Madrid, Treaty of (1750)

Treaty of (1750) Madrid, agreement between Spain and Portugal that affected Brazil and the Río de la Plata. In the Treaty of Madrid, Portugal ceded to Spain Colônia, an important center of contraband trade, lands adjoining the Río de la Plata, and its free navigation of the river in exchange for two areas along the border of Brazil and an agreement to move seven Jesuit missions (along with thirty thousand Guaraní Indians) located in one of the territories. Signed on 3 January 1750, the treaty's terms faced vehement opposition in both countries. Among its detractors were the powerful Portuguese minister Pombal (Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo), the future Charles III (1716–1788) of Spain, and the Jesuits, who protested but obeyed. The Portuguese did the most to subvert the treaty, but the Jesuits in Spain (and government supporters of the order) suffered the most from its political repercussions when the attempt to evacuate the missions was met with bloody resistance in 1754 and 1756. The Treaty of Madrid was annulled by the Treaty of El Pardo (12 February 1761) which restored the Jesuits to their missions but renewed territorial disputes.

See alsoJesuitsxml .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Guillermo Kratz, El tratado hispano-portugués de límites de 1750 y sus consecuencias (1954).

Additional Bibliography

Cortesaão, Jaime. Alexandre de Gusmão e o Tratado de Madrid (1750). Rio de Janeiro: Ministério das Relações Exteriores/Instituto Rio Branco, 1950. Tomo I, parte II.

Pondé, Francisco de Paula e Azevedo. "A defesa das fron-teiras terrestres, 1750–1780 (de acordo com o Tratado de Madri)." Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro, 155:382 (Jan-Mar 1994), 197-226.

                              Suzanne Hiles Burkholder