Beatriz de Albuquerque

Brites de Albuquerque, Beatriz de Albuquerque, (c. 1507–1584 ) was a noble, a colonial administrator in the Portuguese colony of Brazil. She was the first woman to serve as governor in a colony in the New World. She married Duarte Coelho donatario (Lord Proprietor) of Pernambuco and with him settled in the New World in 1535. Three children are known, Duarte Coelho de Albuquerque, second donatario, Jorge de Albuquerque Coelho, Third Donatario, and Inês de Moura. again in 1572 (and 1573) as representative of her son Duarte, and probably continuously until 1582 but possibly once again from an unknown date until her death sometime before 1584.