Son of Garcia de Sousa Chichorro (chief alcaide of Bragança, member of the Counsel and superintendent of All Saints Hospital). It is known that Andrá was one of the captains of the armada of Dom Aleixo de Meneses, operating in the Indian Ocean in 1521. In that same year, he participated in the naval strategy to defend the fortress that Governor Diogo Lopes de Sequeira was erecting in Chaul. In an effort to bring the Indian region of Guzerate under Portuguese influence, this project was actively opposed by the governor of Diu, Maik Ayaz, who sent a squadron to Chaul. Commanding a galley, André de Sousa Chicharro entered the combat. Finding himself under heavy fire and with serious difficulties, he would end up abandoning the battle scene. It is possible that battle wounds may have caused his death.

Bibliography: PELÚCIA, Alexandra, Martim Afonso de Sousa e a sua Linhagem – A Elite Dirigente do Império Português nos Reinados de D. João III e D. Sebastião, Lisboa, UNL-FCSH, 2007, dissertação de doutoramento policopiada.

Author: Alexandra Pelúcia

Translation: Rosa Simas