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ENCYCLOPAEDIA of Rebellions

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Slave uprising in Vila Franca do Campo 1522

Synopsis
The uprising of Muslim slaves of North African origin in Vila Franca do Campo attests, first and foremost, to the numerical importance of this group on the island of São Miguel. As a result of successive raids in Morocco by the captains of the Azores donatary, the contingent had been substantially reinforced in 1521, when famine in Fez plunged vast communities into poverty, leading them to sell themselves to the Portuguese. Gaspar Frutuoso associates the revolt of the slaves with the social disorder then experienced in Vila Franca due to the combined effect of the earthquake and partial burying of the town in October 1522 and the subsequent plague epidemic. Although information is scarce and there are different versions of the riot, it is believed to have been led by Badail, a Moorish slave of Captain Rui Gonçalves. The rebellious slaves, in an unknown number, roamed the countryside for some time causing disorder and assaults. In searches organized by the authorities and leading citizens, Badail was eventually found in a haystack and immediately killed and beheaded. His head was then taken to the town of Lagoa and given to other Muslim slaves to kiss as a gesture of punishment and intimidation. In the absence of accurate information, it can be tentatively suggested that the uprising began in November 1522 and lasted for about two months.
Additional info

Starting date: . Ending: . Duration: 2 months. Name in sources: Revolta de escravos mouros. Location: Vilfa Franca do Campo, south of São Miguel Island Country (current): Portugal. Monarchy: Portuguese. Main participants: Africans, Enslaved. Number of participants: unknown. Main reasons & motivations: Freedom, Others. Leadership: Badail. Relevance: low.

Further reading
FRUTUOSO, Gaspar (2011). Saudades da Terra. Ponta Delgada: ICPD, Livro IV, pp. 331-332. MENESES, Avelino (2008). “O povoamento”, in A. T. Matos, A. F. Meneses, J. G. R. Leite (dir), História dos Açores. Angra do Heroísmo: Instituto Açoriano de Cultura, v.1, pp. 85-86.
Cite this entry

Matos, Paulo Teodoro de (2024). "Slave uprising in Vila Franca do Campo 1522", in J. V. Serrão and M. S. Cunha (coord), Encyclopaedia of Rebellions in the Early Modern Iberian World. https://mappingrebellions.com/revolt/slave-uprising-in-vila-franca-do-campo-1522/ (accessed on 12 March 2026).