Dinis Gregório de Melo Castro e Mendonça

Dinis Gregório de Melo Castro e Mendonça (Lisbon, 11 April 1735 — Angra, 3 December 1793) was a member of high nobility, military and Portuguese colonial administrator, who exercised the role as the Captain-General of the Azores (1771-1793).

Biography Noble in the King's Council, Castro e Mendonça was the last governor of the fortress of Mazagão, and served in this post since 1763, under constant fire from enemy forces, until the fortification was abandoned in 1769.

Captaincy-General of the Azores Dinis Gregório was the second Captain-General of the Azores, nominated to the position on 18 October 1771, but only arrived in Angra on 15 April 1776. He took office on 21 April 1776.

An overall assessment of his performance as the Azores' Captain-General indicates that his mandate was dominated by issues of counterfeiting. This situation continued, perhaps with greater intensity and even complicity of more figures in his administration,

At the time of his death (3 December 1793), he was a man of great stature and imposing character, who lived in the Castle of Angra. He died in Angra and was buried in his adopted home, in the Church of Nossa Senhora da Guia, the Convent of São Francisco. His family remained resident in Angra, until the reign of Maria II, when they returned to Lisbon, by Royal order and at the cost of their public honorary.

Descendants Dinis Gregório was the father of António Manuel de Melo e Castro de Mendonça who was the leader of the government of São Paulo, in the Portuguese colony of Brazil (after 28 June 1797) and Governor General of Portuguese Mozambique, between 14 August 1809 and August 1812.