In this article image you can see a Portuguese Dragoon soldier from 1730 at Forte de São João da Bertioga, a small but very strategic fort at Bertioga city, São Paulo state, Brazil.
Many battles happened there, not only against the Tupinambá native tribe, but also against the British pirates and corsairs, like Thomas Cavendish and the sailor Anthony Knivet.
The German mercenary Hans Staden was in this region during the XVI century, later writing a very famous book about Brazil in the age of discovery.
The Dragoons was an important and much respected Portuguese military unit. Being a Dragoon soldier was a great honor.