João was enjoying himself very much as he rode on his horse, as the hounds pursued the stag. There is nothing better in the world than this, he thought. He had another reason to celebrate as well: the war against the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata had been successfully concluded, and the Banda Oriental had been annexed to Brazil as the province of Cisplatina. But just as the hounds were catching up with their increasingly exhausted quarry, João heard a shout from afar of "Your Majesty!".
João turned and looked over his shoulder. The hounds also seemed distracted by the noise, and the stag somehow found an extra burst of pace to sprint away from them.
"What is it!", the frustrated King shouted to the messenger.
"The Marquis of Palmela has come to see you."
With the greatest reluctance, João turned his horse around and rode back to the palace, changed out of his hunting gear into more suitable attire, and made arrangements to receive Palmela in the throne room.
"Your Majesty", said Palmela, bowing, "there has been a revolution in Portugal. The Regency is deposed, and the rebels have elected a Cortes in order to write a new constitution They also want Your Majesty to return to Portugal."
"What!", exclaimed João. "It can't be true, it just can't be."
"With respect, sire, it is true", said Palmela, respectfully but firmly.
"But this is an outrage", said João, sounding more bewildered than angry. "Only I can summon a Cortes."
"That may be so", said Palmela, "but the Cortes has already met, and has a lot of support, especially in the towns and cities. It would be folly to try to crush it."
João sat down heavily on his throne. He was completely stunned. After several minutes of awkward silence, he finally said:
"I suppose it will be useful to have a Cortes. I will give my sanction to it, and I will pardon those of my subjects who have usurped my authority."
"And will Your Majesty also return to Portugal, as the Cortes asks?", inquired Palmela.
"Once the new constitution is completed to my satisfaction", replied João, "then I or one of my sons or descendants shall return to Portugal."
But he also felt he needed some more advice on how to proceed.
Pedro was running round the garden, chasing after his 18-month-old daughter, Infanta Dona Maria da Glória. Leopoldina sat on a chair, smiling as she watched them: she would have loved to join in, but could not as she was heavily pregnant. Both parents were very happy with their daughter: the fact that she was in good health had gone some way to ease pain over the loss of their son - named Miguel after his uncle - who had been born earlier in the year, only to die within hours of birth. There was no doubt that Maria had helped bring Pedro and Leopoldina closer together. Leopoldina had no difficulty in dismissing all the rumours about Pedro sleeping with other women: her Pedro would never do that.
As Pedro made a sharp turn to follow his mischievous daughter, he saw someone approaching out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see, and realised it was a messenger.
"Your Royal Highness", said the messenger as soon as he got close enough, "the King has sent me to ask you to come to him."
"What? Why?", exclaimed Pedro, who was torn between paying attention to the messenger, and trying to keep sight of Maria. Noticing this, Leopoldina called to her daughter, and the girl trotted over to her mother, who lifted her onto her knee.
"His Majesty wants your advice about recent events in Portugal. He has also summoned Dom Miguel and Dona Isabel", said the messenger.
Pedro wanted to ask what had just happened in Portugal, but decided to wait: he would find out when he saw his father, he reasoned. He was also surprised: João had never asked for his advice before.
"Very well, I shall go", he said.
Pedro walked back to Leopoldina and Maria.
"I'm afraid I have to go now", he said. "Papa wishes to see me, along with Miguel and Isabel."
"What about?", asked Leopoldina."
Pedro shrugged.
"I suppose I'll find out when I get there", he said. "I'll see you two later."
Pedro kissed his wife goodbye, then hugged and kissed Maria, who started crying in confusion as he left.
"Well hang the traitors then!", said Miguel.
"With respect, Dom Miguel", said Palmela, "that will simply not be possible."
"And why not?", glowered Miguel.
"Because there are large numbers of men who support the revolution", said Palmela patiently. "They would all rise up in an instant if His Majesty followed your advice, with the most horrible consequences."
"If King Louis had done what I suggest", replied Miguel, "he would never have lost his head. Papa", he continued, turning to his father, "you need to act like a King."
"If I may", said Palmela, "a King cannot simply ignore what his subjects are saying, even if he does not like it. That is not kingship, that is foolishness."
João looked up at the ceiling. How hard it is to have such conflicting advice, he thought.
Pedro stepped forward.
"I think", he said, "that there should be a constitution where the King shall propose laws and a Cortes shall enact them. However, Papa, I do not think you should submit guidelines for such a constitution to this self-proclaimed Cortes: it would be indecorous and a sure disgrace for you to recognise such subversion."
Pedro's father, brother and sister all stared at him.
"I thought you did support revolutions", said João.
"I believe in change, but change must come from the King, not from subversive subjects", explained Pedro. "That was the French way, and we all know what happened there."
João seemed rather puzzled by this answer.
"Isabel", he said, desperately hoping for advice which would be a comfort, "what do you think?"
"Do what you think is best, Papa", replied Isabel. "That is the best advice I can give."
João sighed.
"Your Majesty", said Palmela, "I respectfully advise that you recognise the authority of the present Cortes: the support it enjoys, especially in the cities, is too wide for you to do otherwise. You should accept the principle of limited monarchy both here and in Portugal, and send Dom Pedro to Lisbon to present a moderate settlement that shall satisfy all parties. You should also call elections to send Brazilian representatives to the Cortes."
"I agree to this", muttered João. He paced up and down the room, still trying to make sense of all that had happened. Maybe, he thought, the situation will soon resolve itself, or the Holy Alliance will come to the rescue.
"So you are to be sent to Lisbon?", inquired Leopoldina.
"Yes", said Pedro.
"Then I will come with you", declared Leopoldina.
Pedro stared.
"Are you sure about this?", he asked.
"If I have to give birth at sea, so be it", she replied.
"I'm not so sure", said Pedro. "I think we should delay until after the baby is born. And, anyway, I'm not certain if we are going to Lisbon."
"Why not?", asked Leopoldina.
"It's just . . . well, Papa didn't seem to have his heart in it."
"Do you think he's playing for time?", asked Leopoldina. "I mean, I don't like to say this, but your father does like to avoid making these hard choices, doesn't he?"
"I think you're right", said Pedro grudgingly.
"I knew it", said Carlota Joaquina. "I knew he could never stand up to traitors. He will sooner doff his cap to these Jacobins than defend his God-given rights. What is the world coming to? First we have that horrible revolution against your uncle in Spain, and now this."
"I know", said Miguel.
"What did you advise him to do?", asked Carlota Joaquina.
"I told him to hang all the traitors", said Miguel.
Carlota Joaquina smiled proudly.
"At least there's one person in this family who knows how to deal with that sort", she said. "Unlike your father and brother."
"To be fair, Mama", said Miguel, "Pedro did say he doesn't like what the traitors did."
"What?" Carlota Joaquina was baffled.
"He said that change should be made by the King, not by subversive subjects."
Carlota Joaquina shook her head in astonishment.
"I will never understand that young man", she said. "But you, at least, know how a King should behave. It will fall to you to protect the dignity of the Crown, not those who are to wear it."
"I am aware", said José Bonifácio, "that many of you will be pleased by the news from Portugal. But I, who have actually studied what these revolutionaries are saying, know differently. These fanatics, these men who have subverted His Majesty's sacred authority, harbour a hatred for Brazil. They do not wish to have an equitable relationship between the sister kingdoms: they wish for Portugal to dominate us again. If the King should return to Portugal, as they are demanding, he would be siding with the Cortes against our interests. This is precisely what he should not do: we are a much larger, more prosperous country, and we are far more important to the monarchy than Portugal is. I hope His Majesty will see this clearly, as I do. I will do whatever I can to defend the interests of Brazil against all who threaten us."
The crowd cheered loudly.
Pedro vaulted himself onto his trusty bay mare. On his arm he wore a blue and white armband, symbolising loyalty to Portugal. He was being watched by an admiring Leopoldina.
"I know you can do this", she said.
Pedro smiled, though he was not so sure of himself.
"Off we go!", he cried, and the horse galloped away.
News had come that summer's morning of a mutiny by Portuguese troops in Rio de Janeiro, who were demanding that the King accept any constitution produced by the Cortes. João had not wanted to face them himself, so he had commanded Pedro to do so, carrying a decree that had been prepared for just such a scenario. It was just after five o'clock when Pedro pulled up outside the Royal Theatre, which the troops were surrounding: they greeted him with loud cheers. Feeling more confident now, Pedro dismounted.
"It's all done", he announced, waving the decree. "The troops can go to the barracks and to the officers to kiss the hand of my august father. His Majesty swears to adhere to and adopt for the Kingdom of Brazil the constitution that the Cortes shall make, except for modifications that local circumstances might make necessary."
Most of the soldiers shouted their assent, however one voice boomed out:
"It's not enough!"
"Not enough?" Pedro was genuinely puzzled.
"This will not satisfy us or the people", said Marcelino José Alves Macamboa, a Portuguese lawyer and priest. "The King should swear to uphold the new constitution with no reservations, dismiss his Council of Ministers, and appoint a junta of 12 men chosen by the army and the people."
"And who are these 12 men?", Pedro inquired.
"Here they are", said Father Macamboa, handing the Prince Royal a list.
Pedro glanced at the names: most of them had been born in Portugal, and were known for their moderate opinions. This reassured him.
"With all willingness will I go to His Majesty and tell him of your demands", he said.
In an instant, he remounted, wheeled the horse round and set off for Boa Vista Palace.
"Are you sure I should do this?", asked João.
"Yes, Papa", said Pedro. "This is the only way for us to avoid disaster."
João privately wondered what on Earth would happen next, but he kept his composure.
"So be it", he said, and he drew up and signed a new decree: this one pledging to accept the new constitution without reservations - it was backdated to the day that revolution had erupted in Portugal. The King also produced a second decree, appointing the new ministers suggested by the mutineers.
With the new decrees in hand, Pedro got on his horse again and galloped back to the Royal Theatre, arriving at about seven o'clock.
"Soldiers", Pedro announced, "the King has agreed to accept the constitution which the Lisbon Cortes shall adopt, with no reservations. He has also agreed to appoint the ministers you suggested. I shall now take an oath to uphold this forthcoming constitution in my father's name."
Pedro had expected to be loudly acclaimed, but instead Father Macamboa's eyes narrowed.
"How do we know that this oath is the will of the King?", he asked. "For all we know, Your Royal Highness might be playing us along. His Majesty should appear before us in person to take the oath."
Pedro gave an exasperated sigh, but seeing all these armed men, in a state of excitement, made him realise he had no choice, so once again he set his course for Boa Vista.
It was about 11 o'clock when the King's carriage came within sight of the theatre. The crowd cheered, and cries of "Long live the King! Long live the constitution!" went up.
Inside the carriage, João began to feel slightly more reassured, but was then somewhat put out when several of the crowd unhitched the horses and began to pull the carriages themselves. Although he knew this was a traditional gesture of gratitude, he still felt uncomfortable.
They finally stopped pulling once they reached Rio's Royal Palace, and João was able to get out of the carriage and enter the palace, soon reappearing at a window. With a bishop administering, João took the oath:
"I, Dom João VI, do swear by Almighty God to observe, protect and perpetually maintain the constitution, exactly as it shall be made in Portugal by the Cortes."
Loud cheers from below.
"You did very well", said Leopoldina.
Pedro was sitting on a chair in his garden, relaxing after his hectic morning: both he and Leopoldina were keeping watchful eyes on Maria.
"You acted, if I dare say it, like a King."
Pedro felt very proud of himself.
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