DIOCESE NO SERTÃO: A colonização espiritual do Piauí Amazônico - freguesias, capelas e justiça eclesiástica no século XVIII

Abstract

For a long time, the history of Piauí was portrayed in official historiography based on actions carried out by individuals interested in expanding modes of economic production throughout the backlands, as well as by agents of the Crown willing to increase borders and agency indigenous. However, historiography has neglected the role played by ecclesiastical agents in the process of occupation of Piauí. The few existing works on the Church during the colonial period have affiliation with the institution itself, in addition to not presenting a methodological rigor that discusses sources and is capable of addressing important issues. This thesis aims to demonstrate the role of the Episcopate in the process of Portuguese conquest and colonial expansion in the captaincy of Piauí during the 18th century. The main focus of the research highlights the unfolding of the actions of the bishops of Olinda, and mainly Maranhão, towards Piauí. Until 1723, this region belonged to the bishopric of Pernambuco, but from 1724, through the papal bull Inescrustabili coelesti Patris, it was transferred to the jurisdiction of the diocese of São Luís. The research seeks to explain how the complex construction of a diocesan mesh in Piauí it was linked to the colonization processes of the States of Maranhão and Brazil, and how the Portuguese Crown planned the annexation of the mentioned territory to the bishopric of Maranhão, in order to strengthen it. Bishop D. Friar. Manuel da Cruz played an important role in this process, being also one of the first bishops of that diocese to carry out visits to the backlands of Piauí. Based on this experience, the antistes organized his work in favor of the consolidation and expansion of the bishopric of Maranhão towards the east of its territory in favor of the interests of the Crown. The documentation from the Overseas Historical Archive relating to the captaincies of Piauí, Maranhão and Pernambuco helps to understand the Church's activities in Piauí. The documentation was selected, organized chronologically and interconnected, seeking to achieve colonization based on the colonizers' input, revealing the problems of jurisdiction and possession of the territory by Maranhão. Still as a documentary scope, this study used a documentary series of episcopal provisions between the years 1741 and 1780. The material is an integral part of the ecclesiastical archive of the bishopric of Maranhão. Thereby, it was possible to perceive the expansion of this diocesan mesh in Piauí through the jurisdiction of Maranhão.