Ordenações

Ordenações are a series of Portuguese codifications of law enacted during the Portuguese Age of Discoveries. These laws were compiled and enacted by royal decree, aiming to unify and modernize the legal system of the Portuguese Empire. The first and most significant of these codifications was the Ordenações Afonsinas, promulgated in 1446 under King Afonso V. These were followed by the Ordenações Manuelinas in 1521, under King Manuel I, and finally the Ordenações Filipinas in 1603, enacted during the Iberian Union under Philip II of Spain, who was also King Philip III of Portugal.

The Ordenações Afonsinas were largely based on Roman law, with influence from Castilian law and canon law. They covered a wide range of legal matters, including civil, criminal, and administrative law. The Ordenações Manuelinas built upon the Afonsinas, incorporating new legislation and adapting to the evolving social and economic conditions of the time, particularly with the expansion of Portugal's overseas territories. The Ordenações Filipinas represented a further revision and expansion, attempting to reconcile existing laws and address new challenges arising from the vastness of the Portuguese empire.

These codifications had a profound and lasting impact on the legal systems of Portugal and its former colonies, including Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, and others. They provided a foundational legal framework that persisted for centuries, influencing legal development and jurisprudence in these regions well into the modern era. The principles and structures established by the Ordenações continued to shape legal thought and practice, demonstrating their enduring legacy.