A Ilha de Moçambique, na segunda metade do século XVIII

Abstract

The tiny urban area of Mozambique Island has met a remarkable development, thanks to both the organization and concentration of public services and the increasing number of public servers, from mid-18th century onwards. It is well known that the rhythm of social life and the way urban expansion was carried out have been favoured by the increasing cash-flow from the affluent slave traffic and the traditional ivory trade with India. What did the city look like and how did their European, African and Indian inhabitants live? In what way have its space organization and urban construction developed, by the time Pereira do Lago and Vasconcelos e Almeida have ruled in Mozambique? The main goal of this short article is providing answers to these questions, as they make up the core of the island’s history in the second half of the 18th century, dealing with aspects from the presence of several communities and social groups to urban related issues.