‘Acts of Grace’: Portuguese Monarchs and their Subjects of African Descent in Eighteenth-Century Brazil

This article examines direct appeals to Portuguese monarchs and how this extrajudicial option was invoked by slaves and free persons of African descent in colonial Brazil. It also addresses the production and content of appeals and what these reflect of the lives of Afro-Brazilians, relations betwee...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Latin American studies 2000-05, Vol.32 (2), p.307-332
Main Author: RUSSELL-WOOD, A. J. R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
18th century
African Cultural Groups
Authority
Black people
Blacks
Brazil
Colonial history
Colonialism
Descent
Eighteenth Century
Expectations
Freedom
Governance
Governors
History
History (18th century)
History of law
History of slavery
Justice
Kings
Kingship
Latin America
Manumission
Monarchs
Monarchy
Monarchy (Portuguese)
Portugal
Portuguese language
Queens
Royalty
Sacred
Slavery
Slaves
Viceroys
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Summary:This article examines direct appeals to Portuguese monarchs and how this extrajudicial option was invoked by slaves and free persons of African descent in colonial Brazil. It also addresses the production and content of appeals and what these reflect of the lives of Afro-Brazilians, relations between slave and owner, manumissions, judicial and individual abuse of women and popular perceptions and expectations of a monarch. The pros and cons of this appellate recourse are discussed in the context of colonial governance and of how royal acts of private justice reinforced the moral authority of monarchs, the sacred quality of monarchy and those personal qualities of magnanimity and compassion associated with the ideal of kingship.
ISSN:0022-216X
1469-767X
DOI:10.1017/S0022216X00005757