The Portuguese, in the 17th century, founded, in the territory of present-day Uruguay, the city of Nova Colônia do Santíssimo Sacramento, as they wanted to expand their territorial possessions in the region of the River Plate. However, the Spaniards, who dominated much of the land adjacent to this river, soon entered in conflict with the Portuguese, attacking the city of Sacramento and disputing domination of the region platinum.
During the conflicts between Portuguese and Spaniards, several agreements and interventions were made to end such disputes. The first agreement signed between both countries was the Treaty of Madrid, in 1750, which stipulated that the city of Sacramento would belong to the Spaniards. In exchange, Portugal won the territories of the Amazon and the region of Sete Povos das Missões, in the current state of Rio Grande do Sul.
According to the Treaty of Madrid, Spanish missionaries and indigenous peoples should leave Sete Povos from the Missions towards the Sacramento region (present-day Uruguay), but the indigenous people refused to leave there. In the year 1754, they rebelled and, thus, began the Guaranitic War, a conflict in which indigenous and Jesuit religious were defeated, after two years of disputes.
With the end of the Guaranitic War, the Treaty of Madrid was annulled, and in 1777, the Treaty of Ildefonso, in which it was determined that the region of Sete Povos das Missões would again be Spanish possession. Years later, in 1801, the Treaty of Badajós annulled the Treaty of Ildefonso and returned Missions to Portugal.
Leandro Carvalho
Master of History
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/guerras/guerra-guaranitica.htm
