page_title: Francisco Xavier de Mendonça Furtado
section_title: Childhood
hierarchical_section_title: Francisco Xavier de Mendonça Furtado / Childhood
caption_attribution_description: English: Sebastiao José Carvalho e Melo, Marquês de Pombal, surrounded by his brothers: Monsignor Don Paulo de Carvalho e Mendonça and Don Francisco Xavier de Mendonça e Furtado. Roof of the Hall of Concord of the Palace of the Marquis of Pombal, Oeiras.
context_page_description: Francisco Xavier de Mendonça Furtado served in Portugal's armed services rising in rank from soldier to sea-captain, then became a colonial governor in Brazil and finally a secretary of state in the Portuguese government. His major achievements included the extension of Portugal's colonial settlement in South America westward along the Amazon basin and the carrying out of economic and social reforms according to policies established in Lisbon.
context_section_description: Francisco Xavier de Mendonça Furtado was born in Mercês, Lisbon on 9 October 1701 and baptised on 12 October 1701 in the Chapel of our Lady of Mercy (Portuguese: Capela de Nossa Senhora das Mercês)  on the Travessa das Mercês. His father was Manuel de Carvalho e Ataíde, a member of Portugal's armed forces and a genealogist, and his mother was Teresa Luisa de Mendonça e Melo. 
  One of twelve children, his most significant siblings were Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo who became King José I's Secretary of State of Internal Affairs and was elevated by the king in 1769 to the title by which he is most often referred, Marquis of Pombal (Portuguese: Marquês de Pombal), and Paulo António de Carvalho e Mendonça, a member of Lisbon's clergy who became Inquisitor-General of the Inquisition for the period 1760–1770. These three brothers were closely bonded within the family (as illustrated in this painting (left)), a relationship which was further revealed in their adulthood in the way they supported each other professionally.
  No information is available about Mendonça Furtado education and other activities preceding his military service apart from the record of him and his brother Paulo António de Carvalho e Mendonça being made noblemen of the royal court (Portuguese: fidalgo da Casa Real) on the same day. He was 11 years of age at that time and was using the name Francisco Xavier de Carvalho. 
  Speculating about his activities in early adulthood, biographer Fabiano dos Santos says, "He may have devoted himself to taking care of his family's estates … while his older brother, Sebastião José, began his diplomatic career."
caption: Sebastião José Carvalho e Melo, Marquês de Pombal, surrounded by his brothers: Monsignor Don Paulo de Carvalho e Mendonça and Don Francisco Xavier de Mendonça e Furtado. 18th century. Artist unknown. Roof of the Hall of Concord of the Palace of the Marquis of Pombal, Oeiras.
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