José Vieira Couto de Magalhães | |
Birth Date: | 1 November 1837 |
Birth Place: | Diamantina, Empire of Brazil |
Death Place: | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
Office1: | President of São Paulo |
Term Start1: | 10 June 1889 |
Term End1: | 16 November 1889 |
Office2: | President of Mato Grosso |
Term Start2: | 2 February 1867 |
Term End2: | 13 April 1868 |
Office3: | President of Pará |
Term Start3: | 29 July 1864 |
Term End3: | 8 May 1866 |
Office4: | President of Goiás |
Successor4: | Bonifácio de Siqueira |
Term Start4: | 8 January 1863 |
Term End4: | 5 April 1864 |
Occupation: | Politician; military officer; writer |
Rank: | General |
Battles: | Paraguayan War |
José Vieira Couto de Magalhães (1 November 1837 - 14 September 1898) was a Brazilian politician, military officer, writer and folklorist.
Magalhães began his studies at Mariana Seminar. He studied mathematics at the Military Academy of Rio de Janeiro and attended the course in Field Artillery in London. He graduated from in law at São Paulo Law School in 1859.
Couto de Magalhães knew the interior of Brazil and was the initiator of steam navigation in the Brazilian Highlands. He has advised the State and MP for Goiás and Mato Grosso. He was president of the provinces of Goiás, January 8, 1863 to 5 April 1864, Pará, of July 29, 1864 to May 8, 1866, Mato Grosso, of February 2, 1867 to 13 April 1868 and São Paulo, from June 10 to November 16, 1889, during which the republic was proclaimed. Arrested and sent to Rio de Janeiro, Magalhães was released in recognition of his huge culture and actions of society for clearing the Brazilian backlands.
Magalhães spoke French, English, German, Italian, Tupi and numerous indigenous dialects. he was the one who started the folklore studies in Brazil, publishing O Selvagem (The Wild) (1876) and Testes de antropologia (Anthropology testing) (1894), among others.
He founded in 1885 the first astronomical observatory in the state of São Paulo, at his farm in Great Bridge on the River Tietê.
Couto de Magalhães is the patron in the following academies of letters:
The cities of Couto de Magalhães de Minas in Minas Gerais and Couto de Magalhães in Tocantins are named after him.