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Colonial Brazil: 1500–1889

Stories

Brazil · 1500–1889 · exact time + place

Portuguese colonial influence shaped Brazil's early culture — rich stories of indigenous peoples, settlers, and revolutions, from captaincies to abolition. The button below opens StoryTerra with both Brazil and 1500–1889 already set.

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10 famous Colonial Brazil stories

Live snapshot of the top 10 most popular catalogue items (2026-09-04). Click any card to open this entry on the live map.

Browse 4 books, 8 movies and 1 TV show set in Brazil.

Zulu

Zulu

Diamond Films
movie

In 1879 during the Anglo-Zulu War man-of-the-people Lt. Chard and snooty Lt. Bromhead are in charge of defending the isolated and vastly outnumbered Natal outpost of Rorke's Drift from tribal hordes.

Setting: Rorke's Drift, Natal, South AfricaTime Period: 1879
New Amsterdam

New Amsterdam

movie

The arrival of the West Indian Companies to Natal in the XVII century is just the beginning of this violent story that pushes Bernarda and her family to run away from the city and from the invasion. In the Potengi Mill…

Setting: Natal, BrazilTime Period: 17th Century
Pedro, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Pedro, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

O Som e a Fúria-Buriti Filmes-Biônica Filmes
movie

The story of Brazil’s first emperor returning to Europe on board the English ship Warspite. The trip makes Pedro conquer his fears and face his life from a personal point of view. He goes back in time and relives…

Setting: English ship Warspite; Portugal; BrazilTime Period: 1831; 1808
Xica da Silva

Xica da Silva

tvshow

Setting: BrazilTime Period: 18th Century
Caramuru: The Invention of Brazil

Caramuru: The Invention of Brazil

Globo Filmes-Lereby Productions
movie

Diogo Álvares a Portuguese map illustrator reaches the Brazilian coast after his caravel sinks. He is saved by the Indian chief Itaparica and his two daughters Paraguaçu and Moema. They call him Caramuru and together…

Setting: BrazilTime Period: 16th Century
The Xango from Baker Street

The Xango from Baker Street

MGN Filmes
movie

Rio de Janeiro 1886. A precious Stradivarius violin presented to Emperor Dom Pedro II is stolen. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are called to solve the case.

Setting: Rio de Janeiro, BrazilTime Period: 1886
Carlota Joaquina, Princess of Brazil

Carlota Joaquina, Princess of Brazil

Copacabana Filmes e Produções
movie

The life of Carlota Joaquina the Spanish infanta who met the prince of Portugal when she was only 10 years old and was immensely disappointed with her future husband.

Setting: Portugal; BrazilTime Period: Late 18th/Early 19th Century
Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas

Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas

by Machado de Assis
book

A publicação de 'Memórias póstumas de Brás Cubas' não só inaugura o Realismo no Brasil, como inicia a etapa mais complexa da obra de Machado de Assis. Com ela, aprofunda-se a sua análise da realidade e refina-se a sua…

Setting: ['Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)']Time Period: 1881
Ganga Zumba

Ganga Zumba

Tabajara Filmes-Copacabana Filmes
movie

The life of a runaway slave who founded the Quilombo dos Palmares an outlaw community of Brazilian slaves.

Setting: BrazilTime Period: 17th Century
Xica da Silva

Xica da Silva

Terra Filmes (RJ)-Embrafilme-Jarbas Barbosa Produções Cinematográficas-Distrifilmes
movie

The romanced story of Xica da Silva a slave that used her "feminine atributes" in order to get power.

Setting: BrazilTime Period: 18th Century

The 10 stories above are just a sample of the 13 in the catalogue for this entry. For the live colonial catalogue, use the button above — or browse all Brazil stories. On the live map you can also filter by the exact time the stories take place — any year, decade or century, from BCE to the future.

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