On 29 June 1720, the Vila Rica revolt began when insurgents attacked the home of royal ombudsman Martinho Vieira de Freitas and destroyed papers. The rebellion protested the accelerated installation of foundries, taxation, military reforms, and other abuses. It was led by free settlers and local elites, not an abolitionist uprising; the mining economy they defended depended on enslaved labor. Naming that limit matters: colonial resistance could challenge imperial extraction while preserving racial slavery. The revolt lasted until 18 July, when the governor restored order and then violently punished participants, including the execution of Filipe dos Santos.
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Who led the Vila Rica revolt?
The revolt resisted imperial control but did not challenge slavery.
The Vila Rica revolt was an abolitionist uprising led by enslaved miners.
It was led by free residents and elites contesting royal policies.