Cabo Verde
Item
Country
PT
Name of institution (English)
Overseas Historical Archive
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
por
Contact information: postal address
Calçada da Boa-Hora 30, 1300-095 Lisbon
Contact information: phone number
00351 210 30 91 00
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
ahu@ahu.dglab.gov.pt
Reference number
PT/AHU/CU/024
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Cape Verde
Title (official language of the state)
Cabo Verde
Language of title
por
Creator / accumulator
Conselho Ultramarino
Date(s)
1602/1834
Language(s)
eng
fra
ita
por
Extent
93 boxes, and 7,329 documents
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Cabo Verde sub-collection is part of the Conselho Ultramarino (Overseas Council) fonds. This institution had jurisdiction over all overseas territories of the Portuguese Empire. Its fonds includes numerous letters, royal orders, and documentation exchanged between this Council and other institutions of the monarchy. This collection, in particular, contains various documentation concerning the Portuguese colonial administration related to Cape Verde.
Among the numerous documents that are part of this collection, a few contain information regarding Portuguese New Christians and Sephardim. Some examples are the following:
PT/AHU/CU/024/0003/00242; August 9, 1652: Letter from the governor of Cape Verde, Jorge de Mesquita Castelo Branco, to the King João VI of Portugal (1604-1656), concerning some irregularities committed by Pedro de Barros, sergeant-major of the island of Santiago. Barros, as well as another man named Manuel Henriques, are identified as new Christians ("homens de nação" according to the language of the document), who were responsible for many of the challenges and difficulties that the governor faced. Matilde Santos states that this is one of many examples where new Christians were referred to as the driving force behind many problems (Santos 2022, 53);
PT/AHU/CU/024/0004/00318; October 22, 1657: Consultation from the Overseas Council addressed to King Afonso VI of Portugal (1643-1683) concerning the appointment of an "escrivão da correição" (a local clerk). It includes information given by the governor of Cape Verde, Pedro Ferraz Barreto, about people seeking that position. José da Silva Horta and Peter Mark found in this document evidence of how Jewish ascendency was differently intertwined with other categories related to race, religion, or place of birth. For instance, one of the applicants, Fernão Rodrigues da Silva, described himself as a native and resident of Santiago (Cape Verde), without any trace of Jewish blood in his family. At the same time, an anonymous observer portrayed him as "mulatto" (of mixed-racial ancestry) (Horta and Mark 2018, 68).
PT/AHU/CU/024/0024/02152; March 3, 1766: Letter from the former "meirinho" (bailiff) of Santiago (Cape Verde), João Coelho Barros, to the Secretary of State for the Navy and Overseas, Francisco Xavier de Mendonça. He extensively complained about the governor of Cape Verde, Bartolomeu de Sousa e Brito Tigre, stating that, among other issues, the governor had close relations with members of the Freire de Andrade family, known to be New Christians. He argued that the Freire de Andrades should be summoned to Lisbon since they were suspected of participating in the murder of the former "ouvidor" (local judge), João Vieira de Andrade.
Among the numerous documents that are part of this collection, a few contain information regarding Portuguese New Christians and Sephardim. Some examples are the following:
PT/AHU/CU/024/0003/00242; August 9, 1652: Letter from the governor of Cape Verde, Jorge de Mesquita Castelo Branco, to the King João VI of Portugal (1604-1656), concerning some irregularities committed by Pedro de Barros, sergeant-major of the island of Santiago. Barros, as well as another man named Manuel Henriques, are identified as new Christians ("homens de nação" according to the language of the document), who were responsible for many of the challenges and difficulties that the governor faced. Matilde Santos states that this is one of many examples where new Christians were referred to as the driving force behind many problems (Santos 2022, 53);
PT/AHU/CU/024/0004/00318; October 22, 1657: Consultation from the Overseas Council addressed to King Afonso VI of Portugal (1643-1683) concerning the appointment of an "escrivão da correição" (a local clerk). It includes information given by the governor of Cape Verde, Pedro Ferraz Barreto, about people seeking that position. José da Silva Horta and Peter Mark found in this document evidence of how Jewish ascendency was differently intertwined with other categories related to race, religion, or place of birth. For instance, one of the applicants, Fernão Rodrigues da Silva, described himself as a native and resident of Santiago (Cape Verde), without any trace of Jewish blood in his family. At the same time, an anonymous observer portrayed him as "mulatto" (of mixed-racial ancestry) (Horta and Mark 2018, 68).
PT/AHU/CU/024/0024/02152; March 3, 1766: Letter from the former "meirinho" (bailiff) of Santiago (Cape Verde), João Coelho Barros, to the Secretary of State for the Navy and Overseas, Francisco Xavier de Mendonça. He extensively complained about the governor of Cape Verde, Bartolomeu de Sousa e Brito Tigre, stating that, among other issues, the governor had close relations with members of the Freire de Andrade family, known to be New Christians. He argued that the Freire de Andrades should be summoned to Lisbon since they were suspected of participating in the murder of the former "ouvidor" (local judge), João Vieira de Andrade.
Archival history
The Conselho Ultramarino (Overseas Council) archive had different locations in Lisbon. The archive moved to Campo Santana, near the city centre, in 1750. It was relocated to a building in Rua do Ouro in 1796 and later to another in Rua Augusta. Later, the archive moved to Terreiro do Paço, where the Conselho Ultramarino was located. In 1834, still quite disorganised, the archive was placed in the Secretaria de Estado dos Negócios da Marinha e Ultramar (Secretariat of State of Navy and Overseas). In 1842, Filipe Roberto Da Silva Stockler, former archivist of the Conselho Ultramarino, was charged with organising the archive.
In 1931, the documents of the Conselho Ultramarino fonds were transferred to the Arquivo Histórico Colonial (Colonial Historical Archive), later renamed Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino (Overseas Historical Archive). The archive was placed in Palácio da Eva in Junqueira, Belém (west of Lisbon). After that, some other fonds produced by the Conselho Ultramarino were added to the archive collection, namely some that were in the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo (National Archive of Torre do Tombo).
In 1931, the documents of the Conselho Ultramarino fonds were transferred to the Arquivo Histórico Colonial (Colonial Historical Archive), later renamed Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino (Overseas Historical Archive). The archive was placed in Palácio da Eva in Junqueira, Belém (west of Lisbon). After that, some other fonds produced by the Conselho Ultramarino were added to the archive collection, namely some that were in the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo (National Archive of Torre do Tombo).
Administrative / Biographical history
The Conselho Ultramarino (Overseas Council) was regulated on July 14, 1642, and instituted one year later. This body was responsible for all affairs related to the Portuguese overseas territories. Its duties included the financial (with jurisdiction over all assets of Portuguese colonies, except the Azores, Madeira, and North African territories), judicial and military administration, the regulation of shipping, the appointment to overseas positions, and the attribution of benefits for services rendered in colonial territories. Later, some of these duties were transferred to the Junta do Comércio, Agricultura, Fábricas e Navegação (Board of Trade, Agriculture, Industry and Navigation) and the Conselho do Almirantado (Council of the Admiralty) after their creation in 1755 and 1795, respectively.
During the period in which the Portuguese court was in Brazil (1808-20), the activity of the Conselho Ultramarino was reduced to routine procedures, such as the payment of wages or issuing licenses. Then, the Mesa do Desembargo do Paço e da Consciência e Ordens, created in Rio de Janeiro in 1808, assumed some of the functions of the Conselho Ultramarino and other state bodies. The Conselho Ultramarino was abolished on August 30, 1833.
During the period in which the Portuguese court was in Brazil (1808-20), the activity of the Conselho Ultramarino was reduced to routine procedures, such as the payment of wages or issuing licenses. Then, the Mesa do Desembargo do Paço e da Consciência e Ordens, created in Rio de Janeiro in 1808, assumed some of the functions of the Conselho Ultramarino and other state bodies. The Conselho Ultramarino was abolished on August 30, 1833.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The collection is arranged chronologically.
Access, restrictions
Some documents are only available in microfilm.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2023
Bibliography
Linked resources
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|---|---|---|
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