Introduction
King Dom Pedro IV of Portugal, otherwise known as Emperor Pedro I, the first Emperor and Perpetual Defender of Brazil was a major part of post-Napoleon history in Europe and South America, leading the Brazilian Independence and Liberal Wars in Portugal. Also recognized as Pedro the Liberator in Portugal, both Portugal and Brazil owe their modern governments to him for moving both nations from absolutist governments to representative governments after abdicating two thrones in favor of his children ruling constitutional governments.(“Liberal Wars”)(MaCaulay)
Portugal and Brazil are now both republics, but Portuguese politics of the early 19th century were unique because of the distance separating Brazil from Portugal. The government of Portugal at the time was an interim parliamentary government, that was put in place after the French Invasion, while the original monarchy still existed at the same time in Brazil.(Pappas) The royal family, known as the Braganza family, consisted of King Dom Joao, exiled Prince Miguel, Prince Dom Pedro, and several other siblings.(Pappas)
All the factors that led to the Brazilian Independence were centered around the Braganza Family and Dom Pedro. Without Dom Pedro and his bloodline, modern Brazil would not be what it is today. Trade, the Cortes, political history, and Brazilian Independence were all centered around Dom Pedro and the Braganza family.
In this paper we will example how the history of the Brazilian Independence is an important aspect of colonial history, modern politics, and early modern economics. Brazil continued the trend of colonies declaring independence from their ruling nations, closely following the United States. Dom Pedro’s political reforms led to the modern republics of Portugal and Brazil, and the Braganza presence in Portugal’s influence on Brazil’s early 19th century economy.
Background
In 19th century Europe, Emperor Napoleon of France was moving around Europe, conquering kingdoms and empires, frightening many nations including the British ally Portugal. The Portuguese court was quickly moved to Brazil and the nine-year old prince Dom Pedro grew up in Portugal’s colony of Brazil. (Pappas) Napoleon was defeated by the British and was thrown in exile and Portugal’s interim Cortes (parliamentary) government requested the return of royalty, leading to negative relationship between Brazil and Portugal.(Pappas)
The move to Brazil happened when Dom Pedro was young and thus removed many attachments with Portugal. He grew to align himself with Brazilian interests in Brazil, spending 27 years of his 36-year life there.(Minister) Meanwhile, trade had begun to flourish in the renewed Portuguese territory, no longer called a colony, rather the Kingdom of Brazil in the presence of the Portuguese Court.(Pappas) Rio de Janeiro became the new center of Portuguese trade and grew rich with goods and resources.(Pappas)
Napoleon was defeated by the Russians and British in Europe and Portugal was liberated from his family's control, but the damage had already been done.(Pappas) Napoleon had brought new political ideas to Portugal, creating liberal constitutionalists who believed in a constitutional monarchy.(Pappas)
These liberal constitutionalists formed a parliament in Portugal called the Cortes and demanded the return of King Dom Joao from Brazil. Dom Joao obliged, leaving his eldest son Dom Pedro as Regent Prince of Brazil. (MaCaulay) Many of the Portuguese military officers in Brazil were sided with the Cortes and the constitutionalist movement in Portugal, General Jorge Avilez manipulated Dom Pedro into dismissing loyal ministers, reducing Dom Pedro’s power.(Meyer)
All of Brazil became subject to political subordination, the Cortes decreed that Dom Pedro, now Governor of Rio de Janeiro, has to return to Portugal and Dom Joao’s courts were done away with. Dom Pedro with encouragement from close friends and his wife declared that he was to remain in Brazil against the Cortes’ wishes.(Meyer)Dom Pedro eventually pledged himself to the Brazilian cause after dismissing General Jorge Avilez who instigated riots after Pedro’s declaration. (Meyer) After completely removing ties to Portugal Dom Pedro was crowned Dom Pedro I, Constitutional Emperor and Perpetual Defender of Brazil.(MaCaulay)
Main Results
When reviewing the Brazilian Independence we see that it was relatively peaceful compared to other major independence movements. There were no military battles fought, no massacres, no murder, just political influence and clashing of ideologies.(Pimenta) The Royal family was a monarchy, the Cortes was a parliamentary liberal constitutionalist government, both of which had agreed on a constitutional monarchy which ruled Portugal. (Pimenta) The Cortes had claimed more power, had stripped Pedro of his regent status to Governor of Rio. (Paquette) When Pedro began resisting, he began a political war where he sought to separate Brazil from Portugal, so he could rule as Emperor. Pedro dismissed many pro-Cortes ministers and replaced them with loyal ministers like Bonifacio. (Paquette)
Once the Cortes attempted to disband the Bonifacio cabinet and call him to Portugal, Pedro received a petition that had 8,000 signatures asking that he stay, to which he obliged.(Pimenta) General Jorge Avilez mutinied and tried to use military force to drive Pedro back to Portugal. Pedro gathered all of his loyal troops, militias, and armed civilians, outnumbering Avilez’s army so Avilez surrendered and returned to Portugal. (Pimenta) In rallying the Brazilian people under his political influence Dom Pedro had managed to avoid any military battles and bloodshed, highlighting Brazilian independence as one of the only majorly peaceful independence movements. ( “Brazil – Independence | history – geography.”)
Analysis
The Cortes, the opposition to Dom Pedro, was comprised of many Portuguese revolutionaries who were ideologically driven to create a liberal parliamentary government.(Meyer) The Cortes tested their power by demanding the return of King Dom Joao to Portugal, once Dom João returned to Portugal, the Cortes returned Brazil to colonial status and stripped Dom Pedro of his regent status to Governor of Rio de Janeiro.(MaCaulay) Pedro was manipulated by the pro-Cortes military leaders to make unwise decisions, further testing the waters for the Cortes.(Meyer) These actions by the Cortes, with encouragement, pushed Pedro to resist their political power by staying in Brazil, leading to Brazil’s independence. (Meyer)
Dom Pedro was a major force that caused Brazilian Independence, but the people he was allied with in Brazil, including an able minister José Bonifácio, encouraged him and supported him throughout the independence period. (Meyer) Specifically, Bonifacio was central to Pedro’s success, due to him having the support of the Bonifácians and a good education. (Meyer) He eventually became one of Dom Pedro’s most trusted advisors. (Meyer) Bonifácio created the Bonifácio cabinet, which came to be dissolved by the Cortes in the sequential months. In reducing Brazil’s status from a kingdom to a colony deeply reduced the trade and therefore the income coming to Brazil as a whole.(Meyer) The colonists were angry towards the revolutionary Cortes to the point of supporting Dom Pedro. (Meyer) The support of the Brazilians was important for Pedro, having allies helped encourage Pedro to stand his ground, not just for himself, but for the Brazilian people.(Meyer)
Trade was a major factor in pushing the local colonists to support Dom Pedro after Brazil’s status was reduced, Portugal proceeded to reduce Brazil to a colony, which closed ports, impoverishing many of the colonists. (Pappas) This event pushed some colonists from supporting the Cortes to supporting their governor Dom Pedro. When Brazil was a kingdom, people took the status for granted, blindly enjoying the influx of trade to the Kingdom of Brazil.( “Brazil – Independence | history – geography”) The colonists turned to Pedro consequently giving Pedro I allies, which led him to stand against the Cortes.
Post-Independence
Independence was recognized by Portugal in August of 1825, all at the expense of Brazil except for the recognition of independence, including reparations. (Smith) Once independence was in place, Dom Pedro subjugated the majority of the Brazilian Provinces to his rule, losing Cisplatine (Uruguay).(“Brazil – Independence | history – geography”) King Dom Joao VI was allowed to style himself Emperor of Brazil not unlike Queen Elizabeth with Canada.(Smith) His death allowed Emperor Dom Pedro to gain rule over Brazil and Portugal, which led to him to resolving political issues in both kingdoms by drafting a constitution for Portugal for his daughter to rule by and a constitution for himself to rule Brazil under.(MaCaulay) He eventually abdicated his Brazilian throne to his five-year old son Dom Pedro II and returned to Portugal to restore his daughter to power.(James) He gathered a small Portuguese liberal army and successfully restored his daughter to the Portuguese throne.(“Liberal Wars”)
Conclusion
Dom Pedro has a legacy of being the central character behind Brazilian Independence and renewing Portugal, but none of his achievements would have happened without Napoleon, the Portuguese royalty, the Cortes, and especially the Brazilian People.The history of the Brazilian Independence was a long political journey without much physical bloodshed. This independence movement was unusual because it was not led by a bourgeoisie class rather by political leaders and royalty.
The conflicts that underlie the Brazilian Independence were centered around Dom Pedro, he was being stripped of power by the Cortes and held contempt for Portugal, bit by bit allying himself with Brazilian interests. Pedro was the perfect instrument for the Brazilian colonists to use to fight for independence, being not only politically influential but being the primary recipient of the Cortes’ negative presence in Portuguese politics. Brazilian Independence was primarily a personal and ideological conflict that was led up to by Braganza family-centered events.
The legacy of Dom Pedro is primarily positive as the ex-monarch had created the foundations of both the modern Portuguese and Brazilian governments.(Minister) The Braganza family exists to this day in Portugal, even after a republican government was made in 1910, with Dom Duarte currently heading the family. (Almeida) In Brazil, Dom Pedro II ruled for 58 years and was widely appreciated during his time, earning the respect of the United States.( “Brazil – Independence | history – geography”) Dom Pedro I helped along abolition and Brazil decades after his death finally abolished slavery. ( “Brazil – Independence | history – geography”)
Brazil today is an oil producing country that has a formidable soccer team globally that has recently pulled out of a recession.(Leahy) Known as the largest country in South America and having one of the world’s longest rivers, Brazil has a global presence comparative or surpassing Portugal to date, being an important representative for South America as a whole. Brazil today would not have existed without Dom Pedro and the Brazilian Independence and for that reason it is important that we observe what happened and why it happened to change our future.