Pedro I of Brazil

Dom Pedro I, known as "the Liberator," was the first ruler of the Empire of Brazil from 1822 to 1831 and also briefly reigned as King of Portugal in 1826 as Pedro IV. Born in Lisbon in 1798, he was the son of King Dom John VI of Portugal and Queen Carlota Joaquina. When French troops invaded Portugal in 1807, Pedro and his family fled to Brazil, which was Portugal's largest colony.

As tensions grew, Pedro was left to rule Brazil as regent when his father returned to Portugal in 1821. Facing challenges from revolutionaries and Portuguese troops, Pedro chose to support Brazil when the Portuguese government threatened to take away Brazil's political freedom. On September 7, 1822, he declared Brazil's independence from Portugal, and on October 12 of that year, he was acclaimed Emperor.

Pedro worked hard to secure Brazil's new status, defeating armies loyal to Portugal and putting down rebellion attempts. Though he faced many difficulties, including wars and political struggles, he is remembered as a key figure in helping Brazil and Portugal move toward governments chosen by their people. Pedro I passed away in 1834 from tuberculosis, but his actions helped shape the future of both Brazil and Portugal.

Early years

Pedro was born on October 12, 1798, in the Queluz Royal Palace near Lisbon, Portugal. He was named after St. Peter of Alcantara and had a very long full name. Pedro belonged to the House of Braganza through his father, Prince Dom John, who later became King Dom John VI.

When Pedro was nine, his family left Portugal because French soldiers were coming to invade. They went to Rio de Janeiro, which was the capital of Brazil at that time. During the trip, Pedro read stories and learned about navigation from the ship's crew. In Brazil, Pedro lived with his father and brother in the Palace of São Cristóvão. Pedro's mother, Carlota Joaquina, had a difficult relationship with her husband and often tried to help Spain instead of Portugal.

Pedro was taught many subjects like mathematics, history, and languages, including Latin and French. However, he was more interested in physical activities. He loved horseback riding, training horses, and even became good at making shoes for horses. Pedro also enjoyed music, drawing, and working with wood. He married Archduchess Maria Leopoldina in 1817, and they had seven children together.

Independence of Brazil

Main article: Independence of Brazil

Liberal Revolution of 1820

Main article: Liberal Revolution of 1820

In October 1820, soldiers in Portugal rebelled, starting what is called the Liberal Revolution of 1820. They set up a new government and planned to create a constitution. Pedro, son of the king of Portugal, was asked to go to Portugal to help calm things down. Pedro supported ideas like freedom and fair government, unlike his father the king, who believed in strong, absolute rule.

Pedro’s father delayed sending him to Portugal. In February 1821, soldiers in Brazil also rebelled. Pedro talked to them and helped his father agree to their requests. When his father left for Portugal in April 1821, Pedro stayed behind in Brazil.

Independence or Death

Pedro worked to protect people’s rights and cut down on taxes. In January 1822, the Portuguese government ordered Pedro to return to Portugal, which many Brazilians did not want. Pedro told them, “I am staying,” and this day is remembered as the Day of Stay. When soldiers tried to force him to leave, Pedro fought back and they left Brazil.

Pedro traveled to different parts of Brazil to gain support. In September 1822, he heard that Portugal would not allow Brazil to govern itself. Pedro declared Brazil’s independence, saying, “By my blood, by my honor, by my God, I swear to bring about the independence of Brazil.”

Constitutional Emperor

Pedro became Emperor Dom Pedro I on October 12, 1822, when the Empire of Brazil was created. He was crowned emperor later that year. Some areas of Brazil did not accept his rule at first, but they joined later.

Pedro and his minister, José Bonifácio, had disagreements. Pedro dissolved the group creating the constitution and formed a new one. Some people in Brazil tried to break away, but Pedro’s forces stopped them.

Crises within and without

After long talks, Portugal agreed to recognize Brazil’s independence on 29 August 1825. But the agreement was unfair to Brazil. Portugal demanded payments and kept special trade rights for itself. It even acted as if Brazil’s independence was a gift from Portugal, not something Brazil had fought for.

A few months later, Pedro’s father, King John VI of Portugal, passed away on 10 March 1826. Pedro then became King of Portugal as Dom Pedro IV. But since people in both Brazil and Portugal did not want the countries to join together again, Pedro gave up the Portuguese crown on 2 May in favor of his daughter, Maria II. However, he kept influencing Portugal’s affairs from Brazil.

In 1825, a small group with support from nearby Argentina tried to make Brazil’s southern area of Cisplatina independent. This led to the Cisplatine War. Pedro traveled to gather support for the war. During this time, his treatment of his wife, Maria Leopoldina, became very unkind. After she passed away in 1826, Pedro felt great regret. He ended his relationship with his mistress, Domitila, and later married Amélie of Leuchtenberg on 17 October. Amélie brought kindness and stability to Pedro’s family and court.

Between Portugal and Brazil

Pedro I faced many challenges in balancing power between the emperor and the government. Some people believed the emperor should choose leaders freely, while others thought elected leaders should make the decisions. Pedro I respected the rules and did not try to control elections or limit people's freedom to speak.

Pedro I also had different ideas about ending slavery, though he could not make big changes because many leaders still owned slaves. He tried to set an example by giving freedom to slaves on his own land. Eventually, Pedro I became very frustrated with the constant arguments and decided to leave Brazil. After some fights between groups in Rio de Janeiro, he realized he was not able to control the situation anymore. On April 7, 1831, he surprised everyone by giving up his position as emperor and returning to Europe. He said goodbye to Brazil, a country he loved, with a heavy heart.

Main article: Abdication of Pedro I of Brazil

Return to Europe

Portuguese Civil War

Main article: Liberal Wars

Pedro left Brazil and returned to Europe in 1831. He sailed on a British ship and arrived in France. There, he took the title of Duke of Braganza. He missed his children very much and wrote them letters asking them to study hard.

Pedro made friends with a famous American hero, Gilbert du Motier, Marquis of Lafayette. With some supporters, Pedro formed a small army and sailed to Portugal to help his daughter Maria II claim her throne. They entered the city of Porto and began a long struggle to control the country.

Death

See also: First Carlist War

During his time fighting in Portugal, Pedro faced many dangers. After years of war, his health grew weak. He became very sick and passed away on 24 September 1834. Before he died, he asked Brazil to slowly end slavery because he believed it was wrong. His heart was placed in a church in Porto, and his body was buried in a special place for his family.

Legacy

After Pedro I passed away, people were able to fairly judge his time as a leader. Even someone who had criticized him greatly said that Pedro I was very important for freeing Brazil and Portugal. Because of him, Brazil became a free nation instead of breaking into small fighting groups.

When Brazil celebrated 150 years of independence in 1972, Pedro I's remains were brought back to Brazil with honors. They were placed in a special monument in São Paulo. In 2022, for Brazil's 200th independence celebration, Pedro I's heart was honored in Brazil before being returned to Portugal.

Titles and honors

See also: List of titles and honours of the Portuguese Crown

Titles and styles

Pedro I had many important titles during his life. Here are some of the main ones:

• From 12 October 1798 to 11 June 1801, he was called His Highness The Most Serene Infante Dom Pedro, Grand Prior of Crato.
• From 11 June 1801 to 20 March 1816, he was known as His Royal Highness The Prince of Beira.
• From 20 March 1816 to 9 January 1817, he was His Royal Highness The Prince of Brazil.
• From 9 January 1817 to 10 March 1826, he was His Royal Highness The Prince Royal in Portugal.
• From 12 October 1822 to 7 April 1831, he was His Imperial Majesty The Emperor of Brazil.
• From 10 March 1826 to 2 May 1826, he was His Most Faithful Majesty The King of Portugal.
• From 15 June 1831 to 24 September 1834, he was His Imperial Majesty The Duke of Braganza.

As the Emperor of Brazil, his full title was: "His Imperial Majesty Dom Pedro I, Constitutional Emperor and Perpetual Defender of Brazil".

As the King of Portugal, his full title was: "His Most Faithful Majesty Dom Pedro IV, King of Portugal and the Algarves, of either side of the sea in Africa, Lord of Guinea and of Conquest, Navigation and Commerce of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia and India, etc."

Nobility

As the heir to the Portuguese throne, Pedro I held these noble titles:

• Duke of Braganza
• Duke of Barcelos
• Duke of Guimarães
• Marquis of Vila Viçosa
• Count of Ourém
• Count of Barcelos
• Count of Faria and Neiva
• Count of Arraiolos
• Count of Guimarães

Honors

Pedro I was the Grand Master of several important Brazilian orders, including:

• Order of Christ
• Order of Aviz
• Order of Saint James of the Sword
• Order of the Southern Cross
• Order of Pedro I
• Order of the Rose

As King Pedro IV of Portugal, he was also Grand Master of several Portuguese orders, including:

• Order of Christ
• Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz
• Order of Saint James of the Sword
• Order of the Tower and Sword
• Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa

After giving up the Portuguese throne, he received the Grand Cross of the Portuguese Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valor, Loyalty and Merit on 20 September 1834.

He also received honors from other countries, including:

• Knight of the Spanish Order of the Golden Fleece
• Grand Cross of the Spanish Order of Charles III
• Grand Cross of the Spanish Order of Isabella the Catholic
• Grand Cross of the French Order of Saint Louis
• Knight of the French Order of the Holy Spirit
• Knight of the French Order of Saint Michael
• Grand Cross of the Austro-Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen

Genealogy

Ancestry

Here is a chart showing the family background of Emperor Pedro I:

Issue

Here is a chart showing the children of Emperor Pedro I: