Adversities and claims of the seafarers: dynamics around the wage litigation and protests against the privateering in the Portuguese merchant navy (c.1788 - c.1822)

Abstract

This article will address the daily work of seafarers from the Portuguese merchant navy at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. We will highlight two aspects of the adversities faced by seafarers: the misunderstandings and difficulties faced in wage litigation and the constant risk of privateering, pondering on the claims and positions of the seafarers in these situations. The main documents in this analysis are the judicial records produced by the Juízo da Índia e Mina held by the National Archives of Torre do Tombo in Lisbon.

Keywords

• portuguese seafarers
• wage litigation