A reforma militar lusitana nas tropas auxiliares e de ordenanças de pretos e pardos: as repercussões na América portuguesa e a metamorfose das bases costumeiras do antigo regime nos trópicos na instância bélica (Rio de Janeiro, 1762-1808)

Abstract

This research analyses the impacts of the Portuguese military reform settlements regarding the Auxiliary and Ordinances troops composed by black and brown men, in Rio de Janeiro, between 1762 and 1808. Therefore, it makes use of administrative and military sources digitalized, found online, on the Overseas Historical Archive, such as: permits, notices, royal letters, letters patent, decrees, maps and provisions. Through these sources, this paper seeks to understand how the repercussions of the military reform, coordinated by the Count de Lippe in Portugal from 1762 on – which had a modernizing basis, related to the emergence of the new knowledge about the war art and science – provoked, in the Portuguese America, a tension between colored men and local authorities and elite from overseas. On the one hand, black and brown men enlisted in these military troops (of non-remunerative character, and organized by their social categories) wanted to ascend in the military hierarchy through the conquest of military ranks, which gave them power to establish command over a lot of people, and also assigned them many privileges and distinguishing traits – important aspects to the Ancient Catholic Regime. On the other hand, local authorities and elites tried to bring the opposing party to a halt, as a way of resisting the ascension of this marginalized group, in order to retain their own social position and power of command according to the customary social rule. Moreover, the double movement represented by the tension and the resistance to the rising of afro-descendants to the higher military ranks was advocated, especially, in the Rio de Janeiro region, since Brazil’s viceroyalty headquarters’ capital had become an embryo of the modern military formation, considering the technical and scientific knowledge in Portuguese America. Furthermore, the freed black and brown officers analyzed in this research saw a leeway in the colonial military organization that was precise and controlled, so that they could climb the steps in social hierarchy. Nevertheless, when doing this, they forced the operating rules placed in the system theory; pushing its foundations, at the same time they took the game rules to execute their movements. That was how, in the course of time, these people developed social relationships that remodeled the legal and social order originated from Europe. In this way, we defend that, especially among the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th, some of the Ancient Regime precepts were reorganized, remodeled due to the reformations made during Pombal’s management period.