List of governors of Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe



The islands of São Tomé and Príncipe were discovered and claimed by Portugal in the 1470s. A Portuguese colony was established in 1485. Each island was governed as a separate entity until 1753, when they were united as a single crown colony. In 1951, the islands became an overseas province of Portugal. Autonomy was granted in 1974 and independence was granted on 12 July 1975.

Portuguese Colony (1485–1522)

 * 24 September 1485 – 3 February 1490 João de Paiva, Captain
 * 3 February 1490 – 29 July 1493 João Pereira, Captain
 * 29 July 1493 – 28 April 1499 Álvaro de Caminha, Captain
 * 11 December 1499 – c.1510 Fernão de Melo, Captain
 * c.1510 – c.1516 ....
 * c.1516 – c.1517 Diogo de Alcáçova, Captain
 * c.1517–1522 João de Melo, Captain

Portuguese Crown Colony (1522–1641)

 * 1522 – 15.. Vasco Estevens, Captain
 * 15.. – 1531 ....
 * 1531 – c.1535 Henrique Pereira, Captain
 * c.1535–1541 Gonçalo Álvares, Governor
 * 1541–1545 Diogo Botelho Pereira, Captain
 * 1546 – c.1554 Francisco de Barros de Paiva, Captain
 * c.1558 – 15.. Pedro Botelho, Captain
 * 15.. – 1560 Ana Chaves, Administrator
 * 1560–1564 Cristóvão Dória de Sousa, Captain
 * 1564–1569 Francisco de Gouveia, Captain
 * 1569–1571 Francisco de Pavia Teles, Captain
 * 1571–1575 Diogo Salema, Captain
 * 1575 – c.1582 António Monteiro Maciel, Captain
 * c.1582 – c.1584 Ana Chaves, Administrator
 * c.1584–1587 Francisco Fernandes de Figueiredo, Captain (from 1586, Governor)
 * 1587–1591 Miguel Teles de Moura, Governor
 * 1591–1592 Duarte Peixoto da Silva, Governor
 * 1592–1593 Francisco de Vila Nova, Acting Governor
 * 1593–1597 Fernandes de Meneses, Governor
 * 1597 – c.1598 Vasco de Carvalho, Governor
 * c.1598–1601 João Barbosa da Cunha, Acting Governor
 * 1601–1604 António Maciel Monteiro, Acting Governor
 * 1604 – 160. Pedro de Andrade, Governor
 * 160. – 1609 João Barbosa da Cunha, Acting Governor
 * 1609 Fernando de Noronha, Governor
 * 1609–1611 Constantino Tavares, Governor
 * 1611 João Barbosa da Cunha, Acting Governor
 * 1611 Francisco Teles de Meneses, Governor
 * 1611–1613 Luís Dias de Abreu, Governor
 * 1613–1614 Feliciano Carvalho, Governor
 * 1614–1616 Luís Dias de Abreu, Governor
 * 1616–1620 Miguel Correia Baharem, Governor
 * 1620–1621 Pedro da Cunha, Governor
 * 1621–1623 Félix Pereira, Governor
 * 1623–1627 Jerónimo de Melo Fernando, Governor
 * 1627–1628 André Gonçalves Maracote, Governor
 * 1628–1632 Lourenço Pires de Távora, Acting Governor
 * 1632 Francisco Barreto de Meneses, Governor
 * 1632–1636 Lourenço Pires de Távora, Acting Governor
 * 1636 António de Carvalho, Governor
 * 1636–1640 Lourenço Pires de Távora, Acting Governor
 * 1640 Manuel Quaresma Carneiro, Governor
 * 1640–1641 Miguel Pereira de Melo e Albuquerque, Acting Governor

Dutch Occupation

 * 3 October 1641 – 1648 .... (Dutch commander)

Portuguese Crown Colony (1648–1709)

 * 1641–1642 Paulo da Ponte, Acting Governor
 * 1642 – c.1650 Lourenço Pires de Távora, Governor
 * c.1650–1656 ....
 * 1656 – c.1657 Cristóvão de Barros do Rêgo, Governor
 * c.1657 – c.1661 ....
 * c.1661 – 166. Pedro da Silva, Governor
 * 166. – 1669 ....
 * 1669–1671 Paulo Ferreira de Noronha, Governor
 * 1671–1673 Chamber Senate
 * 1673–1677 Julião de Campos Barreto, Governor
 * 1677–1680 Bernardim Freire de Andrade, Governor
 * 1680–1683 Jacinto de Figueiredo e Abreu, Governor
 * 1683–1686 João Álvares da Cunha, Acting Governor
 * 1686 António Pereira de Brito Lemos, Governor
 * 1686–1689 Bento de Sousa Lima, Governor
 * 1689–1693 António Pereira de Lacerda, Governor
 * 1693–1694 António de Barredo, Governor
 * 1695–1696 José Pereira Sodré, Governor
 * 1696–1697 João da Costa Matos, Governor
 * 1697–1702 Manuel António Pinheiro da Câmara, Governor
 * 1702–1709 José Correia de Castro, Governor
 * 1709 Vicente Dinis Pinheiro, Governor

French Occupation (1709–1715)

 * 1709–1715 Junta

Portuguese Crown Colony (1715–1753)

 * 1715–1716 Bartolomeu da Costa Ponte, Governor
 * 1716–1717 Chamber Senate
 * 1717–1720 António Furtado Mendonça, Governor
 * 1720–1722 Junta
 * 1722–1727 José Pinheiro da Câmara, Governor
 * 1727–1734 Serafim Teixeira Sarmento, Governor
 * 1734–1736 Lopo de Sousa Coutinho, Governor
 * 1736–1741 José Caetano Soto Maior, Governor
 * 1741 António Ferrão de Castelo Branco, Governor
 * 1741–1744 Chamber Senate
 * 1744 Francisco Luís da Conceição, Governor
 * 1744–1745 Francisco de Alva Brandão, Acting Governor
 * 1747–1748 Francisco Luís das Chagas, Governor
 * 1748–1751 Chamber Senate
 * 1751 António Rodrigues Neves, Governor
 * 1751–1753 Chamber Senate

Príncipe

 * 1500 – 3 April 1545: António Carneiro, seigneur de Vimioso
 * 3 April 1545 – 15??: Francisco de Alcaçova Carneiro
 * 15?? – 16??: Luís Carneiro
 * 16?? – 1640: Francisco Carneiro
 * 4 February 1640 –1690: Luís Carneiro de Sousa, comte de Principe
 * 1690 – 7 January 1708: Francisco Luís Carneiro de Sousa, comte de Principe
 * 7 January 1708 – 6 November 1724: António Carneiro de Sousa, comte de Principe
 * 6 November 1724 – 18 November 1731: Francisco Carneiro de Sousa, comte de Principe
 * 18 November 1731 – 29 November 1753: Carlos Carneiro de Sousa e Faro, comte de Principe
 * 1753 – 1851: Unknown
 * 1851 – 1852: Francisco Ferreira Coelho Cintra
 * 1852 – 1852: Manuel Francisco Landolph
 * 1852 – 1854: Manuel Mariano Ghira
 * 1854 – 1857: Joaquim José de Sousa Osório Menezes
 * 1857 – 1860: João Manuel de Melo
 * 1862 – 1862: João Filipe de Gouveia

Portuguese Crown Colony (1753–1951)

 * 1753–1755 Chamber Senate
 * 1755 Lopo de Sousa Coutinho, Governor
 * 1755–1758 Chamber Senate
 * 1758–1761 Luís Henrique da Mota e Mele, Governor
 * 1761–1767 Chamber Senate
 * 1767–1768 Lourenço Lôbo de Almeida Palha, Governor
 * 1768–1770 Chamber Senate
 * 1770–1778 Vicente Gomes Ferreira, Governor
 * 1778–1782 João Manuel de Azambuja, Governor
 * 1782–1788 Cristóvão Xavier de Sá, Governor
 * 1788–1797 João Resende Tavares Leote, Governor
 * 1797 Inácio Francisco de Nóbrega Sousa Coutinho, Governor
 * 1797 Manuel Monteiro de Carvalho, Acting Governor
 * 1797–1798 Varela Borca, Governor
 * 1798–1799 Manuel Francisco Joaquim da Mota, Governor
 * 1799 Francisco Rafael de Castelo de Vide, Governor
 * 1799–1802 João Baptista de Silva, Governor
 * 1802–1805 Gabriel António Franco de Castro, Governor
 * 1805–1817 Luís Joaquim Lisboa, Governor
 * 1817–1824 Filipe de Freitas, Governor
 * 1824–1830 João Maria Xavier de Brito, Governor
 * 1830–1834 Joaquim Bento da Fonseca, Governor
 * 1834–1836 Provisional government
 * 1836–1837 Fernando Correia Henriques de Noronha, Acting Governor
 * 1837–1838 Leandro José da Costa, Governor
 * 1838–1839 José Joaquim de Urbanski, Governor
 * 1839–1843 Bernardo José de Sousa Soares de Andréa, Governor
 * 5 February 1843 – 2 March 1843 Leandro José da Costa, Governor
 * 2 March 1843 – 1 May 1846 José Maria Marquês, Governor
 * 1 May 1846 – 30 September 1847 Chamber Senate
 * 30 September 1847 – 20 November 1847 Carlos Augusto de Morais e Almeida, Governor
 * 20 November 1847 – 20 July 1848 Chamber Senate
 * 20 July 1848 – 30 June 1849 José Caetano René Vimont Pessoa, Governor
 * 12 December 1849 – 9 March 1851 Leandro José da Costa, Governor
 * 9 March 1851 – 20 March 1853 José Maria Marquês, Governor
 * 20 March 1853 – 28 July 1855 Francisco José da Pina Rolo, Governor
 * 28 July 1855 – 21 March 1857 Adriano Maria Passaláqua, Governor
 * 21 March 1857 – 15 January 1858 Chamber Senate
 * 15 January 1858 – 29 May 1858 Francisco António Correia, Governor
 * 29 May 1858 – 1859 Chamber Senate
 * 1859 – 21 November 1860 Luís José Pereira e Horta, Governor
 * 21 November 1860 – 8 July 1862 José Pedro de Melo, Governor
 * 8 July 1862 – 17 November 1862 Chamber Senate
 * 17 November 1862 – 30 March 1863 José Eduardo da Costa Moura, Governor
 * 30 March 1863 – 8 January 1864 João Baptista Brunachy, Governor
 * 8 January 1864 – 2 August 1865 Estanislau Xavier de Assunção e Almeida, Governor
 * 2 August 1865 – 30 July 1867 João Baptista Brunachy, Governor
 * 30 July 1867 – 30 September 1867 António Joaquim da Fonseca, Governor
 * 30 September 1867 – 30 May 1869 Estanislau Xavier de Assunção e Almeida, Governor
 * 30 May 1869 – 7 October 1872 Pedro Carlos de Aguiar Craveiro Lopes, Governor
 * 7 October 1872 – July 1873 João Clímaco de Carvalho, Governor
 * 28 October 1873 – 1 November 1876 Gregório José Ribeiro, Governor
 * 1 November 1876 – 28 September 1879 Estanislau Xavier de Assunção e Almeida, Governor
 * 28 September 1879 – 28 November 1879 Francisco Joaquim Ferreira do Amaral, Governor
 * 28 November 1879 – 3 January 1880 Custódio Miguel de Borja, Acting Governor, Governor
 * 3 January 1880 – 30 December 1881 Vicente Pinheiro Lôbo Machado de Melo e Almada, Governor
 * 30 December 1881 – 26 January 1882 Augusto Maria Leão, Acting Governor
 * 26 January 1882 – 24 May 1884 Francisco Teixeira da Silva, Governor
 * 24 May 1884 – 25 August 1886 Custódio Miguel de Borja, Governor
 * 25 August 1886 – 9 March 1890 Augusto César Rodrigues Sarmento, Governor
 * 9 March 1890 – 26 June 1891 Firmino José da Costa, Governor
 * 26 June 1891 – 8 December 1894 Francisco Eugénio Pereira de Miranda, Governor
 * 8 December 1894 – 8 April 1895 Jaime Lobo Brito Godins, Acting Governor
 * 8 April 1895 – 5 April 1897 Cipriano Leite Pereira Jardim, Governor
 * 5 April 1897 – 5 April 1899 Joaquim da Graça Correia e Lança, Governor
 * 5 April 1899 – 3 January 1901 Amâncio de Alpoim Cerqueira Borges Cabral, Governor
 * 3 January 1901 – 8 May 1901 Francisco Maria Peixoto Vieira, Acting Governor
 * 8 May 1901 – 8 October 1902 Joaquim Xavier de Brito, Governor
 * 8 October 1902 – 7 June 1903 João Abel Antunes Mesquita Guimarães, Governor
 * 7 June 1903 – 14 December 1903 João Gregório Duarte Ferreira, Acting Governor
 * 14 December 1903 – 13 April 1907 Francisco de Paula Cid, Governor
 * 13 April 1907 – 24 June 1907 Vitor Augusto Chaves Lemos e Melo, Acting Governor
 * 24 June 1907 – 24 October 1908 Pedro Berquó, Governor
 * 24 October 1908 – 13 March 1909 Vítor Augusto Chaves Lemos e Mel, Acting Governor
 * 13 March 1909 – 13 June 1910 José Augusto Vieira da Fonseca, Governor
 * 13 June 1910 – 7 August 1910 Jaime Daniel Leote do Rego, Governor
 * 7 August 1910 – 11 November 1910 Fernando Augusto de Carvalho, Governor
 * 12 November 1910 – 28 November 1910 Carlos de Mendonça Pimentel e Melo, Acting Governor
 * 28 November 1910 – 14 June 1911 António Pinto Miranda Guedes, Governor
 * 14 June 1911 – 24 December 1911 Jaime Daniel Leote do Rego, Governor
 * 24 December 1911 – 13 May 1913 Mariano Martins, Governor
 * 13 May 1913 – 31 May 1915 Pedro do Amaral Boto Machado, Governor
 * 31 May 1915 – 6 June 1915 José Dionísio Carneiro de Sousa e Faro, Governor
 * 6 June 1915 – 28 July 1918 Rafael dos Santos Oliveira, Acting Governor
 * 28 July 1918 – 11 June 1919 João Gregório Duarte Ferreira, Governor
 * 11 June 1919 – 25 September 1920 Avelino Augusto de Oliveira Leite, Governor
 * 25 September 1920 – 22 October 1920 José Augusto de Conceição Alves Vélez, Acting Governor
 * 22 October 1920 – 2 July 1921 Eduardo Nogueira de Lemos, Acting Governor
 * 2 July 1921 – 23 January 1924 António José Pereira, Governor
 * 23 January 1924 – 8 July 1926 Eugénio de Barros Soares Branco, Governor
 * 8 July 1926 – 31 August 1928 José Duarte Junqueira Rato, Governor
 * 31 August 1928 – 30 January 1929 Sebastião José Barbosa, Acting Governor
 * 30 January 1929 – 31 August 1929 Francisco Penteado, Governor
 * 31 August 1929 – 17 December 1933 Luís Augusto Vieira Fernandes, Governor
 * 17 December 1933 – 8 May 1941 Ricardo Vaz Monteiro, Governor
 * 8 May 1941 – 5 April 1945 Amadeu Gomes de Figueiredo, Governor
 * 5 April 1945 – July 1948 Carlos de Sousa Gorgulho, Governor
 * July 1948 – 8 October 1950 Afonso Manuel Machado de Sousa, Acting Governor
 * 8 October 1950 – 11 June 1951 Mário José Cabral Oliveira Castro, Acting Governor

Overseas Province of Portugal (1951–1974)

 * 11 June 1951 – 28 June 1952 Mário José Cabral Oliveira Castro, Acting Governor
 * 28 June 1952 – 18 April 1953 Guilherme António Amaral Abranches Pinto, Acting Governor
 * 18 April 1953 – 19 May 1953 Fernando Augusto Rodrigues, Acting Governor
 * 19 May 1953 – July 1953 Afonso Manuel Machado de Sousa, Acting Governor
 * July 1953 – August 1954 Francisco António Pires Barata, Governor
 * August 1954 – 15 June 1955 Luís da Câmara Leme Faria, Acting Governor
 * 15 June 1955 – 5 December 1956 José Machado, Acting Governor
 * 5 December 1956 – 13 October 1957 Octávio Ferreira Gonçalves, Acting Governor
 * 13 October 1957 – August 1963 Manuel Marques de Abrantes Amaral, Governor
 * August 1963 – 30 October 1963 Alberto Monteiro de Sousa Campos, Acting Governor
 * 30 October 1963 – 1972 António Jorge da Silva Sebastião, Governor
 * 1973–1974 João Cecilio Gonçalves, Governor
 * 29 July 1974 – 18 December 1974 António Pires Veloso, Governor

Autonomous Province of Portugal (1974–1975)

 * 18 December 1974 – 12 July 1975 António Pires Veloso, High Commissioner