On this day, May 8th, in 1782, one of the most influential (and controversial) figures in Portuguese history passed away. He was the man who essentially rebuilt Lisbon from the ashes of the 1755 earthquake. Often celebrated as the visionary who saved Lisbon, his legacy is deeply polarized. To many, he was a brilliant moderniser; to others, he was a ruthless dictator who used the 1755 earthquake to seize absolute power. Here is why he remains one of the most controversial figures in European history: 1. The "Enlightened Despotism" He was a man of the Enlightenment, but he didn't believe in democracy. He believed in Absolute Monarchy. He used his power to: - Crush the Nobility: He saw the old aristocrats as lazy and corrupt. His most infamous act was the Távora Affair (1758), where members of a high-ranking noble family were publicly executed on horrific charges of attempted regicide. Many historians believe Pombal used the "assassination attempt" on the King as a convenient excuse to wipe out his political rivals. - Abolish Slavery (in mainland Portugal): In 1761, he abolished slavery in Continental Portugal to encourage the flow of enslaved people to Brazil, where they were "needed" for the economy. This was a pragmatic economic move rather than a purely humanitarian one. 2. The War with the Jesuits He viewed the Catholic Church - and specifically the Jesuits - as a "state within a state." - In 1759, he expelled the Jesuits from Portugal and its colonies. - He seized their assets and secularized education. While this modernized the Portuguese school system, it was done through mass arrests, deportations, and the suppression of religious influence that had defined Portuguese life for centuries. 3. Economic Monopolies He created the General Company of Viticulture of the Upper Douro, which effectively created the first demarcated wine region in the world (Port wine). - The Pro: It protected the quality and price of Portuguese wine against British merchants. - The Con: It ruined many small local farmers who couldn't meet the company's strict, often biased, regulations. This led to the Companhias Riot in Porto, which he suppressed with extreme violence and public hangings.