The State of Grão-Pará and Maranhão ( pt, Estado do Grão-Pará e Maranhão) was one of the states of the Portuguese Empire.

History

The state was created on 31 July 1751 by order of

Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal and 1st Count of Oeiras (13 May 1699 – 8 May 1782), known as the Marquis of Pombal (''Marquês de Pombal''; ), was a Portuguese statesman and diplomat who effectively ruled the Port ...

, the Secretary of the State for

Joseph I of Portugal Dom Joseph I ( pt, José Francisco António Inácio Norberto Agostinho, ; 6 June 1714 – 24 February 1777), known as the Reformer (Portuguese: ''o Reformador''), was King of Portugal from 31 July 1750 until his death in 1777. Among other activ ...

. The state was the successor to the State of Maranhão. While there were limited territorial changes, Maranhão was politically and economically restructured and its capital was moved from São Luís, in the

Captaincy of Maranhão A captaincy ( es, capitanía , pt, capitania , hr, kapetanija) is a historical administrative division of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. It was instituted as a method of organization, directly associated with the home-rule a ...

, to

Santa Maria de Belém Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnight ...

, in the Captaincy of Pará, which was raised to a unified state with Maranhão and had its name changed to Grão-Pará (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

: Great wide river). The purpose of creating this state was to stimulate economic activities.ANTIGO REGIME, IMPÉRIO PORTUGUÊS E GOVERNANÇA NO MARANHÃO E GRÃO-PARÁ.
/ref> In 1772, the state was split into two different states, the State of Grão-Pará and Rio Negro and the State of Maranhão and Piauí.

Composition

The State of Grão-Pará and Maranhão, for the most part, retained all the same captaincies from the State of Maranhão: *

* Captaincy of Pará *

Captaincy of Piauí A captaincy ( es, capitanía , pt, capitania , hr, kapetanija) is a historical administrative division of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. It was instituted as a method of organization, directly associated with the home-rule a ...

Captaincy of Ceará A captaincy ( es, capitanía , pt, capitania , hr, kapetanija) is a historical administrative division of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. It was instituted as a method of organization, directly associated with the home-rule a ...

* Captaincy of Tapuitapera * Captaincy of Caeté * Captaincy of Cametá * Captaincy of Cabo Norte *

Captaincy of Marajó A captaincy ( es, capitanía , pt, capitania , hr, kapetanija) is a historical administrative division of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. It was instituted as a method of organization, directly associated with the home-rule ...

Captaincy of Xingu A captaincy ( es, capitanía , pt, capitania , hr, kapetanija) is a historical administrative division of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. It was instituted as a method of organization, directly associated with the home-rule ...

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:State of Grao-Para and Maranhao Grao-Para and Maranhao Colonial Brazil Portuguese colonization of the Americas Former Portuguese colonies Former subdivisions of Brazil States and territories disestablished in 1772 1770s disestablishments in South America