The Brazil Empire comprises the period from 1822 to 1889 when the country was ruled by a constitutional monarchy.
This period began with the acclamation of Emperor D. Pedro I, in 1822, and lasted until the Proclamation of the Republic, in 1889.
First Reign (1822-1831)
Officially, the Empire of Brazil begins with the acclamation of Dom Pedro I as Emperor of Brazil, on October 12, 1822, when he turned 24.
D. Pedro I had to face the difficult situation created by some provinces where the Provisional Governing Boards were dominated by Portuguese.
The separation between Brazil and Portugal was not accepted, for example, in the province of Bahia where soldiers mutinied declaring themselves faithful to the Cortes of Lisbon. There, Dom Pedro I was not recognized as ruler.
After several battles, the Portuguese soldiers are expelled from Bahia and the fight ends on July 2, 1823.
Constitution of 1824
The Constituent Assembly was convened by D. Pedro I and met for the first time on May 3, 1823 to draft the first Constitution of Brazil.
D. Pedro I's declaration that he would defend the homeland and the constitution as long as "it was worthy of him and of Brazil", triggered several disagreements between the radical liberal deputies and the emperor, which led D. Pedro to dissolve the Assembly six months later. later.
After the dissolution of the Assembly, D. Pedro I chose a commission of ten people he trusted and charged them with drafting a Constitution for the country.
In 16 days it was ready, based on the project that had been prepared by the Constituent Assembly. On March 25, 1824, D. Pedro I swore to obey the Magna Carta that he granted to Brazil.
The 1824 Constitution established the constitutional monarchy as a political regime and the three Powers:Executive, Legislative and Judiciary. In addition, it created the Moderating Power, which would function as a counterweight where the Emperor could mediate between the three powers in case of crisis.
This concentration of powers in the hands of the emperor received criticism from several provinces. This was the case in Pernambuco, where a separatist revolt began in 1824, with the accession of Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará, which created the Confederation of Ecuador,
The movement managed to remain in government for a short time. The repression was violent and one of the leaders, the popular Pernambuco-born Frei Caneca (1779-1825), was arrested and shot.
The abdication of D. Pedro I
D. Pedro I faced great financial and political difficulties during his government. The concentration of powers, the violent repression of the Confederation of Ecuador, the constant loans, the bankruptcy of the Bank of Brazil (1829), among other factors, contributed to diminish the prestige of the emperor among the population.
Likewise, with the death of Dom João VI, the question of succession to the Portuguese throne arose. Dom Pedro I was the heir, but as he was already emperor in Brazil, Dom Miguel, his brother, proclaimed himself king of Portugal. Dom Pedro I protested, as Dom João VI had not removed him from the line of succession.
He then decides to abdicate the Brazilian throne, after ten years ruling Brazil. His heir was Pedro de Alcântara (1825-1891), who was just over five years old, and only reigned later, with the title of D. Pedro II.
Regency Period (1831-1840)
During this period, the Provisional Triune Regency (1831) ruled the Empire; the Permanent Triune Regency (1831-1835).
The Constitution of 1824 determined that the Empire would be governed by a regency composed of three members, in case of minority of the heir.
In 1834, important changes were made to the constitutional text, such as the establishment of a single regent for the Empire. This change became known as the Additional Act of 1834.
Father Antônio Feijó (1784-1843), Minister of Justice, was elected to the post and took office on October 12, 1835.
Diogo Antônio Feijó's Regency lasted until the year 1837, but in the face of growing revolts in the provinces he resigned from the position.
The following year, Pedro de Araújo Lima (1793-1870) was chosen as the new conductor. Araújo Lima's regency, however, was unable to ward off the prevailing climate of dissatisfaction.
During the regency period there were several political crises, marked by popular rebellions against poverty, among them:
- Cabanagem (1835-1840), in Pará;
- Sabinada (1837-1838), in Bahia
- Balaiada (1838-1840), in Maranhão;
- War of the Farrapos (1835-1845), in Rio Grande do Sul.
The anticipation of the majority of D. Pedro II was presented as a solution to the struggle between political factions and the protests in the provinces, since the emperor would be a neutral power and a legitimate authority figure.
The emperor's early majority was proclaimed on July 23, 1840, before the General Assembly. He ascended the throne at the age of 14 years and 7 months.
The Second Reign (1840-1889)
D. Pedro II ruled Brazil for almost half a century. The beginning of this period was marked by partisan struggles for power, giving rise to the Liberal Revolts of São Paulo and Minas Gerais.
One of them was the Praieira Revolution, a liberal movement that took place in Pernambuco. It was not until 1850 that the Empire experienced a period of calm in domestic politics.
On the other hand, Brazil's foreign policy during the Second Reign was focused on South American balance. The objective was to maintain the free navigation of the Plata, Uruguay, Paraná, and Paraguay rivers.
Brazil undertook three political campaigns in the Rio de la Plata region between 1851 and 1870:the War of the Silver (also known as the Campaign against Oribe and Rosas) and the Campaign against Aguirre (Uruguay).
In 1864-1870, Brazil would respond to the invasion of Paraguay, waging a war against this country. The conflict would end with the death of the Paraguayan dictator Solano López and the Brazilian victory.
Economics in the imperial period
Sugar, cotton, cocoa, tobacco and rubber represented a significant part of agricultural production during the Empire.
However, the product that came to occupy the top of the Brazilian export agenda at this time was coffee. In the Southeast Region, this product was responsible for the emergence of the aristocracy of the Second Reign.
At the same time, the campaign for the abolition of slavery around the world began. This will divide the Brazilian elite throughout the 19th century.
The slave arm began to be replaced by the free labor of the European immigrant, especially from 1848, when several political crises occurred in Europe.
The Brazilian industry began to germinate in 1844 when the first railways were built, sugar mills were mechanized, gas lighting was installed, etc. Among the entrepreneurs of the second half of the 19th century, the Barão de Mauá stood out.
Brazil Republic
The imperial government was without the support of rural elites after the abolition of slavery in 1888. The relationship with the Army also deteriorated after the Paraguayan War.
A group of dissatisfied military meets and carries out a coup on November 15, 1889. The Imperial Family was exiled and the imperial period came to an end in Brazil.
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