During the 17th century, the spiritual and political conquest process of the Amazon Amerindian populations was led by the Portuguese Crown and catholic missionaries. These missionaries were divided into many religious groups and were under Jesuits' main control. This article is about the political strategies of Christian Indians, at the time of the catholic missions, analysed through a singular episode which involved the Jesuit Antônio Vieira and the Principal Indian Lopo de Souza in the middle of the 17th century. The purpose is to bring out the complex political relationship, the surviving and fighting strategies for autonomy spaces from the Indians, who were placed between vassal order and slavery.
indian history; Amazon colonial history; cultural history