A atuação do gigante Albion na América Lusa: a atividade consular britânica no Maranhão entre 1813 e 1823

Abstract

In the early nineteenth century, Britain emerged as the largest economic power, political and naval world. His power, however, is rivaled by Napoleonic France. Amid this crisis between the two major European powers, lies the battered Portuguese State, after employing a policy of neutrality in the Franco-British confrontation, chooses to ally with Britain. In 1808, after a series of negotiations between the British and the Portuguese government, the Royal Family arrives Lusa in Portuguese America, and with the "Opening of the Ports to Friendly Nations" and the Treaties of 1810, the British now have a series political, economic and social privileges in the Lusitanian colony. So, too Maranhão is deeply involved in this expanding British policy, however, not without recourse to resistance to contain the advance of British participation in the economy and society Maranhão. In this intense criticism of the British presence in Maranhão scenario, Britain sends in 1812, his first consular representative São Luís, Robert Hesketh, coming in order to protect British interests in the northernmost portion of America Lusa. The course of the expansion of British influence from Portugal to America Lusa process and the resulting opinions that Britain's policy in Maranhão land and consular activity Robert Hesketh practiced in the years leading up to the "membership" of the Maranhão independence of Brazil presented and analyzed in this study.