Mobilidade da população de origem europeia na América Portuguesa no século XVII: povoamento, negócios e conflitos armados

Abstract

The Portuguese presence in the Americas was always accompanied by high levels of mobility. Whether along the coast or towards the hinterland, the Portuguese moved with the intention of acquiring new lands and resources, engaging in trade, combat, or evangelism. This article aims to analyse this mobility by studying individual motivations—for instance, by cross-referencing occupations with the locations where this movement occurred throughout the seventeenth century. Using inquisitorial trials as the primary source, the study seeks to understand the role of the cities and towns of the states of Brazil and Maranhão and Grão-Pará in the displacement of individuals, not only towards the interior, where the Portuguese presence was gradually consolidated, but also between the various captaincies. Consequently, the function of the main settlements, such as Salvador da Bahia, Olinda, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, or Belém do Pará, will be analysed as points of arrival for the European population but also as points of departure for a radial migration towards the sertão (backlands) and as platforms for mobility between the primary hubs of human occupation in each captaincy. Ultimately, the article intends to discuss the role of the sugar industry, religion, and conflicts against native populations or European powers in the movement of the Portuguese within this territory during the 1600s.