Brazil 1837 CE

What is happening in Brazil in 1837CE

Independence has come to Brazil in a very different way to any other country in the New World.

The Brazilians on the whole remained loyal to the Portuguese crown, with its mild (not to say ineffective) rule. The Portuguese royal family, however, was forced to flee from their homeland when Napoleon invaded Portugal in 1807. Evacuated from Lisbon by the British navy, the king and his court took up residence in the Portuguese empire of Brazil. They quickly grew to feel more comfortable here than in Portugal itself.

The presence of the royal family has led to the establishment of proper government throughout much of Brazil, including the founding of a postal service – an important step in so large a country. The king only returned to his homeland in 1821, but left his son, Pedro, to rule in Brazil. The following year Pedro declared Brazil an independent empire, with himself as emperor. His autocratic rule cost him much popularity, however, and he suddenly abdicated in 1831, leaving his five year-old son, Pedro II, on the throne.

Next map, Brazil in 1871