BRAZIL
The Empire
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1645-1816 |
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Soon after the break
up of the Iberian Union in 1640, the Principality of Brazil was founded in
1645 in the South-American Portuguese colonies. The Principality lasted until
1816 when it was incorporated as a kingdom into the Union of Portugal, Brazil
and the Algarves. |
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The title
Prince of Brazil (Portuguese: Príncipe do Brasil) was used in the
Kingdom of Portugal, and normally conferred on the heir of the royal House of
Braganza.The title was created by King John IV of Portugal on 27 October 1645
in favor of his eldest son and heir Prince Teodósio, soon after Portugal had
got rid of its Spanish rulers. During the period of
1645–1822, the title Prince of Brazil was always conferred to the heir
apparent of the throne, who also received the title of Duke of Braganza. Also,
in 1750 when the hitherto Prince of Brazil ascended as Joseph I, he granted
the title Princess of Brazil (but not the Duchy of Braganza) to his eldest
daughter, the future Maria I of Portugal, as the king believed to remain
without sons. When Maria in 1760 married Infante Pedro, he also became styled
Prince of Brazil as her consort. The male heir
apparent received the title when the relevant parent ascended the throne, or,
if the title was vacant, at birth. The heir of the Prince of Brazil was
styled Prince of Beira. When Brazil
proclaimed its independence in 1822, the title was taken by the Imperial
House of Brazil, and later was conferred to all the sons of Emperor Pedro I. |
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The Princes of Brazil, heir apparent of Portugal
bore the arms of Portugal augmented with a golden label of three. As soon as
they were crowned king of Portugal the label was omitted. It is not known
what coat of arms the future heir apparents bore when still a Prince of Beira
(and their fathers were still crown princes).
Arms of the heir
apparent of Portugal as in the armorial of Armeiro Mor, 1509 ca. |
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The golden armillary
sphere Emblem of the Portuguese Empire No
flag or specific symbol is known for Brasil or Portuguese America from the
time of the colony until 1816. The flag usually associated with the
Principality of Brasil in fact is the flag of the Portuguese empire. It shows
the symbol of the Portuguese empire, a yellow armillary-sphere on a white
field. On Dutch flag-charts of the end of the 17th / beginning of the 18th C.
this flag is called Portugeese Witte Vlag (Portuguese white flag or ensign), meaning
that it was displayed on all Portuguese ships, and thus there is no trace of
Brazil there. On another white flag
there is depicted a misinterpretation of the cross of the Order of
Christ, charged with an armillary-sphere. This flag is also called Portugeese
Witte Vlag, but,
as the symbol literally means: “The Government of the Portuguese Empire”,
this may be the government-flag of Portugal. Again no trace of Brazil there. |
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After
the Portuguese court had moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1808, there is a hint of
the emancipation of Brasil in that the armillary-sphere was depicted in
combination with the title of Regent of Brasil. This is to be seen on a coin
of 20 reis, minted in 1811. On the obverse is the legend: JOANNES D.G. P(ortugalensiæ) E(t) BRASILIÆ
REGENS. On the
reverse is the well-known armillary-sphere with knob and pedestal for Brazil
charged with the letter B |
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The most
interesting feature in the history of Brazil is the fact that, in the nineteenth
century it was one of only four countries in the New World that housed an
effective legal monarchical state (the others were Mexico, Canada and Haiti),
for a period of almost 90 years. Rio de Janeiro was for a period of 13 years
the metropolis of a European state and from 1808 to 1821 the capital of the
Portuguese Empire, which extended over parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. In
1808, the Portuguese court of Queen Mary († 1816), fleeing from Napoleon's
troops, which had invaded the territory of Portugal, had moved aboard a large
fleet, escorted by British men-of-war, with all the government apparatus to
its then-colony, Brazil, and had established themselves in the city of Rio de
Janeiro. In 1815 the the
United kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves was proclaimed. King John VI
ruled his huge empire from Rio de Janeiro, and there he would have remained
for the rest of his life if it were not for the turmoil aroused in Portugal
due, among other reasons, to his long stay in Brazil after the end of Napoleon's
reign. When he left Brazil to return to his European territory in 1821, his
elder son, Pedro, stayed in his stead as regent of Brazil. One year later,
Pedro wrote a paper (not so well known as his alleged proclamation —
"Independence or Death") to state the reasons for the secession of
Brazil from Portugal and bequeathed a constitution proclaiming an independent
monarchy in Brazil, assuming its head as Emperor Pedro I of Brazil, also
known as "Dom Pedro". Dom Pedro was liked by the common people, but
displeased both the landed elites, who thought him too liberal, and the
intellectuals, who felt he was not liberal enough. After his abdication in
1831 for political incompatibilities with Brazilian politicians he left for
Portugal, leaving behind his five-year-old son as Emperor Pedro II. In 1835,
the Male Revolt, perhaps the most significant slave rebellion in Brazil, took
place in the city of Salvador da Bahia. After a period of nine years of
regencies, Pedro II was acclaimed emperor in 1840 at the age of 14. Pedro II
started a more-or-less parliamentary reign which lasted until 1889, when he
was ousted by a coup d'état which instituted the republic. At the end
of his reign, he presided over the abolition of slavery in 1888. |
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1815-1822 |
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It
was only with the elevation of the principality of Brasil to a kingdom in
1815 however, that we hear of a specific symbol for that empire. It was
adopted by a decree of King Joao IV dated 13th of May 1816 and it is
described as: 1° - Que Reino do Brazil tenha por armas huma
esphera armilar de ouro em campo azul. (That the Kingdom of Brasil has for a coat of arms
an armillary-sphere Or on a blue field). Unlike the armillar-spheres of the Portuguese
empire, this Brasilian armillary-sphere is depicted without its pedestal and
it is not crested by an orb (which would have been incorrect in any way). |
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Coins
of the Kingdom of Brazil however show the armillary-sphere charged with the
letter B on the cross: |
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No official
contemporary renderings of this symbol have been published until now. The
symbol was displayed in combination with the royal arms of the king of
Portugal making the royal arms of the Reino Unido de Portugal, e do Brasil e
Algarves of 1816-1822. This symbol, also printed on coins minted in the last
year of the reign of Joao IV (1822), was like on the picture at the right.
On
coins and publications the achievement was surrounded by a garland of olive
and laurel. |
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In its entirety the decree reads: D. João por graça de
Deos, Rei do Reino Unido de Portugal e do Brazil e Algarves, d’aquem e d’além mar, em Africa, Senhor
da Guiné e da Conquista, Navegação e Commercio da Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia e
da India, etc. Faço saber aos que a presenta carta de lei virem
que tendo sido servido unir os meus Reinos de Portugal, Brazil e Algarves,
para que juntos constituissem, como effectivamente constituem hum só e mesmo
Reino; he regular e consequente o incorporar em hum só escudo real as armas
de todos os tres Reinos, assim, e da
mesma fórma que o Senhor Rei D. Affonso III, de gloriosa memoria,
unindo outr’ora o Reino dos Algarves ao de Portugal unio tembem as suas armas
respectivas: e occorrendo que para este effeito o meu Reino do Brazil ainda
não tem armas que caracterisem a bem merecida preeminencia a que me aprouve
exalta-lo: hei por bem e me praz ordenar o seguinte: 1° -
Que Reino do Brazil tenha por armas huma esphera armilar de ouro em campo
azul. 2° -
Que o escudo real portuguez, inscripto na dita esphera armilar de ouro em
campo azul, com uma corôa sobreposta, fique sendo, de hoje em diante, as
armas do Reino Unido de Portugal, e do Brazil e Algarves, e das mais partes
integrantes da minha Monarchia. 3° -
Que estas novas armas sejão por conseguinte as que uniformemente se hajão de
empregar em todos os estandartes, bandeiras, sellos reaes e cunhos de moedas,
assim como em tudo mais em que até agora se tenha feito uso das armas
precedentes. E esta se cumprirá como nella se contém.
Pelo que mando, etc. Dada no Palacio do Rio de Janeiro, aos 13
de Maio de 1816. El-Rei com guarda (a)
Marquez de Aquiar com os registos competentes [2] |
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07.09.1822-01.12.1822 |
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Pedro I |
1822 |
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The achievement and flag of the Kingdom were adopted by decree of
King Pedro I of 18 September 1822. It consisted of the the cross of the Order
of Christ charged with emblem of the Kingdom of 1816 as on coins (the ‘B’
omitted), surrounded by a ring with stars, the number of which corresponds
with the number of provinces of the Kingdom. The decree reads: Havendo o Reino do Brazil de que sou Regente e
Defensor Perpetuo, declarado a sua emancipação politica, entranmdo o occupar
na grande familia das nações o lugar que justamente lhe compete, como nação
grande, livre e independente; sendo por isso indispensavel que elle tenha hum
escudo real d’armas, que, não só se distingão das de Portugal e Algarves até
agora reunidas, mas que sejão caracteristocas deste rico e vasto Continente;
e desenjando eu que se conservem as armas que a este Reino forão dadas pelo
Senhor Rei D. João VI, meu Augusto Pai, na carta de lei de 13 de maio de
1816; e ao mesmo tempo remomorar o primeiro nome que lhe fôra imposto no seu feliz descobrimento, e
honrar as 19 provincias comprehendidas entre os grandes rios que são os seus
limites naturaes e que formão a sua integridade que eu jurei sustenar; hei
por bem e com o paracer do meu Conselho de Estado determinar o seguinte: - Será d’ora em deante, o escudo d’armas deste
Reino do Brazil em campo verde huma esphera armilar de ouro, atravessada por
huma cruz de Ordem de Christo, sendo circulada a mesma esphera de 19
estrellas de prata em huma orla azul; e firmada a corõa real diamantina sobre
o escudo, cujos lados serão abraçados por dois ramos de plkantas de café e
tabaco como emblemas de sua riqueza commercial, representados na sia propria
côr; e ligados na parte inferior pelo laço da nação. A bandeira nacional será
composta de hum parallelogrammo verde e nelle inscripto hum quadrilatero
rhomboidal côr de ouro, ficando ao centro deste o escudo das armas do Brazil
. Paço,
em 18 de setembro de 1822 Com rubrica de Sua Alteza Real, o Principe
Regente (a) José Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva.[3]
Silver
2000 reís coin, 1855. Showing the royal arms of 1822, with an annulet
with 19 stars and crowned with a royal
crown. Accordingly
the arms are: Arms: Vert, an armillary-sphere Or, pierced with a cross formy Gules, voided
Argent, and surrounded by an annulet Azure charged with 19 five-pointed stars
Argent. Crown: A royal crown. Garland: Dexter a branch of coffee and sinister a
tobaccoplant, proper, tied with a ribbon and bow Vert and Or. By Decree, 18.IX.1822 |
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01.12.1822-15.11.1889 |
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Pedro I |
1822-1831 |
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The Imperial
Achievement in the time of the emperors Pedro I (1822-1831) and Pedro II
(1831-1899) was the same as for the kingdom, the royal crown being replaced
by the Imperial Brasilian Crown by decree of 1 december1822. The decree reads: “Havendo sido proclamada com a maior
espontaneidade dos povos a Independcia politica do Brazil, e a sua elevação á
categoria de Imperio pela minha solenne acclamaço, sagração e coroação, como
seu Imperador Constitucional e Defenso Perpetuo: hei por bem ordenar que a
Corõa Real que se acha sobreposta no escudo das armas establelecido pelo meu
imperial decreto de 18 de setembro do corrente anno, seja substituida ao gráo
sublime e glorioso em que se acha constituido este rico e vasto Continente. -
Paço, em 1.° de dezembro de 1822, 1.° da
Independencia e do Imperio -Com a rubrica de Sua Magestade Imperial (a) José Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva [4]
The Imperial Arms with 20 stars Coll.
Câmara de Ouro Preto Museu Mineiro B.H.
Flag of the
Empire, embroidered with gold and silver Coll. Instituto Geográfico e Histórico da Bahia,
em Salvador On
the annulet 21 stars |
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Pedro II |
1831 - 1889 |
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According to the
number of provinces of the Empire the number of stars was augmented, first to
20 and next to 21.
The Imperial Arms with 21
stars |
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In some
drawings of the achievement the artistic freedom is taken to make the annulet:
Azure, fimbriated Argent, which is, of course, incorrect. The number of
stars on the annulet changes, but in the time of the emperors there has never
been a decree by which the number of stars was adapted to the number of
provinces. Also, the use of six-pointed stars instead of five-pointed is to
be considered as an artistic freedom.
In heraldic
drawings the Imperial Crown sometimes has a green cap, sometimes a purple one
because its color was not laid down by decree. Younger drawings however,
always depict it purpure. |
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The Imperial Achievement |
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Larger Augmented Imperial
Arms Scepters,
order, crowned mantle and dragon supporters. There are several
versions of the achievement or Greater Arms of the Emperor himself. Sometimes
it shows the Imperial arms augmented with scepters, a dragon in base and the
crosses of the orders of the Southern Cross (1820), of Pedro I (1826) and of
the Rose (1829) but sometimes these are omitted. Also there are versions
where the achievement is surrounded by a green velvet mantle, lined ermine
and fringed and tasseled Or. [5] |
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Smaller Augmented Imperial Arms, 1837 ca. Main
de Justice, Dragon Sceptre and a single dragon as supporter |
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Larger Imperial Achievement
(before 1841) Crowned
imperial mantle and Order of the Southern Cross pending Clichés of the
time of Pedro II, used for example on the Proclamation of the Abolition of
Slavery in Brasil (1888), show the achievement placed on a red crowned
imperial mantle, lined ermine, and the cross of the Ordem Imperial do
Cruzeiro, hanging down from the bow. No known
decree however sanctionizes the use of these embellished achievements. This
may explain the great variety of the versions. For a modern
rendering see: Wikipedia The motto of the House of Bragança was in hoc signo vinces (Under This sign You Will Triumph), and is the
motto Constantin the Great saw in the sky before the Battle of the Milvian
Bridge in 307. In Brazilean context it refers to the cross of the Order of
Christ. The motto
however was never incorporated in any achievement of the House. |
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© Hubert de Vries 2011-11-22
Heraldry of the World
