Une pierre d'aimant qui attire tout. un savoir disputé: L'héraldique au Portugal au XVIIe siècle, 

In the 17th century, the production of heraldic works in Portugal was abundant but controversial. These controversies rested mainly on the monopoly issues that the heralds in the service of the Crown wanted to reserve for themselves in these matters. Heraldic knowledge formed a complex discourse justifying the political and social order, reflecting the ideal image of society and at the same time pretending to correct its defects. The rivalry between royal officers and private individuals made visible the precarious balance between the Crown and the different social forces that sought to appropriate this matter, in the context of the Iberian Union and then, after 1640, with the restoration of the independence under the house of Braganza.