He is paternally descended from João Fernandes Zuzarte, Knight of Casa Real and Afonso de Arouca who was a criminal and civil judge of Beja on 17 August 1450.
He was lieutenant for Mozambique in 1810 and he commanded the companies in Inhambane and Quelimane and was overseas governor of the district.
[1][2] He was Knight of Casa Real for Alvará on 4 December 1834[1][2] In early 1836, he became the 73rd governor of Cape Verde in which he would govern even into the September Revolution in Portugal.
[1][2] He reached the 33rd grade of the Ancient Scottish Rite, after he took part of the Supreme Council of José da Silva Carvalho.
[5] He married Maria Teresa Augusta de Sousa (1808 in Chamusca, São Bras-11 September 1884 in Santos-o-Velho, Lisbon), daughter of António José Ferreira and his wife Ana Rita.