Empire of Brazil

The **Empire of Brazil** was a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy of the nineteenth century that covered the areas of modern Brazil and Uruguay. Brazil was
originally a colony of the Portuguese Empire but became its center when the Prince Regent João VI fled the French invasion of Portugal in 1808. When João returned to Portugal he left his son Pedro as regent of the autonomous Kingdom of Brazil.

On 7 September 1822, Pedro declared Brazil to be an independent Empire and was acclaimed by the people as emperor. However, in 1831 he was able to return to Portugal. He abdicated the Brazilian throne and left his young son Pedro II as emperor. His reign saw three international wars and decades of economic prosperity and political stability.

Pedro I, Pedro II and the imperial family of Brazil wanted the abolition of slavery, and on 13 May 1888 the imperial princess regent, Isabel de Bragança and Bourbon signed the _Golden Law_ on behalf of her father, ending slavery in Brazil. By that time, Brazil had become the last major nation to have slavery. Former plantation owners, dissatisfied with the abolition of slavery, joined the republican movement led by Deodoro da Fonseca, an elderly Marshal, to carry out a Coup d'etat and install a republic which became Brazil's first dictatorship on November 15, 1889. The imperial family was exiled, and the Republican government persecuted, tortured and killed all those who opposed the regime.

## Infobox (former country)

- **native name**: _Império do Brasil_
- **conventional long name**: Empire of Brazil
- **common name**: Brazil
- **era**: 19th century
- **government type**: Constitutional monarchy parliamentarism, parliamentary unitary state representative democracy
- **year start**: 1822
- **year end**: 1889
- **image flag**: Flag of Empire of Brazil (1870-1889).svg
- **flag alt**: The Imperial flag consisting of a green field in the center of which is a golden lozenge containing the Imperial coat of arms
- **image coat**: Coat of arms of the Empire of Brazil.svg
- **coat alt**: Coat of arms consisting of a shield with a green field with a golden armillary sphere superimposed on the red and white Cross of the Order of Christ, surrounded by a blue band with 20 silver stars; the bearers are two arms of a wreath, with a coffee branch on the left and a flowering tobacco branch on the right; and above the shield is an arched golden and jeweled crown
- **symbol**: Coat of arms of Brazil
- **symbol type**: Imperial coat of arms
- **image map**: Brazilian Empire 1828 (orthographic projection).svg
- **image map caption**: The Empire of Brazil including the former Uruguay, Cisplatina province.
- **image map alt**: Map of South America with the Empire of Brazil highlighted in green
- **capital**: Rio de Janeiro
- **national motto**: _Independência ou Morte!_
 <small>"Independence or Death!"</small>
- **national anthem**: _Anthem of Independence_ (1822-1831)

_Brazilian National Anthem_ (1831–1889)

- **common languages**: Portuguese language, Portuguese
- **religion**: Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholic
- **title leader**: Emperor of Brazil
- **leader1**: Pedro I of Brazil, Pedro I
- **leader2**: Pedro II of Brazil, Pedro II
- **year leader1**: 1822–1831
- **year leader2**: 1831–1889
- **legislature**: General Assembly
- **house1**: Senate
- **house2**: Chamber of Deputies
- **currency**: Real
- **event pre**: Independence
- **date pre**: 7 September 1822
- **event start**: Accession of Pedro I of Brazil, Pedro I
- **date start**: 12 October
- **event1**: Imperial Constitution adopted
- **date event1**: 25 March 1824
- **event2**: Accession of Pedro II of Brazil, Pedro II
- **date event2**: 7 April 1831
- **event3**: Slavery abolished
- **date event3**: 13 May 1888
- **event end**: Monarchy abolished
- **date end**: 15 November
- **p1**: Kingdom of Portugal
- **s1**: Brazilian Republic
- **flag p1**: Flag Portugal (1830).svg
- **flag s1**: Flag of Brazil.svg
- **flag s2**: Flag of Uruguay.svg
- **s2**: Uruguay