Capuchinhos bretões in Brasil: politic and missionary (1642-1702)strategies

Author(s)

Cassiana Maria Mingotti Gabrielli

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD)
• Defense date: 2009-12-17

Examining board members

Pedro Luis Puntoni; Marcos Galindo Lima; Fernando Antonio Novais

• Advisor: Pedro Luis Puntoni

Abstract

This research has the French Capuchins (from Brittany province) missionaries experience as object study, on State of Brazil (Estado do Brasil), between 1642 and 1702. The missionaries arrival were not part from Portuguese colonial plan, once they reported to the Sacred Flock of Faith Advance, and hence not to the Regal Patronage. Besides that, they were subjects to the Most Christian King, Luís XIII. Even though, these religious could establish their selves on Brazil, helping on the Pernambuco Restoration war. The Brittany capuchins missionary work with the tapuias Indians, at northeast rugged region, has began only on 1670, acting on territory countryside colonization advance, besides husbandry activities and gold, silver and saltpeter mines searching. In this way, they supported the Portuguese colonial company occidentalization, but it did not avoid a conflict with these colonization agents. However, from 1687 on, new French capuchins were suppressed to get into State of Brazil and, on 1702, the last religious left the colony. In order to understand better these missionaries stay on colony, the politician and diplomatic relationships between Portugal and France during the XVII century has been investigated. Based on this analysis, it was possible to clarify the real reasons for Portuguese Crown toleration with the capuchins, during all the 60 years they spent on State of Brazil, as well the causes that led to their exit from the colony. (AU)