The knowledge of the Tibagi sertões water basen and diplomacy inthe making of the Brazil south borders(1768-1773)

Abstract

The objective of this project is to understand the process of official record of the knowledge of the "sertões do Tibagi"´s (today Paraná State) water basin in the 18th century and its relation with the sketched of the borders between the both Iberian Crown in the America. The main hypothesis is that, with the revocation of the Treaty of Madri (1750) by the Treaty of El Pardo (1761) the Portuguese Crown and some metropolitan authorities with oversea action were engaged in the organization of exploratory expeditions of the the river system that was part of that "sertões". Most part of the rivers from this region was tributary or waterway to the navigation of the Paraná River, what was division line between the Spanish and Portuguese Crown. In contrast both Iberian Crowns had not a body of knowledge about the direction of these tributary rivers, as it was demonstrated by the failure of the Treaty of Madri commissions. The both Iberian commissions didn´t get to find coincidence between the direction of the rivers recorded on the text of the Treaty of Madri and that they faced. Because these rivers were on the Portuguese land, in spite they were also target of the political interest of Spain, the Portuguese Crown organized a program for making a body of knowledge about them. This process and its social and diplomatic consequences and results will be searched in administrative and cartography materials that were produced by both Iberian Crowns. (AU)