António de Melo e Castro

Martinho de Melo e Castro (1716 - 1795), often referred to only as Martinho de Melo, was a Portuguese diplomat and politician who held important positions in the reigns of D. José I and D. Maria I and who became famous as a reformer of the Portuguese colonial system when he exercised the functions of Secretary of State for the Navy and Overseas between 1770 and 1795.[1] He was prime minister of Queen D. Maria I.

Life
He was the son of Francisco de Melo e Castro and Maria Joaquina Xavier da Silva, and father of Manoel Bernardo de Melo Castro.

His son traveled to Brazil between 1754 and 1756 in the delegation of Mendonça Furtado, who had been sent by Marquês de Pombal to be the vice-king of Grão-Pará and Maranhão.

Martinho de Melo e Castro was part of the delegation and was sent to unify the "village" in the current state of Amapá. In this mission, he created the Vila de São José de Macapá, being its first administrator, then appointed governor. In the village, now the city of Macapá, he was the builder of the Igreja Matriz.