A centralidade da periferia.

Abstract

This article tries to understand the dynamic and constant relations established by the agents responsible for the silver exploitation and the commercial life of the Plate. To study those conflicts based only on the dualism of Spanish and Portuguese crowns isn't satisfactory, as long as both didn't act in a homogeneous way. Also, there were other nations involved, as Great Britain, France and Netherlands. After that, the article discusses the relevance of that territory to the Portuguese Crown, which came to establish a military fortress in Spanish America territory, in a singular way, when we think about the model adopted in the Atlantic possessions: a fortress dedicated to the defense of the Portuguese navigations but, overall, to protect smuggling.