A “Just Conquest”? Violence, Justice, and Portuguese Imperial Rule, 1450–1700
FBK Aula Piccola
Fondazione Bruno Kessler - Polo delle Scienze Umane e sociali
This seminar examines how Portugal’s overseas expansion was perceived from its beginning in the mid-1400s through the end of the 1600s. Using a wide variety of sources – including theological and legal treatises, missionary letters, reports of encounters between Portuguese and local populations in Africa, South America, and Asia, travel writings, literary works, city meeting records, and court cases –, it demonstrates that Portuguese actions were closely scrutinized both within and outside the empire. The analysis concentrates on four main areas of debate. It begins by exploring the language of conquest and its influence on perceptions of Portuguese imperial rule. Next, it discusses debates around military service and its role in exercising imperial authority. The third section considers voices questioning Portugal’s ability to spread Christianity. The fourth section analyzes debates over the primary motives behind Portuguese expansion, ranging from material gain in the pursuit of spreading Christianity to accusations of self-interest and greed. A recurring theme in these debates is justice. This study argues that the language of justice was central to both defending and criticizing the Portuguese empire, particularly in discussions of its inherent violence and exploitative character. It also reveals that many who opposed Portugal’s imperial power did so using the very language that justified it. In the final section, it suggests that by the mid-1600s, arguments for empire grounded in justice began to decline, paving the way for new justifications of European overseas dominance.
Pedro CARDIM | Universidade Nova de Lisboa
Scientific coordination:
Anna Clara Basilicò (FBK-ISIG)
Irene Fattacciu (FBK-ISIG)
Alessandra Quaranta (FBK-ISIG)
Massimo Rospocher (FBK-ISIG)
Sandra Toffolo (FBK-ISIG)
Cycle of seminars: “Tavola ovale di storia moderna“
ISIG is an accredited or qualified entity to carry out training activities for the staff of Trentino schools.
The talk will be held in English.
The presentation will be in-person in the FBK Aula Piccola while seats last and online.
Registration by June 9, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. is required in order to arrange the connection.
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Image: Biblioteca FBK, s-ar 1 F 3.
Speakers
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Pedro Cardim - Guest SpeakerUniversidade Nova de LisboaPedro Cardim (Lisbon, 1967) is a faculty member in the Department of History at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal. He specializes in the political and imperial history of early modern Iberia, with particular emphasis on the Iberian Union period (1580–1640), when Portugal was incorporated into the Spanish Monarchy. His research investigates imperial governance structures across the Atlantic, as well as the political and administrative shifts of the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. He has also extensively examined political participation and representative institutions, notably the role of the Cortes, Portugal's representative assembly. Furthermore, his work explores colonial Brazil, focusing on the legal and moral frameworks imposed on Indigenous populations and their responses. Recently, he has turned his attention to the memory of the Portuguese empire and its colonial legacy, analyzing both scholarly debates and civic discussions about the imperial past.
Registration
Registration to this event is mandatory.
Registration closed on 09/06/2026.
Contacts
Organizers
The initiative was also realized thanks to the contribution of "Direzione generale Educazione, ricerca e istituti culturali" of the Ministry of Culture.