After his country was overrun by Napoleon, Pedro and his family fled to Brazil where he would in time become emperor and king of Portugal.

Early Life

Due to the belligerence of a young Corsican general named Napoleon Bonaparte Europe was in turmoil when Portugal’s Prince Regent John of Braganza and his wife Princess Charlotte, daughter of Charles IV of Spain, brought a new prince into the world. His full name was Pedro de Alcântara Francisco António João Carlos Xavier de Paula Miguel Rafael Joaquim José Gonzaga Pascoal Cipriano Serafim de Bragança e Bourbon and he was born in Queluz Palace near Lisbon on October 12, 1798. When his elder brother died, 3-year old Pedro became heir apparent to the throne of Portugal. His grandmother, Queen Maria I was titular head of state but had gone mad in 1788 and Pedro’s father, John, was officially proclaimed regent in 1799.

Vehemently opposed to the Republican ideals that were being imposed upon the rest of the continent by the French, John had strengthened his country’s alliance with neighbouring Spain in 1793 but when Spain allied with France under the Treaty of Basle two years later, Portugal was isolated.

In hopes of forestalling any French-Spanish plans to partition Portugal, John appealed to Great Britain for assistance. The British sent an expeditionary force that effectively stalled French plans until 1798, the year Prince Pedro was born.

Escape to Brazil

Meanwhile, General Bonaparte, now Emperor of France, had completely dominated Europe and imposed his Continental System (a closure of Europe to British trade) upon his conquests and allies. In 1807, when Portugal refused to abide by the restrictions of the Continental System, Napoleon, with Spanish connivance, sent a French army to occupy Portugal. Pedro was only 9 years old when the French arrived. The country was quickly overrun and the royal family and many government officials sailed for Brazil under escort from Britain’s Royal Navy.

With the royal family now in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro effectively became the capital of the Portuguese Empire. When Queen Marie died in 1816 Pedro became heir apparent to both the kingdom of Brazil and Portugal with the titles of Prince of Brazil and Duke of Braganza. On November 5, 1817, Pedro married Maria Leopoldina, an Austrian Archduchess, in Rio de Janeiro.

Though Napoleon had been finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815, King John IV did not return to Portugal until the early 1820’s. When he did he rescinded many of the privileges that had been accorded Brazil. This move provoked the ire of Brazilian nationalists, and Pedro, who had remained in that country as regent sided with the Brazilians. The Portuguese court demanded that Pedro return to Portugal to answer charges against him but he refused. Powerless to do much against his refusal, the court had to be content with demoting Pedro from regent to representative of the Lisbon court. Pedro had recently returned to Sao Paulo from a trip to Santos when word of his demotion arrived. He is said to have stood on the banks of the Ypiranga River, drawn his sword and proclaimed "Independence or Death!"

Emperor of Brazil

Supported by the Brazilian people, Pedro was proclaimed Emperor of Brazil. Pedro I proceeded to strengthen his hold on the country. His liberal ideas were soon forgotten as he proclaimed a new constitution in February 1824 in response to dissension in the constituent assembly.

Further difficulties arose for Pedro when a long-standing land dispute with Argentine erupted into war in 1825. An independence movement in the southern province of Banda Oriental and Argentina’s desire to annex the area were the reasons behind the conflict. Brazil was eventually defeated at the battle of Ituzaingo on February 20, 1827. Mediation through Great Britain led to Bando Oriental becoming the independent country of Uruguay in 1828.

The loss of this province, Pedro’s preference for Portuguese advisors, his numerous illicit affairs and his increasingly autocratic tendencies began to take their toll on the emperor’s popularity. In his attempt to have his daughter Maria de Gloria, named in line for the throne of Portugal, Pedro neglected his role as Emperor of Brazil and grew increasing interested in affairs in Portugal.

and King of Portugal

When his father died in 1826, Pedro chose to inherit the title of King of Portugal as Pedro IV but refused to leave Brazil. He did not hold the throne for long as he was forced to abdicate on May 28 in favour of his 7-year old daughter who became Maria II. Using his waning influence, Pedro was able to have his brother Dom Miguel appointed regent. However, in May 1828 Miguel led a coup d’etat, abolished the constitution and proclaimed himself king. Maria fled to England.

Having lost the throne of Portugal, Pedro continued to rule as Emperor of Brazil. On October 17, 1829 he married a second time to Princess Amelie de Beauharnais von Leuchtenberg.

By this time Pedro’s popularity had reached an all time low due to economic hardships and Pedro’s move to dismiss his ministers. Public opposition was such that he was forced to abdicate the Brazilian throne in favor of his 5-year old son Pedro de Alcantara (Pedro II).

Claiming his old title of Duke of Braganza, Pedro returned to Portugal to declare war on his brother King Miguel who had usurped the Portuguese throne from Pedro’s daughter Maria II.

With the assistance of France and England, Pedro led an expedition against Oporto, captured the city and proceeded to defeat Miguel and his loyal forces. By September 1833 Queen Maria had been restored but Miguel continued to hold out. It was not until a Quadruple Alliance was formed amongst Britain, France, Spain and Portugal that Miguel was finally defeated and fled the country.

Pedro lived just long enough to see his daughter safely back on the throne. He died in 1834 at the age of 36, at his birthplace of Queluz from tuberculosis.

Bibliography

Boris Fausto, A Concise History of Brazil – Cambridge University Press, 1999

Neill Macauley, Dom Pedro: The Struggle for Liberty in Brazil and Portugal – Duke University Press, 1986