Romani Penal Convicts within the 18th Century Lusophone World

Building from his research in Lusophone colonial archives in Portugal and Angola, Martin argued that the degredo system was a method of conquest, colonization, and settlement in early modern Portugal, in which Romani people were specifically targeted through legislation. As Portugal expanded its colonies, Romani individuals were identified as a surplus population to be expelled or pressed into labour, such as serving in the military or populating colonies. Many were deported to Angola without any crime other than their ethnicity. Documents like the cartas de guia reveal that Romani people faced unique treatment, with sentences often implying permanent exile and even “perpetual removal” from Portugal. Unlike other exiles, Romani families were sometimes forced to migrate together, reflecting a systemic intention to remove their community from the kingdom. By the mid-18th century, the state’s aim was not just to utilize Romani labour but to rid Portugal of Romani culture and identity. Laws and decrees targeting Romani life intertwined with Portugal’s broader colonial strategies, reflecting a racialized approach that predated and complemented the imperial project. This configuration treated Romani existence as incompatible with Portuguese norms, facilitating their marginalization and forced displacement to serve colonial interests. The evolving legislation underscored the racialized dimensions of penal labour, fitting Romani people into the needs of the expanding empire.

 

This presentation was part of the conference Internationale Tagung: Deportationspraktiken und Deportationserfahrungen in der Frühen Neuzeit – Die Habsburgermonarchie im internationalen Vergleich, held in Tübingen from 10 to 12 October 2024, and organized by the IdGL and the Commission for the History and Culture of Germans in Southeastern Europe (KGKDS) in cooperation with the Society for the Study of the 18th Century in Southeastern Europe (SOG18). The conference focused on the underexplored topic of deportations in the early modern period, particularly within the Habsburg Monarchy, with a comparative perspective on other European powers. It examined both the state practices of deportation and the experiences of the deported individuals, paying attention to their treatment during deportation and their lives in the regions where they were resettled using both macro- and microhistorical approaches.

 

More information about the conference here.