Inspired by the British Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, Portugal passed the Saraiva-Cotegipe Law in 1875. Treaties with Britain, which actively policed the Atlantic to suppress the slave trade, forced Portugal to take further action.
Portugal Slavery Legislation 19th Century: Key Laws and Timeline
However, these measures coexisted with the active participation of Portuguese merchants in the African slave trade, which became a cornerstone of the empire’s economy. Despite this prohibition, the trade continued illegally, and the law did not apply to the colonies, where the demand for labor remained high.
More importantly for the transatlantic trade, Pombal banned the importation of enslaved Africans into the Portuguese mainland. While this move was partly driven by economic strategy and a desire to redirect labor sources, it marked the first time Portugal legally challenged the foundation of the slave system itself.
Portugal Slavery Legislation 19th Century: Key Laws and Timeline
Early Restrictions and the Context of Human Bondage Long before the formal abolition movement gained momentum in Europe, Portuguese monarchs issued decrees concerning the treatment of enslaved people. This process culminated in the definitive ban on the trade and the institution itself during the late 19th century.
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