Empire of Brazil
Império do Brasil
Empire of Brazil
←
1822–1889
→
→
Flag
Coat of arms
Motto
Independência ou Morte!
(Independence or Death!)
Anthem
"Independence Hymn"
Capital
Rio de Janeiro
Language(s)
Portuguese
Religion
Roman Catholic
Government
Constitutional
monarchy
Emperor
- 1822-1831
Pedro I
- 1831-1889
Pedro II
History
- Independence
September 7, 1822
- Acclamation of Pedro
I
October 12, 1822
- Coronation of Pedro II
July 18, 1841
- Abolition of slavery
May 13, 1888
- Monarchy abolished
November 15, 1889
Population
- 1872 est.
9,930,478
Currency
Real
The Empire of Brazil was a political entity
that comprised present-day Brazil under the
rule of Emperors Pedro I and his son Pedro
II. Founded in 1822, it was replaced by a re-
public in 1889.
As a result of the Napoleonic occupation
of Portugal, the Portuguese royal family, the
Braganzas (Portuguese: os Braganças), went
into exile in Brazil, the most important of the
Portuguese colonies. What followed was a
period when Brazil actually became the capit-
al of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil
and the Algarves, a whole new status, and
enjoyed self-government under the Braganza
dynasty, with no reference to the authorities
in Lisbon. This nurtured a distaste for the
idea of returning to status quo ante upon the
overthrow of Napoleon’s influence over Por-
tugal. Therefore, Brazil came to be independ-
ent of Portugal, albeit under the rule of a
member of the Portuguese royal family.
After
its
independence from the Por-
tuguese on September 7, 1822, Brazil be-
came a monarchy, the Empire of Brazil,
which lasted until the establishment of a re-
publican government on November 15, 1889.
Two emperors occupied the throne in that
period: Pedro I, from 1822 to 1831; and
Pedro II, from 1831 to 1889. Also, King João
VI of Portugal held the title of Emperor of
Brazil as stipulated by the treaty recognizing
Brazilian independence.
The end of the Empire in 1889 and the
foundation of the republic was a reactionary
development
following
the abolition of
slavery in 1888,