Back Bandeirantes Afrikaans بانديرانتس Arabic Бандэйранты Byelorussian Бандэйранты BE-X-OLD Bandeirantes Catalan Bandeirantes German Bandejrano Esperanto Bandeirantes Spanish Bandeirante French בנדייראנטס HE
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 Domingos Jorge Velho and Antônio F. de Abreu, by Benedito Calixto | |
| Date | 16th–18th century |
|---|---|
| Location | Colonial Brazil |
| Participants | Paulista bandeirantes |
| Outcome | Bandeirantes being a mixed of indigenous people and Portuguese descendents explored unmapped regions of the Brazilian colony improving economy finding new riches. The expansion of the Brazilian territory far beyond Tordesillas Line. |
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Bandeirantes (Portuguese: [bɐ̃dejˈɾɐ̃tʃis]; lit. 'flag-carriers'; singular: bandeirante) were settlers in colonial Brazil who participated in expeditions to expand the colony's borders and subjugate indigenous peoples during the early modern period. They played a major role in expanding the colony to the modern-day borders of independent Brazil, beyond the boundaries demarcated by the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas. Bandeirantes expeditions also involved the capture and subjugation of indigenous peoples.[1]
Most bandeirantes were based in the region of São Paulo, which was part of the Captaincy of São Vicente from 1534 to 1709 and the Captaincy of São Paulo from 1709 to 1821. The city of São Paulo served as the home base for the most famous bandeirantes. Some bandeirantes were descended from Portuguese colonists who settled in São Paulo, but most were of mameluco descent with both Portuguese and indigenous ancestry. This was due to miscegenation being the norm in colonial Brazilian society, as well as polygamy.[2]
Initially, the bandeirantes aimed to explore and expand the Portuguese colonial territory beyond the boundaries established by the Treaty of Tordesillas. They ventured into unmapped regions in search of economic opportunities, particularly the discovery of gold, silver, and diamonds. Over time, as their expeditions progressed, the bandeirantes also began to capture and enslave indigenous peoples, which became a significant part of their activities.[3]
Their primary goal remained the expansion of territory and the search for resources, which played a major role in shaping the modern borders of Brazil. The bandeirantes spoke a mixture of Portuguese and the Paulista General Language, which influenced the toponyms and place names in the interior of the colony. As they ventured into unmapped regions in search of profit and adventure, the bandeirantes expanded the effective borders of the colony. Bandeirantes spoke a mixture of Portuguese and the Paulista General Language, which was the main source of toponyms in the Brazilian interior.[3][verification needed]
- ^ Um Governo de Engonços: Metrópole e Sertanistas na Expansão dos Domínios Portugueses aos Sertões do Cuiabá (1721–1728). January 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-12 – via Academia.edu.
- ^ Carvalho Franco, Francisco de Assis, Dicionário de e Sertanistas do Brasil, Editora Itatiaia Limitada – Editora da Universidade de São Paulo, 1989
- ^ a b Darcy Ribeiro (2003). O Povo Brasileiro. [S.l.]: Companhia de Bolso. pp. 435–