This is a timeline of Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe from its discovery between mid-January 1469 to 1471 to independence on July 12, 1975. It includes the time when the island was under Dutch and French occupations and the separate colonies of São Tomé and Príncipe up to its unification in 1753.
15th century Between mid-January 1469 and 1471 – The first islands of São Tomé and Santo Antão (now Príncipe) were discovered by the explorers João de Santarém and Pêro Escobar 1493: The first successful settlement of São Tomé was established by Álvaro Caminha Torre do Capitão (Captain's Tower) built
16th century 1502 – The first successful settlement of Príncipe was established with a similar arrangement to São Tomé, it was named Santo António, it adopted the current island name 1515 – São Tomé and Príncipe had become slave depots for the coastal slave trade centered at Elmina Castle in modern-day Ghana 1520 – May 14: A total solar eclipse took place 75–80 miles (120–130 km) south of the island of São Tome, it was partial in the islands as the sky was almost dark 1522: São Tomé and Príncipe were taken over and administered by the Portuguese crown Vasco Estevens became captain of the island of São Tomé 1528 – May 18: A hybrid solar eclipse took place just south of the island of São Tome in the mid-morning hours, it was as an annular in the islands as the sky was almost dark 1531 – Henrique Pereira became captain of the island of São Tomé 1534 – The city of São Tomé became a bishopric through the Bull "Aequum reputamus" of Pope Paul IV, the diocese of Tomé (now São Tomé and Príncipe) was established, also the Our Lady of Grace church became a cathedral 1540 or 1550 – A ship carrying slaves from Angola to Brazil shipwrecked in the south of São ToméLawoetey-Pierre Ajavon Traite et esclavage des Noirs : quelle responsabilité africaine ?, Menaibuc, Paris, 2005, p. 113-114 1541 – Diogo Botelho Pereira became captain of the island of São Tomé 1546 – Francisco de Barros de Paiva became captain of the island of São Tomé c. 1558 – Pedro Botelho became captain of the island of São Tomé 1560 – Cristóvão Dória de Sousa became captain of the island of São Tomé 1564 – Francisco de Gouveia became captain of the island of São Tomé 1566 – Fortim de São Jerónimo built on the island of São Tomé 1569 – Francisco de Paiva Teles became captain of the island of São Tomé 1571 – Diogo Salema became captain of the island of São Tomé 1573 – São Tomé and Príncipe were taken over and administered by the Portuguese crown for the second time 1575: Fort São Sebastião near the town of São Tomé built António Monteiro Maciel became captain of the island of São Tomé 1576–1578 – Our Lady of Grace Cathedral made renovation works c. 1584 – Francisco Fernandes de Figueiredo became captain of the island of São Tomé 1585 – The Habsburg Philippine Dynasty in power 1586 – Francisco Fernandes de Figueiredo became the first governor of the island of São Tomé 1587 – Miguel Teles de Moura became the second governor of the island of São Tomé 1591 – Duarte Peixoto da Silva became the third governor of the island of São Tomé 1592 – Francisco de Vila Nova becomes acting governor of the island of São Tomé 1593 – Fernandes de Meneses becomes the fourth governor of the island of São Tomé 1595 – 9 July: Rei Amador and most of the slaves took part in the Angolar revolt, they marched into the capital and were subjugated a year laterLemos, Carlos Neves. Esboço Histórico das Ilhas de S.Tomé e Príncipe. 1975 1596 – 4 January: Rei Amador captured and later imprisoned and executed for his slave rebellion 1597 – Vasco de Carvalho becomes the fifth governor of the island of São Tomé 1598 August – First Dutch occupation of the island October – First Dutch occupation ends, archipelago returned to Portuguese rule João Barbosa da Cunha became acting governor of the island of São Tomé for Vasco de Carvalho 1599 – The island of São Tomé taken by Laurens Bicker and his troops and was briefly ruled by the Dutch
17th century 1601: António Maciel Monteiro became acting governor of the island of São Tomé Island for Vasco de Carvalho Vasco de Carvalho de Sousa was 1st governor of the island of Príncipe Jan 4: An annular solar eclipse took place southeast of the island of São Tome, it was as partial in the islands as the sky was almost dark 1604 – Rui de Sousa de Alarcão was 2nd governor of the island of Príncipe 1609 : D. Fernando de Noronha was the last governor of the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe João Barbosa da Cunha no longer acting governor of the island of São Tomé Constantino Tavares was the 8th governor of the island of São Tomé 1611: João Barbosa da Cunha was again acting governor of the island of São Tomé, this time for Constantino Tavares Francisco Teles de Mendes was the 9th governor of the island of São Tomé Luís Dias de Abreu was the 10th governor of the island of São Tomé 1613 – Feliciano Carvalho was the 11th governor of the island of São Tomé 1614 – Luís Dias de Abreu was the 12th governor of the island of São Tomé and served his second term 1616 – Miguel Correia Baharem was the 13th governor of the island of São Tomé 1619 – July 11: A total solar eclipse took place in the north of the island of São Tome and all of Príncipe, the path were inside and the sky was dark, it was as partial in the south and the sky was almost dark 1620 – Pedro da Cunha was the 14th governor of the island of São Tomé 1621 – Félix Pereira was the 15th governor of the island of São Tomé 1623 – Jerónimo de Melo Fernando was the 16th governor of the island of São Tomé 1627 – André Gonçalves Maracote was the 17th governor of the island of São Tomé 1628 – Lourenço Pires de Távora was the acting governor of the island of São Tomé for André Gonçalves Maracote 1632: Francisco Barreto de Meneses was the 18th governor of the island of São Tomé Lourenço Pires de Távora was again the acting governor of the island of São Tomé, this time for Francisco Barreto de Meneses 1636: António de Carvalho was the 19th governor of the island of São Tomé Lourenço Pires de Távora was again the acting governor of the island of São Tomé, this time for António de Carvalho 1640 : Manuel Quaresma Carneiro became the 20th governor of the island of São Tomé Miguel Pereira de Melo e Albuquerque became the acting governor of the island of São Tomé for Manuel Quaresma Carneiro 1641: October 3: Start of the Dutch occupation of the archipelago led by Cornelius Jol Paulo da Ponte became acting governor of the island of São Tomé for Manuel Quaresma Carneiro October 31: Cornelis Jol died of malaria 1642 – Lourenço Pires de Távora became the 21st governor of the island of São Tomé up to 1650 1648 – the Dutch were expelled from the archipelago, continuation of Portuguese rule 1656 – Cristovão de Barros do Rěgo became governor of the island of São Tomé to the mid 1660s 1661 – Pedro da Silva became governor of the island of São Tomé 1663 – the Dutch captured a part of the island and Admiral de Ruyter and built a small fort (now Forte Pequeno), the Dutch were later kicked out by the Portuguese1780 map of the island of Saint Thomas (now São Thomé) by T. Harmar and A. Dalrymple, now at the French National Library, a fortress mentioned in the map 1669 – Paulo Ferreira de Noronha became governor of the island of São Tomé 1671 – Chamber Senate begins in the island of São Tomé 1673 – Chamber Senate ends and Julião dos Campos Barreto became governor of the island of São Tomé 1676 – December 5: A total solar eclipse took place only in and within the island of São Tome during mid-morning, the island and its surroundings were inside the path and the sky was dark 1677 – Bernardim Freire de Andrade became acting governor of the island of São Tomé for Julião dos Campos Barreto 1680 – Jacinto de Figueiredo e Abreu became governor of the island of São Tomé 1683 – João Álvares da Cunha became acting governor for Jacinto de Figueredo e Abreu 1686: António Pereira de Brito Lemos became governor of the island of São Tomé Later in the year, Bento de Sousa Lima became governor of the island of São Tomé 1689 – António Pereira de Lacerda became governor of the island of São Tomé 1693 – António de Barredo became governor of the island of São Tomé 1695: José Pereira Sodré became governor of the island of São Tomé Príncipe's fortress, the Fortaleza de Santo António da Ponta da Mina built northeast of Santo Antònio 1696 – João da Costa Matos became governor of the island of São Tomé 1697 – Manuel António Pinheiro da Câmara became governor of the island of São Tomé
18th century 1702 – José Correia de Castro became governor of the island of São Tomé 1709: Vicente Dinis Pinheiro became governor of the island of São Tomé Príncipe invaded by the French as part of the wider War of the Spanish Succession, later all of the archipelago was under French rule and a junta was established 1715 – End of French rule in the archipelago, Portuguese rule restored Bartolomeu da Costa Ponte became governor of the island of São Tomé 1716 – October 15: An annular solar eclipse took place 60–75 miles (100–120 km) southwest of the island of São Tome, it was partial in the islands as the sky was almost dark even inside its path 1719 – The city of Santo António and its fortress was attacked and destroyed by the English pirate Bartholomew Roberts, nicknamed "John Roberts" and "Black Bart" in revenge of the death of his captain Howell Davis. 1720 – Start of the Portuguese junta in São Tomé 1722 – End of the Portuguese junta in the island of São Tomé, José Pinheiro da Câmara became governor 1727 – Serafin Teixeira Sarmento became governor of the island of São Tomé 1734 – Lopo de Sousa Coutinho became governor of the island of São Tomé 1736 – José Caetano Soto Maior became governor of the island of São Tomé 1741: António Ferrão de Castelo Branco became governor of the island of São Tomé Later in the year, another Chamber Senate occurred on the island of São Tomé 1744: Francisco Luís da Conceição became acting governor of the island of São Tomé for Francisco Luís de Conceição Later in the year, Francisco de Alva Brandão became governor of the island of São Tomé 1747 – Francisco Luís das Chagas became governor of the island of São Tomé 1748 – Another Chamber Senate occurred on the island of São Tomé 1749 – July 14: A total solar eclipse took place between 65–70 miles (105–120 km) southwest of the island of São Tome, it was as partial in the islands as the sky was almost dark 1751: António Rodriques Neves became the last governor of the island of São Tomé Another Chamber Senate occurred in the island of São Tomé 1753 The crown colony became united as São Tomé and Príncipe The colonial capital moved to Santo António on the island of Príncipe The Chamber Senate occurred in the archipelago 1755: Lopo de Sousa Coutinho became the 1st governor of Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe The 2nd Chamber Senate occurred in the archipelago 1757 – The diocese seat moved to Santo António on the island of PríncipeCarta na qual se refere o desejo de S. Mag.e da mudança da Catedral, da cidade de S. Tomé para a de S. António na ilha do Príncipe. In: S. Tomé e Príncipe na segunda metade do séc. XVIII / Carlos Filomeno Azevedo Agostinho das Neves; Lisbon: Instituto de História de Além-Mar; Funchal: Regional Secretary of Tourism, Culture and Emigration, 1989. p. 206. Memórias de África 1758 – Luís Henrique da Mota e Mele became the 2nd governor of Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe 1761 – The 3rd Chamber Senate occurred in the archipelago 1767 – Lourenço Lôbo de Almeida Palha became the 3rd governor of Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe 1768 – The 4th Chamber Senate occurred in the archipelago 1770 – Vicente Gomes Ferreira became the 4th governor of Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe 1778 – João Manuel de Azambuja became the 5th governor of Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe 1782 – Cristóvão Xavier de Sá became the 6th governor of Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe