The Independence of Brazil, one of the most significant chapters in the country’s history, was a multifaceted process that involved a variety of characters, events, and circumstances. While many iconic names, like Dom Pedro I and José Bonifácio, played a crucial role in this endeavor, the contribution of women in the fight for independence often goes unnoticed.
The book Mauá: Businessman of the Empire is a biography written by Jorge Caldeira that narrates the life and journey of Irineu Evangelista de Sousa, better known as Viscount of Mauá. Published in 1995, the book offers a detailed insight into the life and achievements of this important Brazilian historical figure of the 19th century.
Antônio Carlos Gomes, born in Campinas and considered the greatest composer of operas in the Americas, was a fervent admirer of Verdi. Some say that at the age of eighteen, he composed a march based on themes from Il Trovatore. With the support of Emperor Dom Pedro II, Carlos Gomes received a scholarship to further his studies in Europe. The Emperor would have preferred Carlos Gomes to go to Germany, where the great Richard Wagner was prominent, but the Empress, Dona Teresa Cristina, Neapolitan herself, suggested Italy.
Dom Pedro I, the first monarch of the Empire of Brazil, was born in Lisbon in 1798 as the fourth child of King Dom João VI and Queen Carlota Joaquina. When French troops invaded Portugal, the royal family fled to Brazil in 1808. Dom Pedro I became the prince regent of Brazil and faced challenges, including threats from revolutionaries and insubordinate Portuguese troops. With the Liberal Revolution of Porto in 1820, Dom João VI returned to Portugal in 1821, leaving Dom Pedro as the regent of Brazil. Faced with Portugal’s attempt to revoke Brazil’s political autonomy, Dom Pedro I proclaimed Brazil’s independence on September 7, 1822. He died in Lisbon in 1834.
Baron of Mauá, whose real name was Irineu Evangelista de Sousa, was a prominent figure in 19th-century Brazilian history. He played a significant role in the economic and industrial development of the country. The childhood of Irineu Evangelista de Sousa, better known as Baron of Mauá, is a fascinating and often overlooked chapter in the history of one of Brazil’s most prominent entrepreneurs and visionaries.
On September 18, 1865, the surrender of the Paraguayan Lieutenant Colonel Antonio de la Cruz Estigarribia took place in the presence of Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil and the Presidents Bartolomé Mitre of Argentina and Venancio Flores in Rio Grande do Sul, thereby concluding the first phase of the Paraguayan War. Although the surrender could have marked the end of the conflict, Brazil insisted on the death of Solano López, prolonging the conflict further.
The news of Brazil’s independence from Portugal was not celebrated in all provinces. After the proclamation, Emperor Dom Pedro I had a difficult time quelling the various revolts that occurred during the independence process. At the moment when he declared Brazil’s independence, the governments and troops of some provinces were led to express their unwavering loyalty to King Dom João VI.
On September 7, 1822, on the banks of the Ipiranga River in São Paulo, an important chapter in the history of Brazil was written with the “Cry of Ipiranga.” It was at this moment that Dom Pedro I proclaimed the political independence of Brazil from Portugal, using the memorable words “Independence or Death.” This event marked the end of Portuguese rule in Brazilian territory, becoming a milestone in national history.
The Mauá Railroad, officially known as the Imperial Steam Navigation and Petrópolis Railroad Company, was the first railway established in Brazil and the third in South America. It was built in 1854 by Irineu Evangelista de Sousa, Baron of Mauá. Initially, it connected the Port of Mauá to Fragoso, in Rio de Janeiro, with later extensions to Petrópolis and Areal.
The oldest institution of its kind in Brazil, alongside the Law School of Recife, owes its origins to an imperial decree signed in 1827. The original building, in a Baroque style, was inaugurated on September 17, 1647.
