and the nationality (with an image) of historical characters related to the viewed fortification. Click on a name to view its information, forwarding to fortalezas.org Website Characters page. After this, use “Back” command and return to fortification visualization page. • Below related Characters box there is an entitled box: Related Bibliographies, where there are listed title, author and type (with an image) of those bibliographies related to the viewed fortification. Click on title to view its informations, forwarding to fortalezas.org Website Bibliographies page. After this, use “Back” Navigator command and return to fortification visualization page. • Below related Bibliographies box there is an entitled box: Related Links, where there are listed title, synopsis and websites (Links) internet address (URL) that are related to the viewed fortification. Click on link’s title or address forwarding to its website, that will be open in a new window. • Below Link box there is an entitled box: Related texts, where there are listed title, author and text summary posted in Forum section and which are related to the viewed fortification. Click on title to view its information, forwarding to fortalezas.org Website Characters page. After this, use “Back” command and return to fortification visualization page. • On top and base of page, the system informs the total results (registers), between parenthesis, and the number of the register that is being viewed. • On top and base of page, there are also available the commands to go Next and to go Back, from a text to other, between the results (registers) found in the previous search. • On top and base of page, it is available the “Listing” link to go back to the page with the other results (registers) found in the last research. • Below related texts box, there is a “Contributions” table, where there is Item Tutor’s name, who is responsible for fortification register. Below its name, there are listed other users name that contributed to tutor in edition, revision or adding information about this fortification. • Beside Tutor name you can see the date of the last update of fortification’s data. Beside Contributor name is the date when he last contributed. • Below “Medias” sub item there are listed users that contributed to Tutor, adding a media to this fortification: image, video, panoramic or CAD Design. Beside user name, the number between parentheses informs the quantity of media files added by this user. • Click on Tutor name or those names which are contributors in order to view their available information. • Only for the users who are connected to fortalezas.org Website (logged in the restrict edition area), it is available an Edition option, which the register Tutor can change registered contents, and others users can contribute with an additional information about this fortification. • On top of page, the print icon opens a new window of your Web Browser, where it can be print all fortification content that you are viewing. In this print will be listed medias data without their images. To print it, see below, Medias Box – Images item. |