摘要：It was a great pleasure for me to be given this chance to write a reply to António Manuel Hespanha’s review of my book (O terramoto político (1755-1759) : memória e poder, Lisboa : EDIUAL, [D.L. 2007]. - 175 p.) in conjunction with Nuno Monteiro’s biography of José I, both of them dealing with the same period. Furthermore, these comments could mark the beginning of a debate that is fundamental for historians of 18th-century Portugal, namely on the genealogy and political meaning of Pombalism. The research that I undertook for this paper and other studies has led me to reach the following three conclusions: 1) The political system implemented by Pombalism meant a complete break with what came before; 2) Lisbon’s famous earthquake (1755) created the appropriate climate for such a break to take place; 3) The subsequent Marquis of Pombal, who acted as the catalyst for this transformation, was supported in his strategy by an assorted variety of politicians, amongst whom the most notable were a group of high court judges (desembargadores). In choosing the title Terramoto Político (Political Earthquake) for my book, my intention was to correlate the cataclysm with that political change
