Just finished reading 1808. This is an interesting history regarding the flight of the Portuguese emperor to Brazil in 1808 when the French conquered Portugal. This was the only time a European monarch ruled their empire from the New World. The court stayed in Brazil almost 15 years – long after the Napoleonic threat had been vanquished. Although Portugal had managed to exploit a lucrative colonial empire for over 300 years, the money had been squandered on palaces and consumption by the wealthy. No infrastructure had been invested in and the roads, schools, etc. were the worst in Europe and most backward in Europe. The people were uneducated, backward and poor. In terms of the Portuguese Empire, Portugal was the least attractive possession. Dom Joao VI was regent for his insane mother and very unprepared by training or temperament to rule an empire. He fled Lisbon ahead of the French troops along with 15,000 courtiers – officials, judges, clergy, military leaders and their families – in a huge convoy protected by the British navy. To a great extent, Portugal became a British protectorate during his absence as the French withdrew within a year. This story is primarily about Brazil, however. The elaborate descriptions of colonial life there paints a very different picture from early 19th century America. It is backward, devoted to mineral extraction and plantations. Slavery is ubiquitous and an internal passport system is maintained. Unlike Portugal, the court does much to modernize Brazil. It opens its trade to foreign nations, builds roads, ports and improves sanitation. Education is supported. Brazilian independence is achieved peacefully when Dom Joao returns to Portugal. His son Pedro refuses to come, and in a quiet coup declares the Brazilian Empire and independence. The author also points out that having the crown residing in Brazil was a unfying event, and without it, Brazil most likely would have fragmented into several states just as Spanish South America did. Good read. Given my limited knowledge of Portuguese, I don't know the equivalents of "hubbub" and "hillbillies" in that language, but these and other colloquial expressions enhance this translation. Thank you Andrew Nevins. The book depicts the royal family as inelegant in appearance; Portugal's King Joao VI is described as overweight, filthy, greasy, obese, with a dead look in his eyes. Yet he was beloved by the Brazilian populace. Also, without his presence in this colony in the early 19th Century, Brazil would not likely today exist as a unified whole. Because many in the home country thought it unfitting for a king to be ruling from a colony, the king, under pressure, returned to his country of origin (Portugal proper) in 1821. Soon after, in 1822, Brazil became an independent nation, ruled by King Joao's son.
What do You think about 1808 (2007)?
Livro muito bom, explica de maneira muito simples o porque o país é uma zona até hoje
—Joanne
livro muito bom. O 1822 é ainda melhor. recomendo
—Amber
