Isaías de Noronha

José Isaías de Noronha (6 June 1873 – 29 January 1963) was a Brazilian Navy Admiral who briefly served as president of Brazil while being a member of the provisional military junta of 1930. Born into a military family, Noronha took up a naval career. He served aboard ships such as Andrada and Recife and commanded ships such as Piauí, Sergipe, and Minas Geraes. In 1930, he became one of the three members of the military junta which ruled Brazil between October and November 1930. When the junta acquiesced to revolutionaries, Noronha initially remained as minister of the Navy in the administration of President Getúlio Vargas. He was also president of the before and after the junta.

Early life and career

Early and personal life José Isaías de Noronha was born in Rio de Janeiro on 6 June 1873 to Zulmira Augusta Aguiar Noronha and lieutenant general Manuel Muniz de Noronha. His uncle, Admiral Júlio César de Noronha, was the minister of the Navy between 1902 and 1906, and his cousin, Admiral Sílvio de Noronha, held the same position between 1946 and 1951. Noronha enrolled in a preparatory course in the Naval School in March 1887. In December 1889, he became a first-class aspirant and, in 1892, a midshipman. While serving as a midshipman, the Naval Revolts broke out in September 1893 against President Floriano Peixoto, but Noronha did not participate in them. He was incorporated into the crew of the cruiser Andrada in July 1894, becoming second lieutenant in November. Noronha was promoted to first lieutenant in December 1896 after being transferred to the brig Recife in January 1895. He would go on to serve on the cruiser 15 de Novembro. In December 1897, he was assigned to the Maritime Charter Division and served as assistant to the Directorate of Hydrography. In 1898, he commanded the aviso Lamego from March to June. Noronha commanded Trinidade the same year. In his personal life, he married Neréa Antonieta de Noronha, with whom he had nine children.

Military junta and later years

He was promoted to vice admiral in January 1931 and elected president of the Naval Club in June. He resigned in October 1932 and claimed he would be transferred to reserve the next month. Nevertheless, he was successively reelected, serving until 1937. On 6 July 1941, he retired. Noronha died on 29 January 1963 in Rio de Janeiro.