Consulta (cópia) do Conselho Ultramarino sobre se será conveniente que os navios que se aprestam para a China vão em direitura a Macau ou à Índia, e daí à China em navios de remo, suposto o estado em que se está naquelas partes com os holandeses.
This abstract describes a 1643 handwritten administrative document from the Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino, designated Matao, Codex 2, Document 23, comprising a copy of proceedings from the *Conselho Ultramarino* (Overseas Council) dated 2 December 1643—the feast day of St Francis Xavier—and referenc...
Saved in:
| Format: | Manuscripts |
|---|---|
| Published: |
1643-12-03
|
| Subjects: |
Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino
;
Conselho Ultramarino
;
Consulado Ultramarino Inaugural Session
;
Dutch–Portuguese conflict
;
Livro de Consultas Mistas
;
Macau-bound vessels
;
Matao Codex 2
;
Navigational Hazards in Asian Waters
;
Portuguese Maritime Strategy
;
Portuguese Overseas Council
;
Portuguese maritime navigation
;
Royal Decree 1642
;
Royal Vessels to Macau
;
St Francis Xavier Feast Day
;
Uncharted Waters Documentation
;
Manuscripts
|
| Online Access: | https://macau-legacy.usj.edu.mo/docs/8ERTW48E/viewer_8ERTW48E.html |
| Summary: | This abstract describes a 1643 handwritten administrative document from the Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino, designated Matao, Codex 2, Document 23, comprising a copy of proceedings from the *Conselho Ultramarino* (Overseas Council) dated 2 December 1643—the feast day of St Francis Xavier—and referencing a royal decree issued by the Portuguese monarch on 27 November 1642. The document records the Council’s inaugural session convened to consult maritime experts—including a pilot recently arrived from Porto, Captain Pedro Ferraz Barreto of the galley, and other experienced pilots—on navigational strategy for royal vessels bound for Macau amid unresolved peace treaties with the Dutch. It details their unanimous recommendation to proceed directly to China rather than divert via India, citing hazards including adverse winds, navigational uncertainties, and exposure to hostile or uncharted waters. The text further outlines strategic counsel regarding Portuguese imperial interests: concerns over Castilian influence prompting potential insurrection in Macau; advocacy for dispatching a royal ambassador—rather than one appointed by the Viceroy of India—to the King of Japan to secure favourable diplomatic and commercial relations; and emphasis on the substantial economic advantages anticipated from expanded trade with Japan and access to regional resources. Signatories include João Delgado Figueira, with marginalia and official seals affirming provenance and archival custody. |
|---|