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ENCYCLOPAEDIA of Rebellions

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Enslaved uprising in Lobato plantation 1517

Synopsis
The enslaved uprising in the Lobato plantation is part of a set of rebellions known for the earliest colonial period in São Tomé, being referred to as “the first great social crisis” on the island. The uprising started on 20th January 1517. It involved different groups of both enslaved black and mixed populations. At its origin was the claim of freedom on behalf of the descendants of the first Jewish settlers that arrived on the island in the late fifteenth century. Based on the decree of 15th February 1518 forbidding the freeing of slaves, the historiography suggested that the uprising might have been led by freed slaves (forros) who did not see their freedom rights properly recognized. Evidence about the uprising is scarce. So far, the literature has not been able to identify how many people were involved in the rebellion, nor other indicators about its magnitude or for how many days it lasted. However, given that some plantations had 150 (or even more) enslaved workers in the mid-16th century and that Lobato's was considered a rich plantation (with 169 slaves around 1529), we can speculate that the uprising might have counted with the backup of some hundreds of individuals (at most). Coeval evidence tells that the uprising ended when one (white) man was murdered, although no more details are provided. It is certain, though, that it constituted a key event in a century of tumultuous uprising and struggle for the freedom of African people on the island.
Additional info

Starting date: . Ending: . Duration: Unknown. Name in sources: Motim da fazenda dos Lobatos. Location: Sao Tome Island Country (current): STP. Monarchy: Portuguese. Main participants: Africans, Enslaved, Indigenous. Number of participants: 100-250. Main reasons & motivations: Freedom, Labour. Leadership: Unknown. Relevance: low.

Further reading
CALDEIRA, A. M. (2017). “A guerra do mato. Resistência à escravatura e repressão dos fugitivos na ilha de São Tomé (séculos XVI-XVIII)”, Povos e Culturas, 20: 125-144. GARFIELD, R. (1992). A History of São Tomé Island, 1470-1655. A Key to Guinea. San Francisco: Mellen Research University Press. MATTOS, R. J. da C. (1916 [1842]). Chorographia histórica das ilhas de S. Tomé, Príncipe, Ano Bom e Fernando Pó. Lisboa: Imprensa Nacional.
Cite this entry

Carvalhal, Hélder (2024). "Enslaved uprising in Lobato plantation 1517", in J. V. Serrão and M. S. Cunha (coord), Encyclopaedia of Rebellions in the Early Modern Iberian World. https://mappingrebellions.com/revolt/enslaved-uprising-in-lobato-plantation-1517/ (accessed on 12 March 2026).