One of the central themes in Maxwell’s work is the figure of Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo. While at Princeton, Maxwell began his first studies on King José I’s secretary of state, later dedicating a biography to him: Pombal: A Paradox of the Enlightenment (1995). The secretary of state, later granted the titles of Count of Oeiras and Marquis of Pombal, is key to understanding Portugal in the second half of the 18th century. However, Maxwell emphasises the paradoxical nature of Pombal’s politics. Though his policies were marked by systematic reformism, rationalism, and ideas of progress, his government was also defined by despotism. For Maxwell, pragmatism and adaptability were the keys to Pombal's success, and his boldness in taking action was considered “his greatest virtue.” Thus, in a complex balance between 17th-century absolutism and Enlightenment ideals, Pombal introduced reforms that shaped the kingdom and the empire's economic systems, adopting mercantilist and monopolist policies, and investing in education as a means to reform mentalities. He aimed to endow the Portuguese state with “four fundamental monopolies of power: over the means of coercion, over the tax system, over administration, and over justice, which were undoubtedly the aims that enlightened absolutism had always sought to achieve.” (Kenneth Maxwell, O Marquês de Pombal, 2001, p. 191).

Numerous changes took place in the kingdom during the Pombaline period. The earthquake of 1 November 1755 led to the reconfiguration of Lisbon, and Carvalho e Melo's swift response and dedication to the city's reconstruction earned him the monarch’s trust, consolidating his position within the state apparatus. In a sense, the new urban design of downtown Lisbon embodied his political project. The Portuguese capital was reborn with orderly, orthogonal streets, and strict construction regulations, with neither churches nor palaces standing out prominently. Lisbon’s main square was no longer the “do Paço” [Royal Palace] square, but rather the “do Comércio” [Commerce] square, reflecting the importance Pombal placed on merchants in his political vision. However, the majestic statue of King José I still stood at the centre of the square, symbolising his authority. While Pombal worked to advance the Portuguese economy — establishing commercial monopolies to benefit large merchants and traders, and investing in education and technical development — his centralising policies were always designed to strengthen royal power, on which he depended.

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