José Maria de Sousa Horta e Costa

José Maria de Sousa Horta e Costa, CavA, OA, OSE (20 October 1858 – 21 September 1927), also known as José Maria de Sousa Horta e Costa (de) Almeida e Vasconcelos, was a Portuguese soldier, politician, and diplomat. He was colonial Governor of Macau and India.

He was the second son of Miguel António de Sousa Horta Almeida e Vasconcelos, 2nd Baron of Santa Comba Dão and his second wife, Maria da Glória da Costa Brandão e Albuquerque, sister of the 1st Viscount of Ervedal da Beira. He was born in Santa Comba Dão and died in Porto, Foz do Douro.

Career Horta e Costa studied at the Escola do Exército and started his military career as an Alferes of engineers on 10 January 1883. He belonged to the general staff of his military branch and was promoted through lieutenant, captain, major, and lieutenant colonel, finally reaching the post of colonel of engineers. At the University of Coimbra he took a bachelor's degree in mathematics. A lieutenant already in 1886, the Minister of the Navy, , appointed him director of public works of Macau. Here he distinguished himself, and in 1888 he was elected deputy to the Cortes Gerais for the legislature of 1887–1889 in a supplementary election, taking his seat in 1889 already with the post of captain, in which seat he had interventions on 23 and 30 January 10 and 21 April 3 May, 6, 14 and 26 June 1889. He had a seat at the Chamber in diverse legislatures, more specifically in the ones of 1890–1892 and 1893, in which he was part of commissions twice in 1892, thrice in 1893 and thrice in 1894 and had interventions on 7 June 11, 15 and 21 July and 21 August 1890, 22 June 1891, 3 February and 19 March 1892, 10 January 22, 23 and 27 May 20, 22 and 23 June and 1, 5, 6 and 12 July 1893, His government was marked by the promulgation of various measures towards developing commerce in the province. One of the most important improvements achieved in his tenure was the building of metal bridges to improve the communication between cities in the province. Among other achievements, he regularised the water supply in Panaji city by building a special reservoir at Bainguinim with special imported materials from France. He also increased the capacity of the port at Mormugão and he was responsible for Campal Avenue, where he constructed roads with footpaths and planted trees. According to Goan historian Percival Noronha, the fact that he was an engineer by profession made a difference, and the amount of development work carried out by him in the four years of his rule was something "never done in hundreds of years".

He also had other plans which were not fulfilled during his regime. His government was marked by the Revolt of the Ranes, to which the simple arrival of a company of Landins was enough to overcome.

With the Proclamation of the Portuguese Republic he ended his term. A public political rally elected Dr. Francisco Manuel Couceiro da Costa as the new governor, as required by the provisional government. Horta e Costa embarked for his homeland without being molested and with the respect of all the population of India.

Avenida Horta e Costa, in Macau, is named after him.

Decorations Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Siam Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic of Spain Knight and Officer of the Order of Aviz Officer of the Order of Saint James of the Sword Silver Medal of Exemplary Behaviour Many others

Family He married Carolina Adelaide Pinheiro de Vasconcelos Silvano (18 April 1869 – Porto) on 12 April 1886, shortly before embarking to Macau, daughter of António Maria Silvano, then a Lieutenant Colonel of the Infantry Regiment of the Overseas, later Brigadier General and General of the Arm of Infantry, Knight and Officer of the Order of Aviz, Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, etc., and his wife Carolina Xavier Pinheiro. They had three children: Miguel Silvano Horta e Costa (Lisbon, Encarnação, 21 August 1898 – Porto, Foz do Douro, 31 March 1953) Vera Maria Silvano Horta e Costa (Lisbon, 7 August 1904 – ?), unmarried and without issue; she lived with her brother Vasco Vasco Silvano Horta e Costa (Lisbon, 18 March 1905 or 20 March 1906 – Porto, 11 April 2006)