Over the years the 1640 naval battle of Paraíba (Brazil) has attracted the attention of several historians, including F.A. Varnhagen, H. Wätjen and J.C. Warnsinck, who made extensive use of Dutch... Show moreOver the years the 1640 naval battle of Paraíba (Brazil) has attracted the attention of several historians, including F.A. Varnhagen, H. Wätjen and J.C. Warnsinck, who made extensive use of Dutch sources. By combining the Dutch and Portuguese accounts, C.R. Boxer and, more recently, M.J. Guedes shed new light on the episode. The Portuguese material comprises the original papers of Fernando Mascarenhas, the commander in-chief of the armada. These papers are gathered in four voluminous codices and record events concerning the armada between April 1638 and October 1640. Written in Portuguese and Spanish, they comprise various documents, including correspondence, as well as instructions, reports, and minutes of meetings of the Council of Captains. The documents in these codices constitute the bedrock of this article which focuses on the armada leaders’ perceptions of their opponent during their sojourn in Brazil, a topic still insufficiently explored in the literature. Given the goal of the expedition, gathering information on the Dutch military and naval power was crucial for defining a strategy to oust them from Pernambuco. How did the armada leaders acquire intelligence? How reliable was it when cross-checked against other sources and to what extent did the outcome of the battle depend on it? Show less
This study focuses upon the 'fiscal constitution' and the financial organization of the Portuguese Estado da Índia, which is examined from both a structural and dynamic perspective over the period... Show moreThis study focuses upon the 'fiscal constitution' and the financial organization of the Portuguese Estado da Índia, which is examined from both a structural and dynamic perspective over the period from 1517 to 1640. It seeks to provide an overview of the two levels of government, local and central. At the local level, the financial administration depended heavily on local administrators or treasurers, the feitores, who were responsible for tax collection and for disbursements, as well as for the commercial representation expected from a feitoria (factory). At the central level, the financial administration located in Goa was structured around four distinct functions, entrusted to magistrates or specific bodies, theoretically in charge of managing the surpluses channeled from the local treasuries. The aim of the study is to assess the constraints placed upon the relationship between the local treasuries and the vice-regal government and to consider the challenges faced by central institutions to monitor the periphery and thus to control the tax revenue of the Estado da Índia. Show less
