SENHORES DE PEQUENOS MUNDOS: DISPUTAS POR TERRAS E OS LIMITES DO PODER LOCAL NA AMÉRICA PORTUGUESA

Abstract

This article analyzes the conflict between agricultural workers from Jacobina region against the Guedes de Brito family in the captaincy of Bahia, through the municipal council. It will be analyzed how something which is unquestionable legitimate becomes illegal because there are not established by legal arguments, revealing the political consequences. Also, acts that were illegitimate were seen as legal actions. To support this argument, many records of inhabitants from the early Modern Portuguese America were examined. These records were related to endless problems regarding land possession; being examined an important family who accumulate land titles, crossing many captaincies. In this process, many conflicts happened with other landowners, squatters and rural workers. Also, it included battles against another important family: the Avila’s. The specific conflict analyzed in this case study began with simple rural workers who involved the municipal council into the litigation, giving evidence of the complexity of the land conflicts. This investigation will demonstrate the many ways in which Law was applied, emphasizing how justice and Law passed through a metamorphosis leading to casuistry typical from the Ancient Regime.