Fonds: Companhia Confiança Nacional

Date of creation: 25 September 1844
Date of extinction: 19 November 1846
Administrative history: By Decree of 25 September, the creation of a company denominated Companhia Confiança Nacional was approved and its statutes confirmed.

Companhia Confiança Nacional stemmed from the adjudication of the Contrato do Tabaco, Sabão e Pólvora (Tobacco, Soap and Gunpowder Contract) to which the Government associated a 4,000 contos (1) loan, on the basis of a prior agreement between the founders of the Company and the bidders of the Contract regarding the loan.

After establishment of the Company, bases for the sublease of the afore-mentioned loan were fixed, with the deed signed on 19 December 1844 and approved by a decree on 27 January 1845.

According to the statutes, the aim of the Company was to “carry out all lawful transactions deemed convenient by the Board” and its capital could reach 8,000 contos, with the first issue of shares amounting to 3,000 contos.

The subscription for 600 contos on the part of the Banco de Lisboa gave rise to an alteration in the statutes of the Company, approved by a decree on 5 October, increasing the number of Board members from seven to nine, so as to allow for the inclusion of two members of the Banco de Lisboa. However, a Decree of 4 November approved the new statutes and reduced the number of Board members to its original seven.

On 27 November the Company entered into a contract with the Government, approved by a law on 12 March 1845, whereby the former committed to founding savings banks (caixas económicas) in Lisbon and Oporto, followed by all district capitals. Its statutes were approved by Decree of 20 March. The Company opened the Savings Bank of Lisbon on April 20 and of Oporto on September 15, but did not open any further branches.

In September 1845, due to the opening of the Savings Bank of Oporto, an agency was set up there to receive all the money from deposits with the Savings Bank.

The consecutive loans granted to the Government and lack of payment on the part of the latter led the Company to a situation of financial distress, resulting in the signing of the Decree of 19 November, by means of which the assets and liabilities of the Company were integrated in the assets and liabilities of the Banco de Lisboa, which took on the designation of Banco de Portugal.

Documentation from this Company, totalling 35 volumes, reflects its entire activity throughout the two-year period during which it was active, and may be found in the Historical Archive along with Banco de Lisboa documentation.


Documentation dates: 1844-1858

No. items: 35
Extent: 1.09 Lm

Finding aid: Arquivo da Companhia Confiança Nacional (Col. Inventários, 3)
Access: No consultation restrictions.

All documentation is microfilmed and digitalized.

(1) Conto is the value of 1,000 escudos, the former Portuguese currency.