Uma conquista por conquistar: Antônio Vieira e a legitimidade política e jurídica do Maranhão e Grão-Pará

Abstract

A number of juridical, political and theological controversies arose from the process of incorporation of the American territories into the broader set of the Iberian monarchies. It was discussed not only the legitimacy of the conquests, but also the possibilities of governance, whether through direct or indirect domination of the native “nations”. During the difficult juncture of the Restoration, the top councils of the Portuguese monarchy still discussed the expectations and the projects for the incorporation of Maranhão and Grão-Pará. In the local instance, the municipal council claimed the right to enslave Indians for the preservation of the land, while António Vieira conversely argued that such preservation should rely on pacts, agreements and consensus. Thus, this article aims not only to recreate this debate, but also to demonstrate how the crown discussed and defined mechanisms for legitimizing these territories.

Keywords

• sovereignty
• Portuguese America
• dominium
• indirect rule
• crown councils
• Indigenous rights