Na ponta da pena: política, administração e abastecimento nas correspondências dos governadores e capitães-generais do Estado do Grão-Pará e da capitania de Mato Grosso (1759-1772)

Abstract

The consolidation of the Portuguese and Castilian borders within the limits of America, foreseen in the signing of the Treaty of Madrid (1750), informed its conquest policies during the second half of the 18th century. The administrative units established in the Amazonian valley and on the western border, constituted prototypes for experimenting with political, economic and administrative reforms propagated during the reign of D. José I (1750-1777): State of Grão-Pará and Maranhão (1751-1772) and captaincy of Mato Grosso (1748). These measures aimed to systematize the occupation and settlement of territories bordering Castilian domains and integrate them into the mercantile circuits of the Portuguese Empire. Based on the assumptions of political communication as a field of study in historiography, this dissertation aims to reflect on the dynamics of internal circulation and approach administrative issues conveyed in the epistolary of the governors and general captains of the State of Grão-Pará and of captaincy of Mato Grosso, between 1759 and 1772.