An Imperial Man in the Kingdom of Brazil: The Trajectory and Administration of Governor Francisco Alberto Rubim in the Captaincy of Espírito Santo (1812-1819)
Name: THIARA BERNARDO DUTRA
Publication date: 22/05/2025
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| ADRIANA PEREIRA CAMPOS | Presidente |
| KARULLINY SILVEROL SIQUEIRA | Examinador Interno |
| KATIA SAUSEN DA MOTTA | Examinador Interno |
| RAFAELA DOMINGOS LAGO | Examinador Externo |
| RICARDO ALEXANDRE FERREIRA | Examinador Externo |
Summary: The object of this thesis is the individual trajectory of the royal officer Francisco Alberto Rubim, a man from a family without social standing who, through his admission to the Royal Academy of the Portuguese Navy, built a long career in the Navy and rose to the governorship of two peripheral captaincies—Espírito Santo and Ceará—between 1812 and 1821. His path unfolded during a period marked by Portuguese Enlightenment reformism, the Luso-Brazilian Empire project, and the transition to Constitutionalism. His trajectory sheds light on the profile of a governor and his administration during the joanino period (the reign of João VI), aiming to reconstruct his record of service to the monarchy by identifying his social background and naval career, the requirements for appointment to the governorship of captaincies, the nature of his administration, the rewards gained from a life devoted to royal service, and his stance amid the political changes of his time. The analysis of his trajectory was conducted through the lens of microhistory, in which the individual serves as a means to glimpse the broader reality around him, allowing access to wider issues. As empirical support, the study used primary sources, some previously unpublished, of varied typologies such as ecclesiastical records, official loose documents, and political communications, stored in national and Portuguese archives. Based on the documentation analyzed, the thesis posits the hypothesis that Francisco Alberto Rubim adopted a political stance that rejected liberal and constitutional changes within the framework of the Luso-Brazilian Empire. His choices reveal the political crossroads of the period, his loyalty to the Portuguese monarchy, and the persistence of pre-Liberalism references.
