(DA CUNHA, LUIZ)

n.p.

Second half 18th-century

Maximas Discretas Sobre a Reforma Necessaria da Agricultura, Commercio, Milicia, Marinha, Tribunas, e Fabricas, N[acaõ] de Portugal. Reprezentadas, e dirigidas Ao Serenissimo Senhor Dom Jozé, Principe da Beira, Augusto filho do Senhor Rey Dom Joaõ V. Por Dom Luiz da Cunha. [“Discrete Maxims Concerning the Necessary Reform of the Agriculture, Commerce, Military, Marine, Tribunals and Factories of the Nation of Portugal.”]

Anti-Inquisitorial Tract by Luiz da Cunha, Portuguese Ambassador to France In 1742 King Joao V (1689-1750) suffered a debilitating stroke, which prevented him from taking an active part in civic affairs the last eight years of his life. In this memorandum, Da Cunha offers Prince José I (1714-1777), son of and successor to João V, practical advice as to how to improve Portugal's fortunes. Luiz Da Cunha (1662-1749), typified by H.P. Solomon as a "philosopher diplomat" was deeply concerned by the damage wrought to Portugal by its Jesuitic persecution of its "New Christians" or Christians of Hebrew blood - both in terms of Portugal's loss of prestige in the international community, and more pragmatically, the economic losses Portugal suffered by failing to avail itself of the services of Jewish merchants abroad. See A.S. Saraiva, H.P. Salomon, I.S.D. Sassoon, The Marrano Factory: The Portuguese Inquisition and Its New Christians (2001), pp. 221-22. For the printed version of this work see Kestenbaum & Company: The Cassuto Collection Part I, 24th February, 2011, Lot 285