The acclamation of the duke of Bragança as king of Portugal in December 1640 was legitimised through the preservation of a certain political constitution of the kingdom, threatened by the increasing interference of Madrid.

The overseas territories lacked an organ capable of accommodating the different interests consolidated during 60 years of aggregation to the Catholic monarchy. The Overseas Council had to fight, not always successfully, to preserve its role as the main interlocutor with the king in conquest affairs, using different legitimation strategies in order to strengthen its position.

The attachment of the overseas councillors to the preservation of their jurisdictions and to a concept of service to the monarchy that clashed head-on with the immediate interests of the new regime, however, actually undermined their interests. King João IV's decision to retain the council was mainly due to the nature of the coeval political practices and to the very discourse legitimising the new dynasty, which entailed respect for the kingdom's political constitution and conciliar government.

Negócios de Tanta Importância, O Conselho Ultramarino e a disputa pela condução da guerra no Atlântico e no Índico (1643-1661), Edval de Souza Barros (aut.), Lisboa: CHAM, 2008, 391p., (Colecção Estudos & Documentos, 4).

ISBN

9789898492395

Available at RUN - Repositório da NOVA (web)