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The old charts and portulanos called Faial Ventura Island. The first Portuguese navigators called it Sao Luiz. According to legend, Faial's first inhabitant was a hermit who sought refuge from the world there. Later Josse van Huerter, a wealthy Flaming, accompanied by fifteen fellow-countrymen, landed on the island, which was already inhabited by settlers from Portugal. He was searching for the tin and silver lodes that were said to exist in the island. The first prospection work proved that a mistake had been made and caused the failure of the expedition. But Van Huerter, excited by the island and its fertility, did not give up. Through the intercession of the Duchess of Burgundy, a daughter of King Joao I of Portugal, he obtained a letter patent in 1468, naming him donee of the island and giving him the right to bring more settlers from Flanders, scourged by the Hundred Years' War. These Flemings settled in the parish of Flamengos - the very name of which recalls their origin . and later in the Horta area.
The island prospered due to agriculture and the export of the dye-yielding plant called woad. In 1583, as part of the occupation of the Azores which began with the landing on Terceira island, a Spanish fleet sailed to Faial. A body of armed men landed at Pasteleiro and engaged the defenders, who were reinforced by French troops. The Spaniards finally overcame the resistance and conquered the island. This was followed by attacks by English privateers, which caused large-scale damage, and much later by the destructive earthquake of 1672. In the l9th century Faial took an active part in the struggle between liberals and absolutists. In the end it was won over by the former and received a visit from King Pedro IV in 1832. The island contributed a group of brave combatants to the liberal cause and also an arsenal that was used to supply the fleet that landed at Mindelo in northern Portugal. Until about 1860, Faial's position in the Atlantic and the existence of a sheltered port attracted cargo boats engaged in the orange trade and American whalers, which called there to put on supplies. In the first half of the 20th century Faial was an important centre for underwater cable links and took part in the pioneer period of aviation.
Today Faial is a developing island, with an economy based on agriculture, livestock raising, the dairy industry, fishing and trade.
Copyright Pierre LaVelly Sousa Lima
