 Construction began by the laying of the first stone on November 17, 1717 with a grand ceremony in the presence of the king, his entire court and the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon.Initially it was a relatively small project for a friary of 13 Capuchin friars, who were to observe strict poverty.However, when the flow of gold and diamondsfrom slave labour in the Portuguese colony of Brazil started to arrive in Lisbon in abundance, the king changed his plans and announced the construction of a sumptuous palace along with a much enlarged friary.