Os refluxos do Império, numa Época de Crise. A Câmara de Lisboa, as Armadas da Índia e as Armadas do Brasil: quatro tempos e uma interrogação (c.1600-1640)

Abstract

The perspective adopted in this article is that the history of the Europe can only be thought of and written if the dynamics proper to the history of the colonization are taken into consideration. Thus, the overseas administration can be studied under a complementary two-way direction: the Kingdom of Portugal produces the Empire, as well as the Empire produces the Kingdom. During the imperial and financial crisis of the second half of the 17^th century, the council of Lisbon is called to serve as the banker of the Crown. The council incomes are used to cover the expenditures with the «armadas» sent to help Brazil and the Portuguese State of India. The aim of this article is to describe this process and to identify its political and symbolical meanings.