The Church and Justice: Indians, Blacks and mixed-race before the instances of episcopal power in eighteenth century in Maranhão

Resumen

In colonial society, baptized Indians, mixed-raced individuals, cafuzos, mamelucos, Black people and pardos were subject to the jurisdiction of bishops. All dioceses had episcopal tribunals, but their records represent a documentary resource that has received little historiographical attention. The aim of this article is to investigate the role of episcopal power in the repression and attempt to control the deviant behaviours of the non-white populations whose members fell under differentiated ethnic and legal categories. Documents indicate a significant integration of Indigenous and mixed-race individuals into the Christian life of the communities based on the knowledge they demonstrated of the rules and behaviours required of Christians. The episcopal power largely preferred to rehabilitate and preserve these new Christians in colonial Maranhão of the Portuguese Amazon during the eighteenth century.