A Real Fábrica das Sedas de Lisboa : administração, política econômica e comércio no Atlântico Sul (1734-1777)

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the field of Portuguese economic and administrative history of the eighteenth century. It refers essentially to the study of the conduct of Portugal's manufacturing economic policy, in this case, duly delimited through the performance of the Real Fábrica das Sedas, which emerged in 1734 through private initiative. In this way, the starting point is the reign of Dom João V, with a view to reconstituting the history of this factory, as well as the stages of its constitution, its administration through private management and the main events that have impacted in its economic trajectory. This stage, in turn, extends until 1750, when the Portuguese State assumes the financial and administrative control of the establishment. At this point, the reign of Dom José I was inaugurated and, consequently, the entry of Sebastião José de Carvalho and Melo, the future Marquis of Pombal, into the ministerial portfolio of the Kingdom Business. From then on, an intrinsic relationship was established between the Josephian reign, the Pombaline government and the manufacturing policy in Portugal. It is therefore within this context that we intend to situate the approach, that is, starting from the study of the promotion of manufacturing, namely through the Royal Silk Factory. This phase contemplates the analysis of the public management of this manufacturing that, through its administrative, political and economic mechanisms, enables us to highlight its role as a "key element" in the configuration of the Portuguese manufacturing system during the regency of Dom José I. The research also aims to portray the scenario that involved the mercantile dynamics between Portugal and Brazil, precisely through trade relations driven by the textile production of the aforementioned factory, which, in turn, provided a commercial interlacement through different outlets.