The Federalist Revolution (1893-1895), occurred during the government of Floriano Peixoto , in the period called “República da Espada”, was a civil war in Rio Grande do Sul fought between the federalists (maragatos) and the republicans (woodpeckers). It represents one of the most violent and bloody uprisings in southern Brazil.
The revolution lasted two and a half years, from February 1893 to August 1895.
The trigger was the attempt to take the city of Bagé (RS) by Maragatos, due to its strategic position. From there, the movement spread to Santa Catarina and Paraná.
The revolution ended in August 1895, in the government of Prudente de Moraes , who was nicknamed the “Peacemaker”.
Prudente de Moraes signed a peace treaty with the maragatos, on August 23, 1895, in the city of Pelotas (RS). There, the defeat of the maragatos by the woodpeckers was established, as well as the amnesty for those involved.
Federalists and Republicans
The Federalists were called “Maragatos” by the Republicans. "Maragato" is a term used in Uruguay to indicate Spaniards from the town of Maragataria, in the province of Léon, Spain.
The maragatos were part of the Federalist Party of Rio Grande do Sul, founded in 1892. They were dissatisfied with the rise of Floriano Peixoto to the presidency after Deodoro's resignation. Likewise, they were against the centralized presidential system of government.
Therefore, they wanted the deposition of the republican Júlio de Castilho (elected President of the State), and they yearned for a federalist government, above all, with the decentralization of power. They were led by Gaspar da Silveira Martins (1835-1901) and Gumercindo Saraiva (1852-1894).
In turn, the Republicans or "woodpeckers" were nicknamed because of their outfit composed of blue clothes and red caps, reminiscent of birds. They were also called "Legalistas", "Chimangos" (name of a bird from Rio Grande do Sul) or "Castilhistas" (referring to the leader of the movement:Castilhos) and were on the side of President Floriano Peixoto.
Thewoodpeckers they believed in the consolidation of the republican system installed in 1889, in the centralization of power and in the modernization of the country. They were gathered in the Rio-Grandense Republican Party (PRR) and their main leader was the positivist journalist and politician, at the time State President, Júlio de Castilhos (1860-1903).
Siege of Lapa
One of the bloodiest and most tragic episodes of the Federalist Revolution became known as the “Cerco da Lapa” in the State of Paraná.
For 26 days, from January 14 to February 11, 1894, maragatos (led by Silveira Martins) and woodpeckers (led by Colonel Gomes Carneiro) faced each other.
The battle began with the invasion of the Maragatos in the state of Paraná, where they briefly took the capital, Curitiba. With the arrival of reinforcements from the republican troops, from São Paulo, the maragatos were massacred.
Arda Revolt and Federalist Revolution
At the same time, in Rio de Janeiro, then capital of Brazil, another conflict was taking place, the "Revolta da Armada". This was a dispute between the Navy, which rose up against the government of Floriano Peixoto, and the Army, which sided with this president.
Some fighters of the Armada Revolt tried to ally with the Federalists in the south of the country, who had conquered the city of Desterro (currently Florianópolis), in Santa Catarina.
However, Floriano Peixoto put an end to both revolts in 1894, which gave him the name "Iron Marshal", due to violent repression.
Curiosities
- The Federalist revolution was also known as the “Revolution of the Beheading”, since the beheading was common, in order to save arms and ammunition. In this context, many Federalists and Republicans were beheaded, approximately 2,000 victims.
- In a population of one million people, the Federalist Revolution left about 12 thousand dead, among woodpeckers and maragatos.
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