Banca de DEFESA: GABRIEL DE ABREU BORGES

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : GABRIEL DE ABREU BORGES
DATE: 18/09/2026
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: cpda
TITLE:

João Teixeira de Carvalho: A Priest on the Routes of the Slave Trade (Angola and Rio de Janeiro, c. 1701–c. 1750)

KEY WORDS:

Angola, Clergy, Slave Trade.

PAGES: 206
BIG AREA: Ciências Humanas
AREA: História
SUMMARY:

Focusing on 18th-century Angola, this study analyzes the trajectory of João Teixeira de Carvalho, a priest of the Order of Saint Peter who, in 1726, upon his appointment as schoolmaster of the Cathedral of Luanda, was accused of the "defect of mulattoship" (defeito de mulatismo), of acting as a régulo (local chief) in the backlands of the Kingdom of Angola, of lacking knowledge of Latin, and of living "scandalously" in concubinage with a calunduzeira (a practitioner of local spiritual rituals). Concurrently, the central figure controlled captive trade routes in the interior of the Kingdom of Angola and traded with foreign vessels (Dutch, English, and French) — a commercial activity strictly prohibited at the time. However, Teixeira was an ally of a Carmelite bishop who was also heavily involved in the captive trade. From this point, the study examines the social strategies adopted by Carvalho, his political influence within Luandan society, and his exile to the Convent of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Rio de Janeiro, along with passages through Bahia and Lisbon. In the capital of the Portuguese monarchy, Teixeira received a royal pardon from His Majesty, which allowed him to return to Luanda and reclaim his stipend and assets. A few years after his return, his ecclesiastical career continued to rise. As a mestiço man born in Benguela, fluent in local languages, and integrated into the culture of Central-West Africa, this priest became the embodiment of a native clergyman, active in Catholic worship while equally familiar with African cultures that shaped a distinct form of Catholicism. These attributes made Carvalho a crucial figure in expanding the frontiers of Christianity and slavery, intertwining evangelization and the captive trade. In short, a man of once "scandalous" life became a key figure in religious missions and the control of the Angolan backlands, which ultimately led to his nomination by the King of Portugal, in 1747, to the position of archdeacon of the cathedral of the Diocese of Angola and Congo.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externo ao Programa - 1544079 - ROBERTO GUEDES FERREIRA - UFRRJExterno à Instituição - ANDERSON JOSE MACHADO DE OLIVEIRA - UNIRIO
Externa à Instituição - ARIANE CARVALHO DA CRUZ - OUTRO
Externo à Instituição - WILLIAM DE SOUZA MARTINS - UFRJ