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Pedro I (1822-1831) |
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The first ruler of independent Brazil was a striking personality. He made an important contribution to the acceleration of the social
and political evolution of the 19th century by granting Brazil in 1824 and Portugal, two years later, constitutional charters which were
extremely advanced for the time and broke the taboos of the Divine Right of Kings. In 1826, on the death of Joáo VI, Dom Pedro
inherited his father's kingdom. However, he abdicated the Portuguese throne soon after in favour of his infant daughter,
Maria da Glória, who became Queen Maria II. In 1831, he abdicated the throne of Brazil in favour of his son, Dom Pedro II, who was
still a minor.
This decision, prompted in part by differences with the Brazilian Parliament, was also motivated by an adventurous spirit
which took him back to Portugal to oust his brother, Miguel, who had usurped the throne from young Queen Maria.
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