Henrique Paiva Couceiro - colonialist and conservative

Abstract

Henrique Mitchel Paiva Couceiro was born of an Irish mother and Portuguese father into a conservative catholic family. His career began in Angola, where he distinguished himself in exploiting and reducing vast regions to Portuguese domination. He took part in the campaign in Mozambique against the Vátuas in 1895-1896. He led the famous Magul «square». Back in Portugal, he joined João Franco 's regenerative-liberal party. On the «5th of October» his unit, the Queluz Artillery Battery, was the only one to offer any serious resistance to the revolutionaries. During the formation of the Republic he became the head of the militant monarchic movement, organising two incursions on behalf of the «restorationists» in Portuguese territory (1911-1912).