The islands of São Tomé and Príncipe were discovered and claimed by Portugal in the 1470s. A Portuguese colony was established in 1485. Each island was governed as a separate entity until 1753, when they were united as a single crown colony. In 1951, the islands became an overseas province of Portugal. Autonomy was granted in 1974 and independence was granted on 12 July 1975.

São Tomé

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

TenurePortrait Incumbent NotesPortuguese Colony (1485–1522)24 September 1485 to 3 February 1490 João de Paiva, Captain3 February 1490 to 29 July 1493 João Pereira, Captain29 July 1493 to 28 April 1499 Álvaro Caminha, Captain11 December 1499 to 1510 Fernão de Melo, Captain 1510 to 1516 ..., Captain 1516 to 1517 Diogo de Alcáçova, Captain 1517 to 1522 João de Melo, CaptainPortuguese Crown Colony (1522–1641)1522 to 15.. Vasco Estevens, Captain15.. to 1531 ..., Captain1531 to 1535 Henrique Pereira, Captain 1535 to 1541 Gonçalo Álvares, GovernorAna de Chaves: a mulher mito. Odisseias nos Mares. 15 de março de 2016.1541 to 1545 Diogo Botelho Pereira, Captain1546 to 1554 Francisco de Barros de Paiva, Captain 1558 to 15.. Pedro Botelho, Captain15.. to 1560 Ana Chaves, Administrator♀; 1st term 1560 to 1564 Cristóvão Dória de Sousa, Captain1564 to 1569 Francisco de Gouveia, Captain1569 to 1571 Francisco de Pavia Teles, Captain1571 to 1575 Diogo Salema, Captain1575 to 1582 António Monteiro Maciel, Captain 1582 to 1584 Ana Chaves, Administrator♀; 2nd term 1584 to 1586 Francisco Fernandes de Figueiredo, Captain1586 to 1587Francisco Fernandes de Figueiredo, Governor1587 to 1591 Miguel Teles de Moura, Governor1591 to 1592 Duarte Peixoto da Silva, Governor1592 to 1593 Francisco de Vila Nova, acting Governor1593 to 1597 Fernandes de Meneses, Governor1597 to 1598 Vasco de Carvalho, Governor 1598 to 1601 João Barbosa da Cunha, acting Governor1601 to 1604 António Maciel Monteiro, acting Governor1604 to 160. Pedro de Andrade, Governor160. to 1609 João Barbosa da Cunha, acting Governor1609 Fernando de Noronha, Governor1609 to 1611 Constantino Tavares, Governor1611 João Barbosa da Cunha, acting Governor1611 Francisco Teles de Meneses, Governor1611 to 1613 Luís Dias de Abreu, Governor1613 to 1614 Feliciano Carvalho, Governor1614 to 1616 Luís Dias de Abreu, Governor1616 to 1620 Miguel Correia Baharem, Governor1620 to 1621 Pedro da Cunha, Governor1621 to 1623 Félix Pereira, Governor1623 to 1627 Jerónimo de Melo Fernando, Governor1627 to 1628 André Gonçalves Maracote, Governor1628 to 1632 Lourenço Pires de Távora, acting Governor1st term1632Francisco Barreto de Meneses, Governor1632 to 1636 Lourenço Pires de Távora, acting Governor2nd term1636 António de Carvalho, Governor1636 to 1640 Lourenço Pires de Távora, acting Governor3rd term1640 Manuel Quaresma Carneiro, Governor1640 to 1641 Miguel Pereira de Melo e Albuquerque, acting GovernorDutch occupation3 October 1641 to 1648 ..., CommanderPortuguese Crown Colony (1648–1709)1641 to 1642 Paulo da Ponte, acting Governor1642 to 1650 Lourenço Pires de Távora, Governor4th term 1650 to 1656 ..., Governor1656 to 1657 Cristóvão de Barros do Rêgo, Governor 1657 to 1661 ..., Governor 1661 to 166. Pedro da Silva, Governor166. to 1669 ..., Governor1669 to 1671 Paulo Ferreira de Noronha, Governor1671 to 1673Chamber Senate1673 to 1677 Julião de Campos Barreto, Governor1677 to 1680 Bernardim Freire de Andrade, Governor1680 to 1683 Jacinto de Figueiredo e Abreu, Governor1683 to 1686 João Álvares da Cunha, acting Governor1686 António Pereira de Brito Lemos, Governor1686 to 1689 Bento de Sousa Lima, Governor1689 to 1693 António Pereira de Lacerda, Governor1693 to 1694 António de Barredo, Governor1695 to 1696 José Pereira Sodré, Governor1696 to 1697 João da Costa Matos, Governor1697 to 1702 Manuel António Pinheiro da Câmara, Governor1702 to 1709 José Correia de Castro, Governor1709 Vicente Dinis Pinheiro, GovernorFrench occupation1709 to 1715JuntaPortuguese Crown Colony (1715–1753)1715 to 1716 Bartolomeu da Costa Ponte, Governor1716 to 1717Chamber Senate1717 to 1720 António Furtado Mendonça, Governor1720 to 1722Junta1722 to 1727 José Pinheiro da Câmara, Governor1727 to 1734 Serafim Teixeira Sarmento, Governor1734 to 1736 Lopo de Sousa Coutinho, Governor1736 to 1741 José Caetano Soto Maior, Governor1741 António Ferrão de Castelo Branco, Governor1741 to 1744Chamber Senate1744 Francisco Luís da Conceição, Governor1744 to 1745 Francisco de Alva Brandão, acting Governor1747 to 1748 Francisco Luís das Chagas, Governor1748 to 1751Chamber Senate1751 António Rodrigues Neves, Governor1751 to 1753Chamber Senate

Príncipe

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

TenurePortrait Incumbent Notes1500 to 3 April 1545 António Carneiro, seigneur de Vimioso3 April 1545 to 15?? Francisco de Alcaçova Carneiro15?? to 16?? Luís Carneiro16?? to 1640 Francisco Carneiro4 February 1640 to 1690 Luís Carneiro de Sousa, comte de Príncipe1690 to 7 January 1708 Francisco Luís Carneiro de Sousa, comte de Príncipe7 January 1708 to 6 November 1724 António Carneiro de Sousa, comte de Príncipe6 November 1724 to 18 November 1731 Francisco Carneiro de Sousa, comte de Príncipe18 November 1731 to 29 November 1753 Carlos Carneiro de Sousa e Faro, comte de Príncipe1753 to 1851Unknown1851 to 1852 Francisco Ferreira Coelho Cintra1852 to 1852 Manuel Francisco Landolph1852 to 1854 Manuel Mariano Ghira1854 to 1857 Joaquim José de Sousa Osório Menezes1857 to 1860 João Manuel de Melo1862 to 1862 João Filipe de Gouveia

São Tomé and Príncipe

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)