Impact of the Iberian Union on Southern Brazil: the case of Santa Catarina

Abstract

When the Spaniards conquered Santa Catarina Island in 1777 it had already been a long time since they had lost their chances to control this important port along the route to the Rio de la Plata estuary. It was during the period of Iberian Union (1580-1640) when the Castilians abandoned their plans to propel an Atlantic outpost to shorten the communications between Spain and Asuncion, and also when the Bandeirantes in the Guairá region and the Portuguese merchants in Buenos Aires were operating. These three elements were to be decisive in the subsequent and definitive inclusion of the territories located south of the São Vicente captaincy in the Luso-Brazilian colonial context.

Keywords

• unión ibérica
• fronteras coloniales hispano-portuguesas
• colonización de sudamérica
• gobernación del río de la plata y del paraguay
• isla de santa catarina