Vasco Coutinho

Vasco Coutinho is the name of the founder of the state of Espírito Santo.

He was born in Portugal. He was later amongst the first 12 volunteers from Portugal to come to the newly discovered land which came to be known as Brazil. He was presented the area which became Espírito Santo, but he was a military man by trade, and despite him administering the colony for 25 years

Administration of the Colony

Vasco Coutinho din't make much progress in comparison to other contemporary colonies. He did found today's capital Vitória and the first capital, today known as Vila Velha. It was during his administration that Espírito Santo's first two churches were founded. Those churces were São João, in Vila Velha and also Rosário Church founded in 1551, also in Vila Velha, and still standing today.