The Diamond District: administration and fiscal system, 1730-1771

The solution found for the organization of diamond mining in Minas Gerais in the first half of the 18th century corresponded to the installation of a specific administrative structure based in the village of Tijuco (currently town of Diamantina) - the Intendancy of Diamonds, with jurisdiction over the territory in which it was believed to be located diamond deposits. In addition, the fiscal system of the new administrative body was particularly connected with that of the Royal Exchequer in Vila Rica (Ouro Preto), as well as with the Royal Treasury, in Lisbon (“Casa dos Contos do Reino”). This article analyzes this process between 1730 and 1771, with an emphasis on the more complex fiscal structure from 1740 on, which reveals a close association between contractors’ financial transactions and revenue and expenditure flows by the Royal Treasury in Minas Gerais and Lisbon.

Keywords:
Diamond District; Administration; Fiscal system