The Possession of Bodies, Souls, Culture, and Lands

The Regimento das Missões in the Madeira Basin

Abstract

The Age of Exploration marked the first major globalizing endeavor in history. In its colonial expansion, the Portuguese State adopted various strategies to dominate and exploit conquered territories, among which the alliance with the Catholic Church stood out. The Church was tasked with administering indigenous territories, where natives were subjected to exhaustive labor but, at the same time, "saved" through religious conversion. Additionally, practices such as the spread of diseases like smallpox and measles through contaminated gifts, as well as armed warfare, were frequently employed to ensure control over local populations. The Regimento das Missões (Regiment of Missions), established in 1686, emerged as an effective system for occupation, exploitation, and catechization in the Amazon, consolidating a monopoly over indigenous labor. However, this centralization deeply displeased colonists, who saw their economic interests constrained. This article focuses on analyzing the Regimento das Missões and its implementation in the valleys of the Madeira, Mamoré, and Guaporé rivers. To this end, bibliographic and documentary research methods will be used, complemented by comparative analyses of accounts written by contemporaries of the period.