[1] On the island of Madeira, he married Beatriz de Morais, daughter of João de Morais and Catarina Fernandes, bearing five children: The island of Santa Maria was attacked by French corsairs in 1576; a squadron of Gauls, that included three boats (a galleon, a carrack and a zabra) disembarked with an armed force of arcabuzes.
Pedro Soares de Sousa, in order to reinforce the defense, solicited his brother-in-law (Rodrigo de Baeça), who petitioned the Donatary-Captain of São Miguel (D. Manuel da Câmara), who immediately dispatched men and troops under the command of Sergeant-major Simão do Quental.
[2] Reinforced by these men, and following several days of sacks and destruction, the corsairs were defeated near the Church of São Antão, and reembarked, abandoning the island.
[2] But, even before taking flight the pirates had forced a payment of 50 cows, 20 hogs and 30 rams, so that they did not set fire to the village.
On the third day, 200 men from São Miguel, under the command of Francisco Arruda da Costa arrived, but the French were warned by a runaway African slave.