Months in the Making: A Retrospective of Preparations (January – July 1659)
By July 1659, when the Regency Council delivered its definitive "no," João's "walk" had already become a relentless march.
The ships were being readied, the innovative weapons produced, and the men drilled with a ferocity born of high stakes and unparalleled incentives.
The Crown might not have given its blessing, but the foundations for its most audacious, disobedient, and potentially kingdom-altering enterprise were firmly in place.
Since January 1659, just weeks after King João IV's passing and long before the Regency's definitive rejections, the gears of João's goals had been turning relentlessly:
The Revolutionary "Cerceau" Bayonet
João had already commissioned 5,000 units of his groundbreaking Cerceau, or Cycle Bayonet system.
This wasn't the crude plug bayonet that rendered a musket useless for firing, nor the later, more reliable socket bayonet.
The Cerceau featured a circular metallic casing that fitted around the musket's barrel, ingeniously allowing the weapon to be fired even with the bayonet fixed.
This innovation promised a revolutionary shift in infantry combat, transforming every musketeer into a combined pikeman and shooter.
At 4 cruzados per piece, a staggering sum representing nearly a year's average salary for the majority of the people of that era, this was an investment that reflected conventional military spending, a clear signal of the immense wealth Horizon Brazil commanded.
Though João knew the design, being slightly oversized to ensure a secure lock, might be susceptible to becoming detached or unsoldered during the brutal stress of prolonged use, he gambled on its tactical advantage.
_______
A Fleet Forged for Retribution
In the arsenals of Lisbon, five sea monsters were undergoing repair and rearmament. These were East Indiamen, the ships taken by Diogo the year before, but "over-canoned," their hulls reinforced to withstand and deliver devastating punishment.
These formidable ships, almost precursors to the future "ships of the line," were being prepared for long voyages and brutal engagements, designed to outgun and outlast the VOC's own formidable merchant-warships.
Beyond conventional armaments, the overproduction of rubber led to João's obsession to shift from iron-defense warships to rubber-defense boarding warships.
Leveraging the vast resources of Horizon Brazil's rubber plantations, a unique defensive measure was implemented on the vessels specifically designed for boarding actions.
Sections of their hulls, particularly around the boarding points, were reinforced with 20-cm thick layers of dense, vulcanized rubber, forming a "cuirasse" designed to absorb the impact of incoming musket balls and small cannon fire during the close-quarters chaos of ship-to-ship combat.
This new defense minimized casualties among boarding parties and provided crucial protection for the ship's structure.
The frigates themselves were the core of the fleet, its tactics, and strategic disposal. These weren't ordinary vessels; at 500 tonneaux, they were unusually heavy for frigates of the era, a weight specifically engineered not for cargo, but for enhanced maneuverability and stability during boarding actions.
Their unique design, which had gone through four rigorous iterations to refine their balance, agility, and structural integrity for brutal close-range engagements, represented a significant departure from existing naval architecture, conceived entirely for the audacious tactics of breaking the tradition of staying in line while launching great "bullets" to the opponents' ships.
________
The Pool of Steel: Training the Soldiers
On vast training grounds in the Algarve, 5,000 men were recruited and put through rigorous training. These were dedicated soldiers and potential future "marines," not merely sailors, learning musketry, close-quarters combat, and the use of the new Cerceau bayonets.
They endured relentless drills, in pouring rain and under blistering sun, pushed to their limits by experienced officers handpicked by João and his peers. Each man was paid 10 cruzados per year during this intensive training period.
However, not all 5,000 would embark on the perilous journey. The spoken promise was the expedition contract: only the "considered best" of these trained soldiers would be selected for the final force, their numbers strictly dictated by the transportability of the ships. For those chosen, the incentive was unparalleled: a full year's salary paid upfront for the expedition itself, a tantalizing promise of part of the loot from the VOC's legendary treasuries, and, crucially, the assurance of all remaining salaries paid upon a successful return – an unprecedented guarantee that bound their fate to the expedition's triumph.
This unique motivation, financed directly by the burgeoning profits from the rubber trade and other Horizon Brazil ventures, drew men of courage and ambition, willing to take risks for an unparalleled reward.
__________
Laying the Financial Foundations
The success of the rubber trade was now undeniably proven, providing the immediate capital. The clever establishment of the Companhia dos Panos de Lisboa (the new textile venture), with its sixty "mechanical hand looms" " the mice looms" ( in that alternative history) was not merely a concession to the Crown's immediate needs for uniforms.
It was a strategic maneuver, weaving João's private financial empire even deeper into the kingdom's economic fabric, securing influential investors (the very nobles who might otherwise oppose him) and establishing an enduring, legitimate source of wealth that could sustain even the most audacious, unsanctioned ventures.
Even as the shadow of the Java expedition lengthened, other seeds sown by Horizon Brazil were bearing fruit.
After just over a year of arduous work and meticulous organization in the distant, rugged terrains of the Diamantina region, the first true treasures had begun to trickle in.
Rough, uncut, yet undeniably brilliant, the first diamonds from Portugal's new mines in Brazil arrived in Lisbon.
Whispers of their existence spread through the court, igniting fresh interest and greed. The scale wasn't yet to the extent of a Brazil's diamond rush, but it was a tangible promise, and the burgeoning need for skilled hands was palpable.
Flyers and word-of-mouth began to appear, hinting at the wealth to be found: "Help for stone carving! Stone carvers are needed!" – a subtle, yet powerful, indication of another facet of the "Brazilian dream" taking root.
One that would have its own narrative of exploitation and transformation.
_________
Personal Stakes and Key Allies: A New Generation Amidst the Gathering Storm
Within this whirlwind of preparation, personal events anchored João to the very future he sought to shape.
His wife, Dona Beatriz, was pregnant, her morning sickness a quiet counterpoint to the thunder of cannon and the cries of drill sergeants. The impending arrival of their child, particularly a potential son, imbued João's desperate crusade with even more personal meaning – a future to secure, a legacy to protect from the very "duplicity" he railed and rallied against. And in September, the ever-reliable Dom Diogo returned from his prolonged absence, his tanned face betraying the vast distances he had traversed, now ready to resume his pivotal role in the core group of the 11 peers, with loot and: new ships.
________
September 28th, 1659. A New Life Amidst the Gathering Storm.
While the shipyards clanged and the training grounds echoed with the shouts of men preparing for war, a different, far more ancient, and perilous battle commenced within the quiet, private chambers of João and Beatriz's manor in the Algarve. Childbirth in the 17th century was a treacherous frontier, a journey fraught with mortal peril for both mother and child. There were no antiseptic precautions, no modern interventions for complications; only the practiced hands of a midwife, the fervent prayers of attendants, and the raw resilience of the woman herself.
João found himself utterly helpless. His meticulously laid plans, his strategic moves and preparations, all innovative ventures, his audacity of piracy – none of those held sway against the natural, unpredictable forces now at work within his own home. The usual masterful control he exuded, the calm demeanor that masked his inner "rage and despair," splintered into pure, agonizing anxiety. He paced the outer rooms, listening to Beatriz's strained cries, the hushed whispers of the women, and the frantic prayers that intermittently rose from within. Each minute felt like an eternity, a terrifying counterpoint to the rapid pace of his grand designs. The very vulnerability of his wife, that he began to... love? hahaha, well whatever..., confronting a danger more immediate and profound than any battle he might face, was a stark reminder of the limits of his power.
Then, finally, after hours that stretched into an eternity, came the faint, reedy cry that cut through the tension like a surgeon's blade. A silence, briefly, followed, before the midwife's voice, hoarse with relief, announced, "Um menino! A boy, Senhor! Strong and healthy!"
Relief, so profound it was almost dizzying, washed over João. He entered the chamber, his usual stern features softened by an immense, unfamiliar tenderness. There, in the arms of his exhausted, radiant Beatriz, lay his son. He was small, still fragile, a new life utterly dependent on the world João was so decided to reshape (well, only João IV's death and the rubber had already made it happen, but he cannot easily realize: it's his reality).
"É! Hello little Simao do Carrasca, lord of Carrasca!" He then looked at Beatriz: "Thank you, my dear," and caressed Beatriz's face gently.
He looked from the fragile baby to his brave, weary wife, and in that moment, his desperate crusade gained a new, vital dimension.
This fight against the VOC's dishonor, this audacious defiance of the christian's values, was no longer just about the past or the abstract concept of honor; it was about the tangible future of this child, this fruit of the "de Carrasca" legacy, for whom a world of Portuguese prosperity and honor must be forged.
As the news spread, first through the manor and then to the other peers in the Algarve domain, it brought a wave of shared joy and a subtle reinforcement of their collective commitment.
Other wives among the 11 peers soon began to show signs of the advancement—or their newly discovered pregnancy—of their own pregnancies, creating a "Dads' Club" – a fellowship of men bound not just by ambition and defiance, but by the deeply personal stakes of new lives, fragile and hopeful, entering a world they were determined to reshape.
Each cry of a newborn son or daughter from their fiefs echoed the grand, whispered ambition: they were not just seizing wealth or power; they were carving out a future, a legacy that demanded a world free from the VOC's yoke, whatever the cost of their disobedience toward the Regency Council.
________
Guardians of the Home, Swords of the Expedition
As the departure in March 1660 loomed, the stark reality of the "eleven peers" facing this unparalleled venture demanded a brutal calculus.
Not all could go. The very "continuity" that made Horizon Brazil an unassailable financial empire, and the "Companhia dos Panos de Lisboa," the diamond company, a new royal asset, depended on their seasoned hands remaining on the tiller at home.
Moreover, the thousands of men poised to embark, having committed their lives and futures, needed absolute reassurance that their families, their land, and their promised wealth would be safeguarded should disaster strike. Trust, in this clandestine endeavor, was the most valuable currency.
The long, grave discussions among the eleven peers took place over weeks, punctuated by the cries of the new generation. The decision was clear: a strong core would lead the expedition, while another, equally dedicated, would remain to ensure the continued prosperity and stability of their burgeoning enterprises.
Those who stayed were not less brave, but their expertise in management, honed relentlessly since 1652, was now indispensable for maintaining the intricate web of plantations, factories, trade routes, and Crown relationships.
Some others, it was whispered, also harbored a deeper desire to create the growing promise of Santa Catarina, and build their long-awaited "Brazilian dream" into an impregnable fortress, rather than plunge into the uncertain violence of the East.
Their continuity was the crew's insurance policy, the safeguard for their families should the seas claim their men.
The core of the expedition, the very spearhead aimed at retaking Ceylon from the VOC, would be composed of men whose audacity and strategic brilliance were matched only by their unwavering loyalty:
Dom João de Carrasca: The architect and strategist, decided to put an end to the veil surrounding the VOC and... he still didn't know, but the pamphlet was explicit enough to comprehend his real motivations. He would command the main force, his strategic acumen a real asset for the 11.
Dom Diogo da Veiga: With his return in September,
Diogo's presence was a palpable force. His particular attitude, a blend of daring impulsiveness and a cultivated instinct for early, decisive action ("a primeira lançada"), had honed his skills in countless skirmishes where quick, brutal strikes meant survival.
He was indispensable for adapting to the mess of naval combat and the exigencies of a pirate's life – a "berserker of the waves," whose very presence ignited the fighting spirit of the men.
Dom Luís de Meneses (not the Comte d'Ericeira, but The Luis who uncovered rubber with João): Luís was recognized for his exceptional handling of the fleet's "very agile boats." He possessed an uncanny ability to read currents and winds, positioning smaller, faster vessels for flanking maneuvers, rapid assaults, or critical scouting, an invaluable asset in the complex dance of a naval battle.
Dom Rui de Noronha: (Another peer, though his specific role for the expedition would emerge during the voyage, he was known for his steady hand and unflappable courage in crisis.)
Dom Bernardo Peixoto: The man everyone called "O Pescador" – a nickname lovingly, or perhaps wryly, bestowed because he had an incurable habit of casting lines off the sides of his ships, even in the midst of voyages, often returning with a catch that defied the expectations of seasoned sailors. Bernardo was a master of logistics and patience, an astute observer, whose seemingly simple hobby masked a profound understanding of the sea's bounty and its hidden depths. His calm demeanor and practical approach balanced the fiery intensity of others.
And some others, who combined all those necessary qualities.
_______
December 1659
read it peers ! launched Joao
"To His Illustrious Majesty, the King of Kandy, Lord of the Mountains and Guardian of Ceylon's Soul,
May this message find Your Majesty in strength and wisdom, delivered by a man of my absolute trust, whose humble appearance belies the grave importance of the words he carries.
From the distant shores of Portugal, across vast oceans now stained by the avarice of the Dutch East India Company, my gaze falls upon your ancient kingdom, witness to the injustices wrought upon your people and the theft of your rightful ports. I write not as a mere merchant, nor as a diplomat bound by the slow decrees of distant courts, nor in my quality of fidalgo de arma, but as a leader of men and a force committed to decimating the Dutch East India Company's naval power and restoring balance to the trade of the East.
My strategy is decisive: to unleash the full might of my fleet upon the VOC's warships, systematically annihilating their capacity to oppress and control. It is my firm resolve to achieve their total annihilation on these seas. While my forces engage the VOC's fleet, it is imperative that your valiant kingdom, with our direct assistance, reclaims mastery over all of Ceylon's ports by besieging them: how long can men support a siege that makes them thirsty or hungry?
I am acutely aware of the challenges facing Ceylon, particularly concerning your most precious spice: cinnamon. In Europe, the wars for cinnamon are at their utmost intensity. The current overproduction, coupled with the exorbitant costs of transports, has created a precarious situation. There is a very real danger that these very transporters, in their relentless pursuit of profit, may even "grill" (destroy) your product simply to artificially maintain prices and ensure it remains a valuable commodity for them, rather than a real advantage to your kingdom. This artificial scarcity, born out of their greed, cripples your people, and my ideals.
My own endeavors, driven by a desire to secure the best trade and economic results for my country and my peers, have taught me a vital truth: ownership of the ports is paramount. It grants mastery over trade, allowing a nation to dictate its own terms. We can, and will, lend you a hand to retake those vital ports. This would be, initially, a temporary option, a swift and brutal intervention to reclaim what is rightfully yours.
However, my endeavors extend beyond mere conquest. We can also protect those ports in the long term, and open new markets for Ceylon, bypassing the very European middlemen who seek to control and devalue your goods. Imagine direct trade to Cathay, for instance, allowing your kingdom to take advantage of all market options, freeing you from the destructive whims of VOC's price manipulation.
I must hereby declare, with utmost candor, that I do not possess the Crown authority to deliver promises that would not be explicitly supported by the Portuguese Crown in Lisbon. My goal is, in many regards, undertaken through unconventional means, driven by an imperative that transcends current political expediency. However, I assure Your Majesty, that for at least the coming decades, your country and mine would have infinitely more to gain by expelling the Dutch East India Company from your shores than by allowing their continued tyranny.
Let us act decisively, in this unique window of opportunity, to shatter the chains of Dutch oppression and forge a future of shared prosperity and mutual respect, dictated by our own terms, not theirs.
With utmost sincerity and a call to resolute action,
Dom João de Carrasca Leader of Horizon Brazil and Commander of the Expeditionary Fleet"
________
After presenting the letter, which he had made in great number, he asked his peers about their advice.
"Guys," João began, finally breaking the quiet, "you have heard the core of our proposition to Kandy.
You understand the stakes, both here and in the East, and the very narrow window we exploit.
We prepare to leave in March.
Now, I ask for your counsel here, from Portugal. What do we need to refine, to anticipate before our sails catch the wind? What potential pitfalls do you foresee in our immediate preparations or the journey itself, or what opportunities have I perhaps overlooked from this distance?"
Dom Diogo da Veiga: "João, the letter's intent is clear – utter annihilation of the VOC's fleet. To ensure this, our preparations for the sea engagement must be absolute. We must relentlessly drill every gun crew, every boarding party, until they learn their lesson about moving with the others!"
"Diogo,you sure it's not your wihe who'se talking ?" a voice interjected, sparking a ripple of grins.
"Fuck off," Diogo retorted, a quick, familiar flare in his eyes before he leaned forward, serious once more.
"I already asked the other merchants... or rather, I was a merchant then. We are not merchants anymore. Well, whatever, I asked them to compile information in Goa. There should be the results when (thinking, maybe too hard ) we reach Goa to receive those informations, and so: where to hit them." answerrd joao
Dom Luís de Meneses: "My concern is the precision of our arrival and initial operations.
We must drill now, endlessly, on launching and retrieving them swiftly and silently from our home ships.
Furthermore, we must procure every available chart of Ceylon's coasts and Dutch-held ports, however outdated, and task our navigators with identifying potential, unobserved anchorages or landing points for a discreet initial approach.
Understanding the terrain, even from old maps, will be critical for the first phase of the invasion and communication."
"Go train the new recuits " answered Joao
Dom Rui de Noronha: "That war is a monstrous undertaking, João. Our current provisions are for the voyage, but sustaining a force this far from home for years will demand a network of resupply points and contacts along our route, preferably not known to the Dutch, not just in Ceylon."
"this is what you are here for, like all other, since when did all of you care about supplying ? We are like pirats there, in sucess we will be nobles , in demise we will lose all, but not our children....." said Joao with a mourning voice.
Dom Bernardo Da Peixoto ("O Pescador"):
" I got your advice Joao ... whatever.....
The vision for direct Cathay trade is grand, but the journey to it is immense, and the Asian seas are vast.
We must equip our fleet now not just for combat, but for a high degree of self-sufficiency during the voyage itself and upon initial arrival.
Beyond our main provisions, we need ample fishing gear and availability of fresh water, and non-Dutch controlled trading posts along the African and Asian coasts will be vital. Our survival, João, may depend as much on our ability to forage and barter without alarming the VOC as it will on our cannons."
Luís added: "João, the letter is strong, decisive. The focus on breaking the VOC navy utterly is the right one. Without their ships, their ports are dead weights.
We must hit them hard and fast on the seas, leaving no quarter. The faster we smash their fleet, the less time they have to react, and the faster Kandy can move on the ports. That 'first strike' is everything. But we must achieve it for them to respond to our call to arms."
" It is more about taking or sinking their merchant fleet, and destroying their warship, well.... more like taking over their ships