r/todayilearned • u/carboncopy95437 • 2h ago
TIL that Portugal’s crown prince, Pedro, was governing Brazil when he declared its independence in 1822, breaking with the kingdom ruled by his own father. A month later, he declared himself Brazil’s first emperor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_I_of_Brazil73
u/RFB-CACN 2h ago
Worth noting that it wasn’t his idea, although he enthusiastically embraced the position. The Brazilian political class that had gained much from being the capital of the Portuguese Empire since 1808, led by José Bonifácio, were unwilling to submit to Lisbon again but also considered the neighboring Spanish American Wars of Independence as disasters for the new countries. So they wanted independence but no republic, and they recognized they had something no other American country had, a royal already living in their country that had the legitimacy to call for a breakup without completely breaking Portuguese America apart like its neighbors. It took convincing but Pedro by January of 1822 was committed to the plan.
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u/Lost_Smoking_Snake 12m ago
this is the quiet part many don't know about brazilian independence. by the middle of 1822, Brazil was ruled by Pedro and his cabinet, specially José Bonifácio, who was the "go-to" problem solver for Pedro. In fact, the 1823 constitution assembly was called in august of 1822 (i think, maybe july, i haven't read about it for a time now)
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u/Dreamtrain 1h ago
As a Mexican I'm kinda jealous, we got ours after a decade of wars and then went on to have civil war after civil war for the next century (sometimes amid invasions from the US and France and other countries) because every moron thought they'd make a better president
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u/JeanSolo 10m ago
Brazil had a lot of civil wars too. Probably not as widespread and generally unstable as Mexico, but the regency period while Pedro II is getting old enough to become emperor is fucked up. 10-15 years of political unrest and civil war in many parts of the country. You have a sort of stable empire but as soon as Princess Isabel “suddenly” abolishes slavery in fucking 1888 the landowners managed to stage a coup and we become a republic. Some political unrest and a lot of shit going down around this time too. So yeah, probably less than Mexico but a lot of bullshit as well, like being pretty much the last country in the Americas to abolish something so grotesque and then immediately sending those extremely impoverished former slaves to build the first favelas in Rio (see morro da Favela).
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u/Due-Satisfaction-796 2h ago
The funny thing about this is that his father, the Portuguese King John VI never relinquished his son's heritage rights to Portugal's crown, despite his rebellion. As a consequence, upon his father's death, Peter became Emperor of Brazil, as Peter I, and King of Portugal, as Peter IV, at the same time. Eventually, his kingdom was divided permanently, as he divided his dominions among his children. Portugal went to his daughter, Mary, who became Mary II of Portugal, whereas the Brazilian Empire was inherited by his son, Peter II.
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u/Pretty_Eater 2h ago
He was a dick in Civ. Always went after his ass if he was in a game.
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u/N0rTh3Fi5t 2h ago
I think it's Pedro the 2nd in Civ, who would be the son of this guy.
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u/Pretty_Eater 2h ago
Ohhhh
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u/SadisticChipmunk 2h ago
Meh, maybe he was a dick too? Don't feel too bad...
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u/PhantasosX 2h ago
No, Civ have Don Pedro I and Don Pedro II.
Don Pedro II is portrayed as an elderly man with a long beard
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u/jobruski 39m ago
There's a fantastic podcast called Noble Blood that recently had an episode about his wife, Leopoldina. It is titled "The Apple is Ripe; Pick It Now Or It Will Rot".
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u/doublelxp 2h ago
TIL that this action later proved awkward as he later became King of Portugal as well.