Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Eminent Persons, Vol. 2: Biographies Reprinted From the Times
King John VI. Had gone to Brazil, leaving the supreme power to a regency, which did not consult the national will. There was a revolution, and a somewhat slavish copy was made Of the Democratic Constitution with which the Spaniards had tried to replace despotic rule. The return of the King, a counter - revolution, and the virtual declaration Of independence by Brazil are events which fill the next few years with weary strife. The King himself was a well-meaning but feeble creature, ready to Obey any constitution that the Cortes might frame, but too afraid of his wife and his second son to be master Of his own actions. Queen Charlotte was a woman of violent and despotic temper. She allowed herself to be banished from the kingdom, or at least from the capital, rather than Sign a constitution which took away much Of the royal power. Her second son, Dom Miguel, was like herself in temper and beneath her in the brutality of his nature. The worthy pair made some astonish ing efforts to get the royal power into their own hands. They once shut up the King in his palace, pretending that his life was in danger, and he was rescued only by a deputation Of ambassadors, headed by the Papal N uncio. The scene was one of the most astonishing pictures even of Portuguese story. Soon afterwards he had to take refuge on board an English ship of war. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.