In the last few years, the historiography has called attention upon the complex mechanisms that made possible the consolidation of the Portuguese empire. The study presented here intends to contribute in this way by looking into the crucial role played by royal officials within the overseas Portuguese government. Attention is given to the fact that these officials were engaged in power networks, which enabled them to defend their own interests, but not only this. By stressing the amplitude of these networks, which could even involve Church members, one can perceive how an administrative memory was being formed. This made possible to perceive these men as instruments of power and as producers of knowledge, as well as to see them as pillars that gave sustentation to the Portuguese empire.
power networks; royal officials; Portuguese empire