Podcast Summary

Podcast: Todo Concostrina
Host: Carlos (A) with Nieves Concostrina (B)
Episode: Terremoto en Lisboa durante la misa de difuntos. Cosas de dios
Date: November 2, 2023

Overview

In this episode, Nieves Concostrina revisits the catastrophic 1755 Lisbon earthquake, which struck during All Saints' Day and profoundly impacted not only Portugal but also portions of southern Spain and Morocco. With her characteristic irreverent and lucid style, Concostrina explores the disaster’s devastating consequences, its religious and societal implications, and how it catalyzed political, architectural, and ideological changes in Portugal and beyond.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Context of the Earthquake

• The earthquake struck on November 1, 1755—All Saints' Day—when churches were packed for mass commemorating the dead.
• The epicenter was in the Atlantic near Cape St. Vincent but the effects were felt as far as North Africa, France, Italy, the Azores, Cabo Verde, Canary Islands, and Madeira.
• The disaster included not just the earthquake, but also massive fires and a tsunami.

Quote [01:11]:
“Porque si el infierno existiera sería exactamente lo que vivió Lisboa el 1 de noviembre de 1755.” – Nieves Concostrina

2. Human and Social Toll

• The death toll remains uncertain, estimates for Portugal range from 30,000 to 70,000; Lisbon alone likely lost 5,000 to 12,000 lives. Morocco suffered 5,000 deaths, and in Spain about 2,000, particularly in Cádiz and Huelva due to the tsunami.

Quote [04:21]:
“En Lisboa hubo unos 12.000 muertos, según los cálculos más fiables, entre 5.000 y 10.000. En Marruecos unos 5.000. En España 2.000 de ellos, fíjate, Huelva y Cádiz. La mayoría ahogados porque era una cosa que no habían visto nunca.” – Nieves Concostrina

3. Religious Impact and Crisis of Faith

• The earthquake occurred as worshippers gathered in churches, increasing the victims among the faithful, whereas brothels—located on firmer ground in the outskirts—remained standing.
• The church's response blamed the population's “sinfulness” and cited divine wrath, leading to widespread anger and skepticism towards religious explanations.

Quote [04:57]:
"Podríamos decir que con el derrumbe de las iglesias y la cantidad de muertos que provocaron también se derrumbó la fe de los fieles." – Nieves Concostrina

• The event is positioned as a catalyst for the decline of religious influence and growth of secular, rational thought, playing a role in Portugal's eventual emergence as a secular republic.

4. Practical Explanations vs. Superstition

• The softer soil near the river where churches were built contributed to their destruction, while brothels on firmer outer terrain remained intact.
• The quote humorously underlines the randomness of divine protection.

Quote [05:49]:
"Había una explicación... el subsuelo de Lisboa en el centro urbano era blandito y los cimientos bastante inestables... Por eso Dios no le hizo ningún daño a las putas." – Nieves Concostrina

5. The Royal Family’s Escape and King José I

• The royal family survived because they had left Lisbon early for an excursion, avoiding church and the disaster.
• King José I was so traumatized that he refused ever to live indoors again and ruled from a luxury camp until his death.

Quote [07:13]:
“Reinaba un cagueta directamente. José I… se negó a pisar Lisboa. Ni fue a ver los daños, ni consoló a los súbditos, nada.” – Nieves Concostrina

• Nieves gives a biting account of royal cowardice and detachment from the suffering of their people.

6. The Marquês de Pombal and Lisbon’s Reconstruction

• King José I’s Prime Minister, the Marquês de Pombal, is credited for his decisive response: organizing fire brigades, managing burials (often at sea due to the scale), feeding and mobilizing survivors, preventing speculation, and enforcing public order.
• He worked to separate catastrophe from superstition, clashing directly with church authorities.

Quote [08:05]:
“Enterrar a los muertos y cuidar de los vivos.” – Marquês de Pombal, citada por Nieves Concostrina

• Pombal expelled the Jesuits and took the opportunity to weaken the Church’s influence.

7. Long-Term Effects and European Impact

• Beyond immediate devastation, the earthquake accelerated advancements in architecture (earthquake-resistant building), sismology, and civil protection.
• Enabled ideological shifts: increased secularism, early republican sentiments, and critical attitudes toward monarchy and clergy.
• Major urban changes: new street names and city planning.

Quote [11:11]:
“Fue el principio de muchos avances en arquitectura, en sismología, en prevención, en protección civil, en ateísmo, en republicanismo.” – Nieves Concostrina

• Anecdote of two children crushed in Madrid by a falling cross from a church ‘as if by divine will,’ underlining the irony of religious explanations for catastrophe.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On God’s supposed justice [03:14]:

"Si alguna vez se ha demostrado falsa esa frase hecha que dice que Dios aprieta pero no ahoga. Bueno, el terremoto de Lisboa. El terremoto apretó y ahogó de verdad." – Carlos

• On skepticism and anger after the disaster [05:50]:

"Las víctimas decían pero qué pecadores ni hostias en vinagre, si estamos en misa." – Nieves Concostrina

• On expelling the Jesuits [08:45]:

"A los jesuitas ya de paso los expulsó por plastas. Y fue decretarse la expulsión de los jesuitas de Portugal. Y el resto de países fueron detrás. Parece que les tenían todos ganas." – Nieves Concostrina

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:43 – 01:11: Setting the historical scene of the 1755 earthquake.
• 01:11 – 03:14: Geographic impact and unparalleled devastation.
• 03:23 – 04:49: Calculating victims, public behaviors during the disaster.
• 04:57 – 05:48: The fate of churches vs. brothels; crisis of faith.
• 05:50 – 06:51: Scientific vs. religious explanations.
• 07:07 – 08:05: The king’s reaction and Pombal’s famous “bury the dead, care for the living” command.
• 09:33 – 11:06: Pombal’s efficient management and social measures post-disaster.
• 11:10 – 12:38: Lasting legacy: scientific, political, and social impacts.

Conclusion

This episode masterfully blends sharp wit, rigorous history, and social critique. The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, under Concostrina’s lens, emerges not merely as a tragic event, but as a catalyst for Portugal’s modernization, secularization, and social rebirth—propelled, ironically, by both the indifferent forces of nature and the failings of church and monarchy.

Nieves Concostrina’s unmistakable tone—irreverent, incisive, and laced with dark humor—makes historical reflection on disaster both enlightening and entertaining for listeners. The episode stands as a reminder that often in history, it takes catastrophe to shake the very foundations of faith and society.