Mameluco

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Albert Eckhout: a mameluco woman in Brazil, c. 1641–1644

Mameluco is a

Amerindian. It corresponds to the Spanish word mestizo
.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, mameluco was also used to refer to organized bands of explorers from

Guarani
settlements in search of slaves and gold.

The word may have become common in Portugal in the

Arabic, "Mamluk", "slave", commonly referring to soldiers and rulers of slave origin, especially in Egypt
.

See also

External links

  • Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Mameluco" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.