**Context:** During the Napoleonic Wars, the European absolutist monarchies fell one by one against the French general, who installed his brothers as regents. Fearing the same disgrace as Spain, King John VI of Portugal, acting as regent for his mother, pursued a daring plan: to exile his entire court to their largest colony, Brazil.
With the help of the United Kingdom, ships crammed with people and belongings set sail across the Atlantic Ocean toward Rio de Janeiro in 1807. This fact made it the only moment in Western history that a colony was the capital of an empire. This was reflected in the following years: in Brazil, there was nothing, since its sole function was to deliver resources to the metropolis.
Dom João then created all the institutions that existed in Portugal in Rio, establishing a post office, banks, a press, and opening trade to all friendly nations (which in practice was only England). The process concluded in 1815 with the creation of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves, elevating Brazil’s colonial status to an equal one.
Meanwhile, in Europe, the remaining Portuguese increasingly desired the return of their monarchy after Napoleon’s defeat. In 1820, the Liberal Revolution of Porto broke out, creating a new constitution that not only removed absolutism but also demanded the return of the entire royal family to Portuguese territory. During this tense period, there were several Brazilian attempts to maintain the United Kingdom, including proposals to rotate the empire’s capital between Lisbon and Rio. However, the Portuguese courts rejected all proposals and sought to demote Brazil to a mere colony as before.
The royal family went without first advising King John of Portugal to his son, Pedro, to find a way to become king of that place before someone unknown did. Pedro de Alcântara attempted to represent his father in Brazil, but the courts still ordered his return to Europe. In response, he wrote a letter refusing to accept the offer and declaring that he would remain on Brazilian soil, thus triggering the process of Brazilian independence.
And the rest is history…
HistorianEntire311 on
In other words, Brazil and Portugal could continue to be the same country in the British style, with the United Kingdom if the Portuguese were not so stubborn.
The_ChadTC on
For some reason they didn’t like the prospect of looking at a map and reading “Brazilian Lusitania” on their country.
Traumatized_Explorer on
So how did it end? Is Brazil still with Portugal?
Kallassoppin on
I can barely imagine what the United Kingdom of Brazil and Portugal would have done in football…
GustavoistSoldier on
One of my favorite history books, Cidadania no Brasil, confirms this.
6 Comments
**Context:** During the Napoleonic Wars, the European absolutist monarchies fell one by one against the French general, who installed his brothers as regents. Fearing the same disgrace as Spain, King John VI of Portugal, acting as regent for his mother, pursued a daring plan: to exile his entire court to their largest colony, Brazil.
With the help of the United Kingdom, ships crammed with people and belongings set sail across the Atlantic Ocean toward Rio de Janeiro in 1807. This fact made it the only moment in Western history that a colony was the capital of an empire. This was reflected in the following years: in Brazil, there was nothing, since its sole function was to deliver resources to the metropolis.
Dom João then created all the institutions that existed in Portugal in Rio, establishing a post office, banks, a press, and opening trade to all friendly nations (which in practice was only England). The process concluded in 1815 with the creation of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves, elevating Brazil’s colonial status to an equal one.
Meanwhile, in Europe, the remaining Portuguese increasingly desired the return of their monarchy after Napoleon’s defeat. In 1820, the Liberal Revolution of Porto broke out, creating a new constitution that not only removed absolutism but also demanded the return of the entire royal family to Portuguese territory. During this tense period, there were several Brazilian attempts to maintain the United Kingdom, including proposals to rotate the empire’s capital between Lisbon and Rio. However, the Portuguese courts rejected all proposals and sought to demote Brazil to a mere colony as before.
The royal family went without first advising King John of Portugal to his son, Pedro, to find a way to become king of that place before someone unknown did. Pedro de Alcântara attempted to represent his father in Brazil, but the courts still ordered his return to Europe. In response, he wrote a letter refusing to accept the offer and declaring that he would remain on Brazilian soil, thus triggering the process of Brazilian independence.
And the rest is history…
In other words, Brazil and Portugal could continue to be the same country in the British style, with the United Kingdom if the Portuguese were not so stubborn.
For some reason they didn’t like the prospect of looking at a map and reading “Brazilian Lusitania” on their country.
So how did it end? Is Brazil still with Portugal?
I can barely imagine what the United Kingdom of Brazil and Portugal would have done in football…
One of my favorite history books, Cidadania no Brasil, confirms this.