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Portuguese Casa da Índia

Type Object Region Portugal Time 1434–1833

The Portuguese Crown's central administrative and financial body monopolizing trade with the East, tracing its origins to the Guinea House founded by…

Timeline

  1. 1434–1450Lisbon · PortugalPrince Henry established the Casa da Guiné, centrally managing exploration licenses, tariff collection, and prize distribution along the west coast of Africa, providing an organizational model for the later royal house that integrated Eastern trade.
  2. 1481–1490Lisbon · PortugalJohn II brought revenues from African gold and the slave trade under direct royal control and expanded Lisbon's port administration and accounting systems; after Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope, the house's functions began extending toward coordinating preparations for the India route.
  3. 1503–1600Lisbon · PortugalAfter da Gama opened the India route, the Crown merged the Guinea, Mina, and India trading bodies into the Casa da Índia, monopolizing the import of pepper and other spices, issuing fleet rosters, and auditing overseas fortress accounts.
  4. 1833Lisbon · PortugalLiberal reforms abolished the old royal monopoly trading bodies; the Casa da Índia's archives were transferred to the national archives, and its functions were replaced by modern customs and colonial ministry systems.

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