O Forte do Bom Sucesso do Porto do Calvo localizava-se junto à foz do Rio Manguaba, defendendo a povoação de Porto do Calvo, hoje Porto Calvo. O forte é a primeira obra de fortificação regular construída no território do atual Estado de Alagoas, remontando a uma fortificação de campanha erguida no contexto da Guerra Holandesa (1630-54) pelo Conde de Bagnuolo em 1634, por determinação do Superintendente da Guerra da Capitania de Pernambuco, Matias de Albuquerque (c. (1590-1647).
Em faxina e terra, foi conquistado por forças holandesas da frota do Almirante Johan Lichthart (mar/1635) que o reforçam e ampliam. Guarnecido por 420 homens sob o comando do Sargento-mór Alexandre Picard, é cercado (12/jul) e reconquistado a 19/jul/1635 por Matias de Albuquerque e Antônio Filipe Camarão (c. 1601-48) em retirada para a Bahia após a queda do Arraial (velho) do Bom Jesus. Domingos Fernandes Calabar (1609-35), aí capturado na ocasião, após julgamento sumário será enforcado e esquartejado (22/jul), tendo os seus despojos expostos em praça pública (BARLÉU, 1974:39). Logo após, a posição é abandonada, de modo que à chegada de Sigismund van Schkoppe (24/jul), a povoação foi encontrada deserta.
Reocupada por tropas portuguesas (jan/1636), as suas defesas são reparadas e reforçadas pelo Conde de Bagnuolo, na iminência do ataque do Conde Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen (1604-79) a Porto Calvo (1637). Delas encontramos descrição em BARLÉU (1974):
"De antemão [Bagnuolo] fortificara as margens do rio [Manguaba] com trincheiras para as quais se retirou, informado da chegada de Nassau, seja por desconfiar dos armamentos, pois em soldados se avantajava a nós, seja com o fim de atrair os nossos para debaixo do baluarte do referido porto [das Pedras]. Junto de um ribeiro distante do forte uma légua, assentou, num monte, os arraiais, com poder de 2.000 combatentes. Cercou o campo com dupla linha de trincheiras, fechando os desfiladeiros com toros e troncos de árvores cortados por toda a parte. O plano era conter aí o ímpeto dos holandeses para que ele, Bagnuolo, mais próximo da fortaleza, pudesse defendê-la com forças armadas e ser por ela defendido." (Op. cit., p. 37)
E complementando sobre a retirada de Bagnuolo para o rio Camaragibe, abandonando Porto Calvo à própria sorte:
"O Conde [de Nassau] conduziu o exército [holandês] vencedor pela raiz das colinas, justamente para debaixo da fortaleza [de Porto Calvo]. Bagnuolo, munidas as suas estâncias no monte, fez fogo contra os nossos o dia inteiro, como também o fizeram os que estavam no forte, mas com muito estrépito e pouco dano. Nesse mesmo dia, Schkoppe com os seus soldados e Lichthart com os seus marinheiros foram destacados pelo Conde [de Nassau] para tomarem a ilha [na confluência fluvial, fronteira à povoação de Porto Calvo], facilitando-se destarte o transporte das provisões. Durante a noite, o general espanhol ajuntou a bagagem e escapuliu-se, abandonando três canhões de bronze. Temeu ficar na fortaleza para não se envolver na rendição dela, e não se atreveu a impedir o cerco aos nossos para não desfalcar os seus exércitos. No dia seguinte, Nassau, examinando novamente as fortificações dos inimigos, (...) [quando] delas se aproximava, saltaram com fogos ocultos que Bagnuolo, saindo alta noite, lhes deitara por cilada." (Op. cit., p. 38)
Destacam-se nesta ocasião a Batalha de Barra Grande, em que notabilizou a tropa feminina de Clara Camarão (m. 1648), e a defesa de Porto Calvo pelo espanhol Miguel Guiberton, que capitula com honras militares ante os holandeses (mar/1637) após um assédio de treze dias. BARLÉU (1974) descreve a capitulação:
"Saindo da praça o vice-governador espanhol Miguel Guiberton, ilustre nas lutas contra a Holanda, oito capitães, sete alferes, quinhentos soldados, entre italianos, portugueses e espanhóis, além dos enfermos e dos feridos, fizeram nossa vitória gloriosa e útil, porquanto aos despojos de guerra se ajuntaram 22 peças de bronze, 5 de ferro, 4 morteiros, grande quantidade de granadas e de balas de ferro, morrões e outros petrechos bélicos e todo o arsenal do rei alí existente." (Op. cit., p. 40)
Os vencedores procedem-lhe os reparos devidos: "Providenciadas as coisas necessárias à fortificação e resistência dos baluartes, foi Schkoppe enviado para as Alagoas (...)." (Op. cit, p. 43)
Nassau, no "Breve Discurso" de 14/jan/1638, sobre o tópico "Fortificações", descreve-o:
"(...) Depois da conquista foi muito fortificado, mas ficou tal como era antes, muito irregular, e se faz mister cercá-lo de uma contra-escarpa com uma sólida paliçada. Este forte conserva ainda toda a sua artilharia e quase toda a munição que nele foi encontrada, apenas fez-se retirar algumas peças que não eram necessárias e estavam desmontadas. Está pois bem provido de tudo, e guarnecem-no duas companhias de soldados. Este forte está assentado sobre um monte alto e isolado, e não há na vizinhança outros montes altos que o dominem; correm rios ao longo de dois dos seus lados. No forte há um poço com 18 braças de profundidade, construido com pedras de cantaria quadradas, que se elevam desde o fundo até à borda, e fornece água excelente."
Adriaen van der Dussen complementa, informando um efetivo de quatro companhias, com 380 homens, estacionadas em Porto Calvo:
"(...) o Forte Bom Sucesso, na povoação do Porto Calvo: trata-se de um bom forte, situado no alto de um outeiro, de mais de 40 pés de altura a contar do fosso, muito escarpado. Para ficar assegurada a estabilidade da muralha há, na parte exterior, de 14 em 14 pés, uma berma; tem um fosso profundo, uma forte paliçada e uma forte contra-escarpa. Contam-se 7 peças de bronze, a saber: 2 de 24 lb, 1 de 18 lb, 1 de 22 lb, 1 de 10 lb, 1 de 8 lb, 1 de 5 lb, uma peça de ferro de 6 lb e 2 pedreiros com suas câmaras, todas peças espanholas." (Relatório sobre o estado das Capitanias conquistadas no Brasil, 04/abr/1640).
BARLÉU (1974) transcreve o Relatório de Dussen: "Guardamos Porto Calvo com um forte que tem nome de bom agoiro - Boaventura [sic]. Assentado no cume de um alcantil, a quarenta pés de altura, é resguardado por fossos, bastidas e coiraça e tem sete canhões de bronze, um de ferro e dois pedreiros." (Op. cit., p. 144) Computa, entretanto, uma guarnição de 480 homens distribuídos entre Camaragipe e Porto Calvo. (Op. cit., p. 146) Esclarece que a estacada que cingia o forte foi erguida, por determinação de Nassau, na iminência de ataque ao nordeste holandês por uma frota espanhola (c. 1639): "(...) Igual tarefa executou (...) o coronel [Johan] Koin em Porto Calvo, onde chuvas violentas e tempestades haviam danificado o forte Boaventura [sic], fazendo-o ruir em mais de um lugar." (Op. cit., p. 159)
Reconquistado por forças portuguesas sob o comando do Capitão Lourenço Carneiro, após quarenta e dois dias de cerco (17/set/1645), foi ocupado e arrasado (SOUZA, 1885:89), sendo sua artilharia remetida para o Arraial do Bom Jesus.
Segundo a tradição popular, o local do antigo forte ainda era conhecido em meados do século XX como Alto do Forte (MARROQUIM, Adalberto. Terra das Alagoas. apud: GARRIDO, 1940:76).
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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. |