A Guarda Real de Polícia da Corte: instituição e policiamento no Rio de Janeiro joanino (1808-1821)

Abstract

This dissertation presents a study on the creation of the first Police force in Portuguese America in the context of the coming of the Royal family. The arrival of the Royal family caused a series of urban changes in the city and in the habits and customs in Rio of the Janeiro. With the status of City Court of the Portuguese monarchy also came the problems, in the most different spheres of public order and city administration, which needed to be solved. In order to solve them, D. João creates a specific organ in the city of Rio of the Janeir, in line with the needs of Portugal, able to meet the nascent needs: The General Police Oficce of the Court and the State of Brazil, which had the function to promote the reforms and to maintain order in the city, position occupied by the Police chief Paulo Fernandes Viana, whose function was to build a new Lisboa in Rio of the Janeiro. To assist him, the intendant had the Royal Police of the Court. We will analyze the creation of the Royal Police of the Court and its importance for the maintenance of order in the city of Rio of the Janeiro, its regulation, internal structure and recruitment. We will indentify the main groups of people arrested by the Police Department. We will also see the Police action in their specific functions of the streets, their behavior and their relationship with the main groups in the city