In the struggle of European colonists for Brazil, the struggle between Portugal and the Netherlands was the fiercest. The Dutch began to invade Brazil in 1623 and occupied Bahiada for one year in 1624. From 1629 to 1630, the Dutch expedition invaded Pernambuco and occupied the cities of Alidani and Recife. A few years later, they almost occupied the entire northeastern part of Brazil. Recife became the capital of the Dutch occupation zone.
Portugal declared independence in 1640. The Portuguese, Indians, mixed races and blacks in Brazil actively fought against the Dutch. The broad masses of the people fled to the mountains and forests, built fortresses, and launched guerrilla warfare. The leader of the Indian tribe, Poti, and the leader of the black army, Enrique Diaz, were very brave in battle. They fought the Dutch for 14 years. In 1654 they expelled the Dutch from Brazil.
After the war, the fruits of victory fell into the hands of Portuguese colonists. But the war also had great results. They entered the Brazilian political arena for the first time as an independent political and military force. They called this war the "Iliad" in Brazilian history.