Jurisdiction and subordination: attempts to provincialize the Church in Piauí (1822-1830)

Abstract

This article analyzes the first attempts at provincialization and political appropriation of the Catholic Church in Piauí. Considering that Piauí was under the political-administrative control of Maranhão until 1811, it is understood that the families belonging to the local economic elite acted in an articulated way in order to bring to the province the control over the Church, from the conception of this one while structure of legitimate power in order to exercise proper jurisdiction over spiritual government in the form of a diocese or similar organization that would serve their local interests. For analysis, the deputies in Piauí were investigated at Lisbon Courts (1822), as well as the local elite in the first provincial government organizations: the Presidency Council and the General Council. It became clear from the minutes, discussions and resolutions of the representatives in the Councils, and the confrontation of these with the relevant bibliography, that a cohesive local elite tried repeatedly to territorialize the Church within the province of Piauí, in order to exercise power directly over it, however, obstructed by the influence of the prelate of Maranhão and the indifference of the Central Government to the cause of Piauí.