The Brazilian Imperial Family

W hen Pedro I returned

to Lisbon to fight for the
Portuguese throne, he
left a 5-year-old Pedro II
as emperor, leading his
son to a grim and lonely
childhood and
adolescence. Having
nothing to do but study
and prepare to rule,
Pedro II became an
intellectual - a man
deeply interested in arts
and sciences.

Still, it was not easy to

find a bride for the
young, promising
sovereign: Brazil was just a poor Empire in the New World, and not many
European kings would like The last picture of the Brazilian Imperial Family
to send a daughter to the before the exile
tropics. However, the government of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies offered
the hand of Princess Teresa Cristina, with whom the Emperor had two
daughters: Isabel and Leopoldina.

The Imperial Family’s official residence was in Rio de Janeiro, but when the
high temperatures started to make life in that city unbearable, they used to
pack their things and move to a summer palace on the mountains nearby.
Petrópolis, the city where the palace is located, was named after D. Pedro II.

In the lack of any male heirs, Isabel, the first born, was set to inherit the
crown. She acted as regent of the Empire three times while her father was
absent from the country, especially during the last decade of his reign. In
1888 she signed the Golden Law establishing the total abolition of slavery in
Brazil.

The Empire was overthrown in 1889, when Brazil became a republic. Pedro II
and his family had to leave the country. Tereza Cristina died 40 days after
leaving the country, even before they arrived in France (where the Imperial
family was going to be exiled). She was deeply depressed.

D. Pedro II died 2 years later, in 1891, at the age of 66, but looking much
older. Some people say he had a pillow with Brazilian soil because he did
not want to die far from his land.

By Jéssica Viana Mendes, 2010

By Jéssica Viana Mendes, 2010