How did Dutch rule and its defeat contribute to Brazilian nationalistic feelings?

The Dutch occupation of northeastern Brazil, which lasted from 1630 to 1654, played a significant role in the development of early Brazilian nationalistic sentiments.

Following the capture of Pernambuco by the Dutch West India Company, the region remained under Dutch control for a quarter-century. While the Dutch administration under John Maurice, count of Nassau-Siegen was initially marked by administrative competence and cultural development, the profit-driven policies of his successors eventually led to widespread local dissatisfaction.1

The catalyst for nationalistic feeling was the rebellion launched by João Fernandes Vieira, a wealthy plantation owner. Crucially, the Brazilians organized and executed the defeat and expulsion of the Dutch in 1654 largely on their own, without direct aid from the Portuguese crown. This successful, independent military effort against a foreign power served as a foundational achievement that helped spark a distinct sense of Brazilian identity and nationalistic sentiment.1