Sesmaria
A sesmaria ( Portuguese fallow land , fiefdom ) is a historical Portuguese institution of agricultural law that was developed in Portugal in 1375 and was used during the colonization of Brazil .
history
The Sesmaria was first put into effect in Portugal on May 26, 1375 . The land awarded was originally given with the aim of fighting the food shortage in Portugal in the 14th century.
At the beginning of the colonization of Brazil, the Kingdom of Portugal had no way of ruling the vast country. The land was distributed as Sesmaria among nobles, deserving soldiers and citizens. With the acquisition of a "Sesmaria" the purchaser was obliged to cultivate the land and build shelters for people and cattle. The cultivation of cocoa and coffee was later promoted.
In addition to the goal of reclaiming the land, the allocation of the sesmarias also served to control the settlement of Brazil.