1808: The Flight of the Emperor: How a Weak Prince, a Mad Queen, and the British Navy Tricked Napoleon and Changed the New World
Portugal’s royal court, plus about 10,000 support staff, sailed from Lisbon in 1807, expelled by an invading French army. Taking refuge in Brazil, the exiles stayed until 1821. Gomes relates this episode and its significant ramifications from a variety of perspectives: from the positions and personalities of the king, João VI, and his consort, Carlota Joaquina; from observations by visitors to Brazil during those years; and through narratives of political events in the home country and its huge tropical colony. Though João was not, avers Gomes, an impressive figure, the presence of his court promoted a unity that Brazil did not previously possess, while his sanction of free trade connected the colony to world commerce, including commerce in African slaves. Describing the populaces of Rio de Janeiro and other Brazilian cities, Gomes renders a society in flux, contrasting it with Portugal’s sufferings from war and political turbulence. The latter resulted in a constitution, marking João VI as Portugal’s last absolute monarch. Gomes’ work, a best-seller in Brazil, will engage readers interested in a formative phase of the country’s history. --Gilbert Taylor