A DIMENSÃO DA ALTERIDADE EM THE TRAVELS DE PETER MUNDY (1637) : CONTRIBUIÇÃO PARA O ESTUDO DAS RELAÇÕES ANGLO-PORTUGUESAS NO EXTREMO ORIENTE
This article investigates the dimension of alterity present in the Travels of Peter Mundy (1637) and its contribution to the study of Anglo-Portuguese relations in the Far East. Based on a critical reading of Mundy's diary, complemented by engravings included in the edition Seventeenth Century Macau...
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| Published in: | Review of Culture |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Articles |
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Instituto Cultural de Macau
July 2002
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| Online Access: | https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40003/2682 |
| Summary: | This article investigates the dimension of alterity present in the Travels of Peter Mundy (1637) and its contribution to the study of Anglo-Portuguese relations in the Far East. Based on a critical reading of Mundy's diary, complemented by engravings included in the edition Seventeenth Century Macau in Contemporary Documents and Illustrations (Boxer), the work analyzes how Portuguese Macau – a fortified enclave, locus of exchanges among Lusophone speakers, Jesuits, and merchants – is represented by the English traveler under the sign of alterity. The text emphasizes the cordial reception, the military defenses, and the set of urban devices that transform Macau into a multicultural platform, decisive in the fostering of relations among English, Portuguese, Dutch, and Chinese actors. The analysis situates Mundy within the geopolitical context of 1635–1637 (the Portugal-England truce; Weddell's visits; Dutch resistance) and within his pragmatic reading of the city: he approaches the Jesuits, uses Portuguese as a lingua franca, receives supplies, and conducts exchanges with Portuguese merchants before departing for Canton. The article further highlights the symbolic role of the fortresses and the city as a stage for unofficial diplomacy, where the Anglo-foreign gaze codifies alterity, power, and commercial curiosity. In conclusion, the study proposes that Mundy's Travels offers a relevant empirical resource for understanding Anglo-Portuguese networks in the Far East and suggests methodological paths for the use of travel diaries as diplomatic sources in Lusophone historiography. |
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| ISSN: | 1682-1106 |