Women, Children, and Enslaved People in the Portuguese Empire in Asia: Introduction

Abstract

Recent studies on the Portuguese empire in Asia during the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries have highlighted the role and relationships of resistance and sociability among women, children, and enslaved individuals in that context. Often tied to institutional histories, these themes are traditionally understood through the framework provided by legal restrictions and privileges. The studies gathered here aim to emphasize the stories of women, children, and enslaved individuals, incorporating perspectives that shed light on narratives of resistance, tactics, negotiations, solidarities, and disputes led by these agents in the Portuguese empire in Asia. This text serves as the introduction to the special theme section on Women, Children, and Enslaved People in the Portuguese Empire in Asia, 16th-18th centuries, organized by the authors.

Keywords

• slavery
• women’s history
• empire
• children’s history
• Portuguese Asia