State of Grão-Pará and Maranhão

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State of Grão-Pará and Maranhão
Estado do Grão-Pará e Maranhão
1751–1772
Flag
Flag
Coat of arms
Coat of arms
StatusState of the Portuguese Empire
CapitalSanta Maria de Belém
Common languagesPortuguese
Religion
Roman Catholicism
GovernmentMonarchy
Monarch 
• 1751–1772
John V
Joseph I
Governor General 
• 1751–1759
Francisco Xavier de Mendonça Furtado
• 1763–1772
Fernando da Costa de Ataíde Teive
History 
• Established
1751
• Disestablished
1772
CurrencyPortuguese Real
Preceded by
Succeeded by
State of Maranhão (colonial)
State of Grão-Pará and Rio Negro
State of Maranhão and Piauí

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

History[edit]

The state was created on 31 July 1751 by order of Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal, the Secretary of the State for Joseph I of Portugal.[1]

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, to Santa Maria de Belém, in the Captaincy of Pará, which was raised to a unified state with Maranhão and had its name changed to Grão-Pará (English: Great wide river).

The purpose of creating this state was to stimulate economic activities.[2]

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[edit]

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

References[edit]

External links[edit]