An imperial formation joins a composite polity: the Portuguese Empire and the information system of the Hispanic Monarchy(1580–1640)

ABSTRACT

This essay seeks to understand the workings of Portugal’s overseas domains between 1580 and 1640, the time when kingdom and empire found themselves under the umbrella of the Hispanic Monarchy and were ultimately ruled from Madrid in lieu of Lisbon. The authors aim to identify what was new or different during this period with regard to the nature of political information on the Portuguese Empire, and the means of its collection, assessment and transmission. The article begins by perusing the institutional arrangements that made possible this model of imperial management, while simultaneously examining the types of written and visual materials that helped the three Spanish kings of Portugal to learn about and handle their ‘other’ empire. Next, it delves into one of the most important modalities of information during this period: the arbitrio and its rich interplay of evidence and advice. Lastly, the article investigates the deliberate dissemination of imperial news for propaganda purposes and the role played by war stories recounted through the so-called relaciones de sucesos. They argue that the informational fabric of the Portuguese Empire changed significantly during these 60 years and discuss the main transformations introduced.