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🌋 Why Did the Vast Island of Pico Remain Submissive to the Small Island of Faial?

Although King Afonso V officially authorized Infante D.Henrique to populate the archipelago starting in 1439, the actual settlement of some islands occurred decades later, as was the case with Pico.

The island’s first donatary captain was D. Álvaro de Ornelas. In a letter from 1481, D. Beatriz, the donatary of the archipelago, extended his captaincy under the condition that he take measures for its rapid settlement. Since this did not effectively happen, by the end of 1482, the Fleming Jos Dutra, already captain of the island of Faial, also assumed command of Pico. This marked the beginning of Pico’s administrative dependence on Faial, a situation that would later extend to economic dominance.

The island’s rugged and relatively infertile soil made agriculture difficult, particularly wheat cultivation, which was the primary staple of island diets. This contributed to a slow settlement process. However, while Pico’s land was not well-suited for cereal farming, it proved ideal for viticulture. Before long, wine production exceeded local needs, and due to its high quality, Pico’s wine became a promising export product.

From the 18th century onward, the rising international demand for Port wine, particularly from the Brazilian market, strengthened the Faial-Pico economic axis, though with more evident benefits for Faial and its social elite.

Indeed, the excellence of Horta’s anchorage transformed the town into one of the most important commercial centers of the archipelago. Horta gained prominence within the Portuguese Empire and even internationally, thanks to its natural harbor and Pico’s surplus wine production. Faial’s landowners became the primary owners of Pico’s vineyards, profiting from the commercial value of the product and further consolidating their economic power and social status.

As historian Ricardo Madruga da Costa observed, "It was under the shadow of ‘verdelho’ [the name given to Pico’s wine] that life in Horta and its excellent bay prospered and the town became a city. It was through this trade that the noble landlords and barons built their opulent houses and settled in them."

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