General Vasco Mascarenhas, 1st Count of Óbidos, OC (c. 1605–4 July 1678), was a Portuguese nobleman and colonial governor, who was Governor General of Brazil, Viceroy of Brazil and Viceroy of India.
Biography
He was the son of Fernão Martins Mascarenhas, Lord of Lavre, and his wife, Maria of Lancaster , great-grandchild of Dinis of Braganza, Count of Lemos and a dynast of the House of Lancaster and of the House of Braganza.
Before being appointed Viceroy of Brazil, Dom Vasco Mascarenhas had gained experience in Bahia as Mestre de Campo (1626–1634), General of Artillery (1638–1639), and interim Governor of Brazil (1639–1640).
He received the title of Count of Óbidos in 1636 from Philip IV of Spain. Following the Restoration of 1640, this title was confirmed by John IV of Portugal in 1646.
In 1662, the Secretary of State Count of Castelo-Melhor appointed him as a member of the Council of State.