In 1808, the Portuguese Royal Family arrived in Brazil, settling in Rio de Janeiro. The Hispanic-American colonies became easy prey, as they were engulfed in turmoil and beset by wars of independence against Spain. In 1811 Prince Regent Dom João (later King Dom João VI) ordered the invasion of the Banda Oriental (Eastern Bank), which bordered Rio Grande do Sul. João's attempt at conquering the entire region met with failure. He launched another invasion a few years later, in 1816, who counted among their ranks Marques de Sousa's father and paternal grandfather. In 1817, around age 13, he asked his grandfather to allow him to fight in the war. The elder Marques de Sousa agreed, and the youngster learned guerrilla hit-and-run tactics on horseback near the border town of Jaguarão.