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The territory
in the 18th century

Some of the historical events during the reign of King D. João V
Timeline Territory 18th Century

Timeline Territory 18th Century

1764

Installation of the Mafra Bookstore in the space of the Library, at the request of the librarian friar João de São José do Prado.

Installation of the Mafra Bookstore in the space of the Library, at the request of the librarian friar João de São José do Prado.

1764

(Mafra National Palace/Luis Ferreira Alves)

1770

Arrival of the Cannon Regulars of Saint Augustine at the Convent of Mafra.

Arrival of the Cannon Regulars of Saint Augustine at the Convent of Mafra.

04/07/1770

(Saint Augustine, by Giovanni Baratta. In the decade of 1730)

1772

Institution of the Royal College of Mafra, by license issued by King D. José I. It was administrated by the cannon regulars of Saint Augustine, and was meant for the masculine population aged between 7 and 13, who were sons of the nobility or “honest and decent living” families.

Institution of the Royal College of Mafra, by license issued by King D. José I. It was administrated by the cannon regulars of Saint Augustine, and was meant for the masculine population aged between 7 and 13, who were sons of the nobility or “honest and decent living” families.

18/08/1772

(Sala dos Actos – Ritual Room – Convent of Mafra. image Luís Ferreira Alves).

1780

First plantation of the stone pine (Pinus pinea) at the Royal Park of Mafra.

First plantation of the stone pine (Pinus pinea) at the Royal Park of Mafra.

1780

(Photo by Rui de Medeiros)

1781

João Jorge Carvalho’s book named, “Gaticanea ou crudelíssima guerra entre os cães, e os gatos, dedicada em uma sanguinolenta batalha na grande praça da real Vila de Mafra” is published (It recounts the episode of a great fight between cats and dogs in the great square of the town of Mafra – translator’s note).

João Jorge Carvalho’s book named, “Gaticanea ou crudelíssima guerra entre os cães, e os gatos, dedicada em uma sanguinolenta batalha na grande praça da real Vila de Mafra” is published (It recounts the episode of a great fight between cats and dogs in the great square of the town of Mafra – <em>translator’s note</em>).

1781

1787

The Queen D. Maria I orders canon Joaquim de Assunção Velho to proceed with the installation of a lightning rod, that would be the first equipment of iots kind in Portugal and one of the first in the world.

The Queen D. Maria I orders canon Joaquim de Assunção Velho to proceed with the installation of a lightning rod, that would be the first equipment of iots kind in Portugal and one of the first in the world.

1787

The English Traveller William Beckford (1760-1844) visits Mafra in 1787 where he praises the Convent’s Library.

The English Traveller William Beckford (1760-1844) visits Mafra in 1787 where he praises the Convent’s Library.

1787 to 1788

“[…]. A livraria é de uma extensão prodigiosa; não tem menos de trezentos pés […]. A coleção de obras, que se compõe de mais de sessenta mil volumes, está agora encerrada numa série de casas, que comunicam com a livraria. […]. Diary of William Beckford in Portugal and Spain, Lisboa: National Portuguese Libriary. Introduction and notes by Boyd Alexander. Transalation and preface by João Gaspar Simões. P. 114-120).

1791

The cannon regulars of Saint Augustine leave Mafra returning to the Province of Arrábica.

The cannon regulars of Saint Augustine leave Mafra returning to the Province of Arrábica.

1791

(Saint Francis of Assisi, by Carlo Monaldi, in the decade of 1730).

1795

The English traveller, James Cavanagh Murphy (1769-1814), visits the Town of Mafra and writes the following: “Mafra. This is the name of a sumptuous building made up by a church, a royal palace and a convent, located on an arid and lonely region and about nineteen miles from Lisbon and founded by King D. João V in seventeen seventeen. By it nature and magnitude, this building may be considered the Portuguese Escorial (the founding regent wanted to mimic this structure); it occupies more land, but, if adequately applied, the treasures that are found here would have allowed for a building, much superior to the Escorial, to be raised in terms of architecture […]”.

The English traveller, James Cavanagh Murphy (1769-1814), visits the Town of Mafra and writes the following: “Mafra. This is the name of a sumptuous building made up by a church, a royal palace and a convent, located on an arid and lonely region and about nineteen miles from Lisbon and founded by King D. João V in seventeen seventeen. By it nature and magnitude, this building may be considered the Portuguese Escorial (the founding regent wanted to mimic this structure); it occupies more land, but, if adequately applied, the treasures that are found here would have allowed for a building, much superior to the Escorial, to be raised in terms of architecture […]”.

1795

1835

The Main Church of the Parish of Santo André is transferred to the Basilica of Mafra.

The Main Church of the Parish of Santo André is transferred to the Basilica of Mafra.

07/06/1835