05/10/1734
Created under royal protection by a group of wealthy merchants, the silk factory in Lisbon would have its first facilities in Fonte Santa, later settling at the bottom of Rua de S. Benedict in 1737 and finally in the Rato in 1738. The Royal Silk Factory was, at its beginning, the result of an initiative of Robert Godin, who in 1731 requested authorization to establish a silk fabric factory. However, it was only in 1734 that he was able to carry out this project by raising the necessary funds for the construction of the factory with the formation of the Silk Factory Company. Soon the factory began to experience technical and financial problems, as a result of a poor market and competition from English fabrics of better quality and lower price. After a period of decadence, in 1757, the factory would regain position in the national and overseas market on the initiative of the Secretary of State for the Kingdom and Mercy, Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, Count of Oeiras and future Marquis of Pombal.