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Canudos

Canudos refers to a historic settlement in the backlands of Bahia, Brazil, and to the military conflict that arose there in the 1890s. Located in the sertão of the northeast, the community sprang up under the leadership of the religious figure Antônio Conselheiro and grew as thousands of peasants, artisans, and pilgrims gathered there seeking land, communal living, and resistance to the newly established Brazilian Republic.

Origins and characteristics: The settlement of Canudos formed in the early 1890s as Conselheiro attracted followers

Conflict and suppression: The Brazilian Republic launched several military campaigns against Canudos from 1896 to 1897.

Legacy: The War of Canudos became a defining episode in Brazilian history, influencing debates on land reform,

with
religious
messages
and
critiques
of
political
and
social
inequalities.
The
fortified
village
developed
into
a
sizable
community,
attracting
people
for
whom
the
project
represented
social
justice,
autonomy,
and
a
alternative
vision
of
church-state
relations.
Its
existence
challenged
the
authority
of
the
republican
government,
which
viewed
Canudos
as
a
threat
to
order
in
the
region.
The
campaigns
culminated
in
a
final
siege
that
destroyed
the
town
and
led
to
widespread
casualties
and
displacement
among
its
inhabitants.
The
confrontations
drew
national
attention
and
highlighted
tensions
between
modernization
efforts
and
rural,
religiously
inspired
resistance.
church
and
state
relations,
and
rural
mobilization.
The
conflict
was
chronicled
in
literature
and
history,
most
notably
in
Euclides
da
Cunha’s
Os
Sertões,
and
it
remains
a
potent
symbol
of
collective
resistance
in
Brazilian
memory.
Today,
the
site
is
associated
with
the
municipality
of
Canudos
in
Bahia
and
serves
as
a
historical
reference
point
for
studies
of
the
region’s
social
and
political
past.