The Royal Family Arrives and the Ports are Opened (1808)
In the
beginning of the 19th century, Portugal found itself in a dead-end alley when
France determined that any European country which commercialized with England
would suffer a Napoleonic invasion – to jeopardize the British. England and
Portugal were allied ever since the crusades in the 12th century, but Napoleon
wasn't joking when he said he was going to invade countries (Italy, Spain and
Switzerland, just to name a few, were there to prove it). While all other
European countries stopped having commercial relations with the British,
Portugal kept on trading with them, and France invaded the capital Lisbon to
take the power.
By the time of the invasion in the end of 1807, Dom João, prince regent of
Portugal, was followed by other royal members, was already in the ship escaping
from Portugal to Brazil. Once the Royal Family got to Brazilian lands, it was
established the Reino Unido de Portugal, Brasil e Algarves, a United Kingdom
of Portugal and Brazil which was commanded straight from the colony.
Historians say that this was the first step to Brazil's independence in 1822. Considering that the governors were in Brazil, the economic block favoring Portugal products was over, in an episode known as the opening of the ports to friendly nations - which practically ended the colonial pact and made the colony an independent nation until 1821, when Dom João returned to Portugal.
Historians say that this was the first step to Brazil's independence in 1822. Considering that the governors were in Brazil, the economic block favoring Portugal products was over, in an episode known as the opening of the ports to friendly nations - which practically ended the colonial pact and made the colony an independent nation until 1821, when Dom João returned to Portugal.
The arrival
of the Portuguese Crown in Brazil increased the colony’s development, as
improvements started being made there. Banco do Brasil, the bank of
Brazil, was founded in 1808, the year when the Brazilian press was created and
the publication of newspapers was allowed. Universities were introduced in the
country, including Medicine courses; iron industries were opened, as well as a
gunpowder factory. The first library and museum were established in the colony,
with the Royal Library in 1810 and the Royal Museum in 1818. Also, the
captaincies became provinces.
Portugal and
Spain fought France's invasion from 1807 to 1814 in the Peninsular War, and
Napoleon was finally defeated in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. One year later
prince regent João became King Dom João VI after his mother D. Maria I, known
as Maria the Mad, died - but in practice, he was already the king since she was
deemed as mentally insane in 1792. Dom João only returned to Portugal because
the country was facing an economic crisis which had resulted in the Revolução
Liberal do Porto, the Liberal Revolution of 1820. In 1821, he went to
Portugal and left his son, Pedro, to be the prince regent of Brazil.
The
independence of Brazil was undeniable. The colony had gained a lot of autonomy
since the Royal family established itself in Rio de Janeiro and wouldn’t
continue submitting to Portugal for too long. However, Dom João VI still
dreamed of having Pedro as his successor, so Brazil and Portugal would remain
the same kingdom. Pedro, however, didn't agree with the measures taken by
Portuguese politicians and, in the end, he was the one who declared Brazil’s
independent from Portugal.
Read the text
and answer to these questions in your notebook:
1.
Why does the
author say that in the beginning of the 19th century, Portugal found itself in
a dead-end alley?
2.
What did the
king D. João do when Napoleon invaded Portugal?
3.
What happened
to Brazil after the arrival of the Portuguese Crown in Brazil?
4.
Why did D.
João return to Portugal? Who stayed in his place in Brazil?
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