The Luso-African experiences and the formation process of the Portuguese Angola: Kongo's interference in the overseas governorate (1607-1617)

• Grant number: 16/15847-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2016
• End date: September 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - History - Modern and Contemporary History
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Alberto de Moura Ribeiro Zeron
• Grantee: Alec Ichiro Ito
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Considering the contemporary debates about the intercultural contacts and the construction of a world gradually involved with the transatlantic economy, this research project proposes a study on the History of the Expansions and Luso-African contacts, based on regions identified nowadays as the Republic of Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. Focusing in an earlier formation phase of the area called Portuguese Angola (1607-1607), this research proposal intends to carry out an empirical analysis with some primary and secondary sources, transcribed by António Brásio and Alfredo de Albuquerque Felner, as well as to cast about for the manuscripts conserved in the archives of Portugal. We stress the necessity to explore the details and the minutiae of the historical process that reinforced the relations, not always friendly nor pleasant, existed among the Portuguese Angola, the bishopric of Angola and Congo and the Society of Jesus, without disregard the decisive role of the Kingdom of Kongo in the regional political concert. Thus, we are guided by two work hypothesis. Firstly, there might have existed a conflicting environment among the various administrative and ecclesiastic agents brought from Portugal to the African overseas domains. Secondly, we suppose that the members of the sovereignty of Kongo had an important role in Lisbon and Roma, resulting in reactions by the Portuguese Crows and the royal officials and functionaries serving in the overseas.