His object was to found a great empire; but this was a project at
variance with the wishes of his employers--an association of merchants,
who were dissatisfied because the wealth which they expected to see
flowing into their coffers was expended in promoting the permanent
interests of a distant country. Count Maurice resigned his post in 1644.
His successors possessed neither his political nor his military talents,
and had to contend with more difficult circumstances.

In 1640 the revolution which placed the house of Braganza on the throne
of Portugal restored Brazil to masters more inclined to promote its
interests and assert its possession than the Spaniards. It was indeed
high time that some exertion should be made. The northern provinces had
fallen into the power of Holland; the southern, peopled in a great
measure by the hardy descendants of the successive colonists who had
issued on all sides from the central establishment of Sao Paulo, had
learned from their habits of unaided and successful enterprise to court
independence. They had ascended the waters of the Paraguay to their
sources. They had extended their limits southwards till they reached
the Spanish settlements of La Plata. They had reduced to slavery
numerous tribes of the natives. They were rich in cattle, and had
commenced the discovery of the mines. When, therefore, the inhabitants
of Sao Paulo saw themselves about to be transferred, as a dependency of
Portugal, from one master to another, they conceived the idea of
erecting their country into an independent state. Their attempt,
however, was frustrated by Amador Bueno, the person whom they had
selected for their king. When the people shouted "Long live King
Amador," he cried out "Long live John IV.," and took refuge in a
convent. The multitude, left without a leader, acquiesced, and this
important province was secured to the house of Braganza.

Revolt against the Dutch.

French expedition to Brazil, 1710.

Rio and Santos, although both evinced a desire of independence, followed
the example of the Paulistas. Bahia, as capital of the Brazilian states,
felt that its ascendancy depended upon the union with Portugal. The
government, thus left in quiet possession of the rest of Brazil, had
time to concentrate its attention upon the Dutch conquests. The crown of
Portugal was, however, much too weak to adopt energetic measures. But
the Brazilian colonists, now that the mother country had thrown off