DISNEY, A. R. A History of Portugal and the Portuguese empire. 1. ed.

New York:
Cambridge University Press, 2009. 385. p.

“Recent studies of a number of European monarchies in the early eighteenth

century have shown just how important personal ties could be. In particular, in
this era patron-client bonds frequently underlay and sometimes undermined more
formal arrangements and hierarchies […] at João V’s court rival networks and
factions strove to entrench themselves, their noble leaders contesting for position
behind the scenes. Intrigue was endemic, and seemingly innocuous palace
offices were among the most highly-valued and jealously-guarded prizes to which
a great nobleman could aspire.” (266)

“The palace privileges enjoyed by ‘grandes’ […] were far more than just
ornamentalist. On the contrary, through daily proximity to the King in person they
bestowed active membership of the inner-most circle of power, brought access
to confidential information and provided many vital opportunities to exert
influence. Intimate palace officials, who were almost invariably great nobles,
could support petitions, speak up for their friends and allies, advise and lobby.”
(266)

“In 1750, the Portuguese higher nobility formed a small, tightly knit, extraordinarily
exclusive group of families […] All ‘grandes’, as well many nobles of lesser status,
maintained ‘morgados’ as perpetual and indivisible inheritances for their firstborn
sons […] These sons invariable married, usually selecting their brides from the
same pool of illustrious noble families […] If the heir to one of these great houses
was a woman, she was expected to marry an uncle or other male relative in order
to perpetuate the family name […].” (292-293)

“[…] when Pombal came to power in 1750 Portugal possessed one of the most
closed and exclusive higher nobilities in Europe […] hostility towards Pombal’s
supremacy among elements of this higher nobility brewed and festered […] this
was a predictable manifestation of resentment by figures associated with the
previous administration, who were now out of favor; but it also reflected the age-
old tension between a centralizing crown and an aristocracy clinging to traditional
rights and privileges and seeing itself by-passed in a manner contrary to custom
[…] They resented his influence over the King and felt slighted, excluded or even
threatened by his overbearing manner.” (293)

“In the first half of the eighteenth century, great nobles […] retained a near-
monopoly of palace offices and high military commands and filled the leading
positions on the central judicial and administrative tribunals […] such nobles
expected, and received, copious crown patronage in the form of grants and
pensions and […] an […] share of ‘comendas’ […] only about one-fifth of the
income drawn by these personages came from their own properties. Almost all
‘grandes’ eventually abandoned their country seats and came to live in Lisbon –
to near the court.” (297)

Sobre Pombal -> “[…] the personal status of ‘grande’ was certainly something he
prized. But this did not deter him from rigorously excluding most traditional
‘grandes’ from central decision making – and simultaneously nurturing the new
nobility, which was mostly recruited from successful merchants and bureaucrats
and more like an elite of merit.” (298)

“Early in Maria’s reign a conciliatory gesture was made to the ‘grandes’ by

distributing to them a raft of favours, including nine new titles for first sons.
However, as a group the ‘grandes’ were not permitted to resume their previous
prominent role in central decision-making. Moreover, their ranks were gradually
expanded and therefore diluted.” (312-313)