The establishment of the Macau City Council can be traced back to 1583 (the eleventh year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty). However, at the beginning, the focus of this council's work was not actually the Ming Dynasty.

An important historical event occurred at that time: Chen Rui, the new governor of Guangdong and Guangdong in the Ming Dynasty, summoned the leaders and bishops of the Portuguese people living in Macao, and officially allowed the Portuguese to reside in Macao, ending the previous vague attitude of the Ming Dynasty towards Macao.

What followed closely was the establishment of the Macau City Council.

Since it is a city council, it naturally represents the interests of the local Portuguese people in Macau. In other words, this city council was established by local churches and high-level Portuguese businessmen who have interests in Macau.

In fact, when the Macau City Council was established at that time, the most important task was not to work against the enemy, but to "unite together to prevent the Spaniards who had annexed Portugal from coming to share the profits from trade with China."

Yes, the Spanish colonists at that time were the great enemies of the Portuguese colonists - although the two peoples had legally become one country at that time, to the Portuguese in Macau, the Spanish were the great enemy.

This is a long story.

Five years ago, in 1578, King Sebastian of Portugal launched a holy war against Moslin in North Africa, but the holy war failed and Sebastian was captured and executed.

Since King Sebastian had no heir, Portugal had a throne succession crisis. In the following years, Portugal had heirs such as his uncle Inrici and his nephew Antonio. However, all of the above people were rejected by Pope Gregory XIII.

be opposed to.

After this, King Philip II of Spain, who was favored by the Pope and had the highest priority to the throne of Portugal in terms of blood relationship, appeared. So in November 1580, Philip sent Duke Elba to lead an army to capture Lisbon.

, Antonio was forced into exile.

In 1581, the Portuguese Council, under military and papal pressure, finally conditionally recognized Philip's succession to the Portuguese throne and became King Philip I of Portugal. Although the Portuguese still retained considerable autonomy, the two countries

This was considered a legal merger. After that, the Portuguese in Macao were recognized by the Ming Dynasty.

To put it simply, a group of lost dogs and people who had subjugated their country, with hatred for Philip I of Spain, and fear and precaution against the Spanish bandits who had just occupied the Philippines, established an indigenous Portuguese city council in Macau to protect colonial interests.

In 1623, after the Macau City Council had been operating happily for decades, the Portuguese once again officially obtained the "residence" document from the Ming Dynasty. At the cost of 500 taels of silver per year, they legally obtained a long-term "lease".

"Macau's rights.

At the same time, mainland Portugal began to officially send governors to the Macau colony.

The first governor of Macau who officially took office in Macau was named Mashakar Luye. At this point in time, it was not far away from the arrival of the time travellers.

Like the exiled officials of the Ming Dynasty, the governor sent by the Portuguese "court" was naturally not welcomed by the indigenous Portuguese. You must know that at this point in time in 1623, the Jiajing year after the Franji people first came here,

More than 70 years have passed... The indigenous Portuguese people living in Macau have been reproducing for several generations. Many of them have never returned to the mother country of Portugal and are pure "colonial indigenous people".

The Macau City Council, which is dominated by the indigenous people, naturally does not like the Governor/Imperial Envoy sent by the higher authorities. Therefore, starting from the first Governor of Macao, the relationship between the two parties has not been harmonious. The powers of the Governor have been overridden by the Aboriginal Council.

It was strictly limited to military defense, and the official residence was also located in the fort. In the original history, this situation would have to undergo at least a hundred years of evolution before it formed a pattern in which later governors took charge of military and political power in the colonies.

....................................................

April 3, 1631, noon, Macau City Council.

The parliament hall, with rows of fan-shaped tables and chairs and a lecture table in the center, has begun to take shape as a mature parliament in later generations.

At this moment, the parliament was in chaos. About forty or fifty members of Congress who had rushed over after learning the news were making a noise without grace, completely losing the order that they should have in the past.

In the center of the hall, a group of important people were gathered around a long table, turning a deaf ear to the noisy voices behind them - everyone was listening carefully to the words of a Ming Dynasty translator.

The chubby translator in a floral satin robe was none other than Mr. Niu Xijianniu, who had recently acquired shares of Zong's Trading Company.

At this moment, Mr. Niu stretched out his fingers and crossed line by line on the Chinese official document specially sent by his uncle. At the same time, fluent Spanish came out of his mouth, which can be called the simultaneous speech of human flesh in the seventeenth century.

translator.

Generally speaking, this official document sent from the Guangdong bureaucracy of the Ming Dynasty is quite "special".

The special point is: although this is a standard official document in Ming Dynasty format, and it is also written in traditional Chinese characters, the wording and sentences in it are extremely straightforward, not Ming Dynasty style at all... Yes, this is

The time-travel style is the memorandum model of later generations that strives to be accurate in writing and avoid ambiguity.

This is a fatal memorandum, or a final announcement. It is divided into two parts.

Part One: The "Resolution on the Expiration of Haojing'ao Ground Rent in the Fourth Year of Chongzhen" drafted by Xiangshan County Hufang has been approved by the superior departments Guangzhou Fuhufang and Guangdong Zuobu Zhengshiyamen: Starting from this year, Ming Dynasty

The Guangdong government decided to take back the land rights of Haojing'ao and stop leasing it to external parties. At the same time, it stopped collecting the annual land rent of 500 taels from the Flangji people.

The document clearly states: All buildings and their attachments on the ground in Hao Jing Ao are irrefutably the property of the Ming Dynasty government, and anyone who intentionally destroys or damages them will be prosecuted for criminal liability.

The second part of the document is about the placement of Flangji tenants.

First of all, the Ming government generously gave the Francois 7 days to find a new house to live in. Here, Manila, Batavia and Banten were friendly recommendations in the document.

For those foreigners who are unable to leave, the Guangdong government also made a generous promise: allowing foreigners to apply for green cards and work visas based on their family property (the above capital verification and certification and other services are entrusted by the Guangzhou Governor's Office to Zhangchao General Military Mansion)

).

For all foreign visitors who successfully apply for a visa, Zhangchao General will be responsible for providing temporary accommodation and proper resettlement in Yizhou.

above.

When Mr. Niu translated this association loudly with sweat on his head, the high-end people in Macao present fell silent.

Prior to this, the Portuguese who had just received the official document did not actually understand the meaning of the official document. Because several gentlemen present at the time were not familiar with Traditional Chinese, they could only make vague guesses, plus they heard it from Uncle Zhong.

A little rumbling.

Even so, the Portuguese felt a strong sense of danger, so Secretary Andrade sent someone to urgently summon the governor, parliamentarians and bishops.

When the congressmen came to the parliament one after another, the superficial meaning of the official document had been translated, which caused a collective noise among the congressmen. After that, the official translator Mr. Niu, who came over, translated the document in Portuguese.

Read out all the surface and hidden meanings of the official document.

"Declaration of war, distinguished lords, this is a declaration of war sent by the Ming government!"

Although there was not a single murderous word in the official document, it was a declaration of war. Mr. Niu was sweating profusely, and the last words decided the outcome.

Following Mr. Niu's words, the most urgent closed-door meeting since the establishment of the Macau City Council began.

First of all, the current Speaker Lalo spoke. This descendant of the nobles from Lisbon, with the help of Mr. Niu, clearly informed the members and the governors and bishops who came to the meeting: The Guangdong government of the Ming Dynasty was driven by the Cao family.

, officially made the most unfavorable choice for Portuguese residents.

Yes, as soon as the document was completely translated, the Portuguese high-level officials realized who was behind this document.

After all, the Franji people have lived in the land of the Ming Dynasty for decades, and they know the Ming Dynasty government very well. They know that the government cannot write such legal documents.

So who can write it? Didn’t the official document say: Zhangchao General Military Mansion.

The big mastermind behind the scenes.

In fact, many Portuguese people present had a vague feeling after hearing the shocking news announced by the speaker: the second boot has finally fallen.

In recent years, the Cao Pirate Group, a force that emerged from Yizhou, has already become a formidable enemy of the Portuguese.

From cutting off Japanese trade at the beginning, to monopolizing cross-strait trade, to suppressing the Portuguese forces in Macau, and finally openly showing their fangs and clearly demanding the Portuguese get out of Macau, this series of changes all happened in front of the Portuguese.

.

However, the opponent's development was too fast. Whether it was hard power or soft power, whether it was large gunboats or the official position of deputy commander of the Ming Dynasty Navy, the Portuguese had nothing to say.
Chapter completed!