Pedro was standing outside Boa Vista Palace, in front of a large crowd, curious as to what would happen under his regency. Leopoldina was standing beside him: she gave him an encouraging smile.
"I shall start", announced Pedro, "by decreeing that under my rule the arbitrary seizure of private property shall be forbidden. In addition, a warrant shall be needed to arrest a free man, unless he be caught in the act. No suspect shall be held in custody for more than 48 hours without being charged or knowing who his accuser is. Torture and secret trials will be banned, and no man may be held in chains, shackles, manacles or other irons before his trial. All men accused of a crime will have the means to conduct their own defence. I shall also live frugally: I shall cut my salary, give up my own residence and live in Boa Vista, I shall abolish the royal salt tax, I will centralise government offices, and I shall sell off most of the royal horses and mules. All those who revolted at the Merchants' Exchange shall be released and pardoned. I was, alas, forced to take harsh measures against these men to maintain order: although I truly believe in liberty, there can be no liberty without order - this was where the French Jacobins went so badly wrong. And you may see that, as soon as order was restored at the Merchants' Exchange, I did not interfere with the legitimate work of the parish electors: as long as there is order, I will respect and defend the people's liberties."
There was loud applause and cheering. Pedro smiled, but his smile was awkward: he had reached the part of the speech he wished he did not have to make.
"And I shall conclude", he said, in a wavering voice, "by announcing that I shall maintain the African slave trade. Though I truly wish nothing more than to abolish it, I am not such a fool as to think I can do so at this time without provoking a rebellion. But I do hope, sooner rather than later, than the good people of this kingdom can be brought to see both the humanity and the wisdom of ending that inhuman traffic. Thank you."
More applause followed, and Pedro was congratulated by Leopoldina. His speech was rather liberal, she thought, but there was nothing in it that any reasonable person could object to, and I have a duty before God to support my husband.
Pedro sat in his study, reading. A ship had arrived in Rio that morning, bringing news of the Bases of the Constitution: he was now looking at a copy of that document. He noticed that it proposed to maintain the Brazilian regency, but would also give the Cortes the power to exclude Brazilian provinces from the jurisdiction of the regency and place them under its direct control. There was also a mention of draft legislation to do exactly that to the north-eastern provinces. Pedro frowned, but then he noticed a clause stating that no part of the constitution would take effect in Brazil until the Brazilian deputies had been seated in the Cortes and been able to vote on the matter. Nothing to worry about there, thought Pedro, so he decided to do nothing.
Pedro swiftly mounted his bay mare: news had arrived of a mutiny that morning led by Avilez. Avilez! What had happened to make him turn against the Crown, Pedro wondered. He set off wearing his blue and white armband: at this moment, it was more important than ever to show his loyalty to Portugal, to his father. Riding alone, Pedro soon came across the mutineers as they rampaged through the streets.
"Stop!", he commanded.
In an instant they all stopped and looked at him.
"What madness is this?", demanded Pedro.
Avilez stepped forward.
"We humbly beseech Your Royal Highness to swear an oath of allegiance to the Bases of the Constitution", he said. "We also ask that you appoint a junta to govern this province."
"I have already given my word to accept whatever constitution the Cortes makes", Pedro answered.
"But Your Royal Highness has not sworn an oath", Avilez persisted. "Simply giving your word, even the word of a high and mighty prince, is not enough. You need to swear a sacred oath, before the Lord himself, so we know that you truly are supportive of our newly won liberties."
"I thought you were loyal", spluttered Pedro.
"I am loyal to the Cortes and to the constitution that we will soon have", replied Avilez. "I want to know that you are too."
Pedro tried to think of a way out.
"As I have said, I have already given my word", he said. "However, I do not think that I can swear to it until I know the will of the Brazilian people."
"Well, then, summon the district council and district electors of this city", urged Avilez.
Pedro could see no way out.
"Very well", he said, "I agree to this."
"And of course, the councilmen and the electors agreed with Avilez", said Pedro: he was so angry that he shook the reins, causing the horse to rear up. Leopoldina put her hand on the animal's head to calm it.
"Avilez is now the real master of Rio", Pedro went on, half to himself, half to Leopoldina. "And what am I? Nothing more than a fucking puppet. I'm completed powerless and isolated in this city, and I also have no authority over the provinces: they're all in the hands of juntas. I'm supposed to be the fucking Prince Regent of this whole kingdom, but I'm no more than a captain general."
Pedro whipped the horse furiously: the horse whinnied loudly. Gently but firmly, Leopoldina grabbed her husband's arm to spare the poor animal, and gently manoevred her own horse so that her saddle was touching Pedro's.
"So Avilez is in favour of the Bases, then?", she asked calmly.
"Yes", said Pedro, his tone gradually softening.
"Then don't you see?", said Leopoldina. "There's a lot of anger among the people here against the Bases: I hear it when I walk in the street every day. Avilez has overreached himself: he's on the wrong side of the people."
"But where does that leave me?", asked Pedro.
"It means", explained Leopoldina, "that you can regain control if you side with the people, and if you manage to charm the troops into supporting you. I know you can do it."
Pedro smiled, and Leopoldina felt able to let go of his arm.
"Thank you", he said. "I'm just hoping I get an opportunity sooner rather than later."
"This is a total outrage!", cried José Bonifácio, as he threw aside the copy of the Bases of the Constitution that he had just read.
"Why is that?", asked Antônio Carlos.
"Don't you see?", said José Bonifácio. "This document will once again reduce this proud kingdom to a Portuguese colony, and cause it to break up."
"How?", asked Martim Francisco.
"Because", said José Bonifácio", pointing to the offending clauses, "it states that the territory of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves consists not just of those three kingdoms, but also the colonies in Africa and Asia. This would give the Cortes a legal framework to reimpose the trade restrictions that we suffered under before the King came to live here. It also refers to the people of the whole United Kingdom as 'the Portuguese Nation' and 'Portuguese citizens of both hemispheres'."
"Is there anything we can do about it?", asked Antônio Carlos.
"There is hope yet", replied José Bonifácio. "I have great faith in Dom Pedro: he has been in this country since the age of eight, and I have heard it said that he feels Brazilian rather than Portuguese. I am hopeful that he will defend us against the Cortes. And also", he added, addressing Antônio Carlos, "I trust that once you are seated in the Cortes, you will strongly advocate for the interests of this country."
"I will", promised Antônio Carlos.
"But is there also anything that you and I can do?", asked Martim Francisco.
"Yes", said José Bonifácio. "I will establish a junta for the province of São Paolo. Unlike all those other juntas, this one will be avowedly loyal to Dom Pedro. It will also be dedicated to preserving the autonomy of Brazil within the United Kingdom. It will defend the integrity and indivisibility of the kingdoms of Brazil and Portugal, and advocate for equality of political and civil rights between them."
"But won't that be difficult now that the King has gone back to live in Portugal?", asked Martim Francisco.
"I have thought of that", said José Bonifácio, clearly pleased with himself. "I propose that His Majesty should spend six months of the year in this country, and the other six months in Portugal. Each kingdom should have its own treasury, and there should also be a third treasury for common expenditures: this shall be funded by the other two. The Cortes should be composed of an equal number of deputies from Portugal and from the overseas territories. Brazil should have her own executive: this shall be headed by the King, and when His Majesty is in Portugal, by the Prince Royal. Isn't this a clever plan?"
His two brothers assented.
João, Carlota Joaquina, Miguel and Isabel disembarked from the ship Dom João VI and stepped onto the Lisbon shore. Crowds had gathered, and they cheered as the royal family arrived, with cries of "God save the King!" mingling with shouts of "Long live the Cortes!". João and Isabel smiled and waved at the crowds, while Carlota Joaquina and Miguel made no attempt to conceal their displeasure.
When they arrived in the Necessidades Palace, the members of the Cortes stood up, loudly cheering and applauding for several minutes. When the ovation had finally subsided, Costa approached the King carrying a large bundle of papers.
"Your Majesty", he said, bowing, "the General and Extraordinary Cortes of the Portuguese Nation humbly presents you with the Bases of the Constitution, and requests that Your Majesty graciously swear your allegiance to it."
He handed the papers to João, who flicked through them as quickly as he could. He then glanced up, and saw all the members of the Cortes looking at him eagerly, all clearly wanting him to swear allegiance.
"I will do so", he said, and a loud explosion of cheering erupted.
"Do not do this, Papa, I beg of you", said Miguel. "Be a King, and crush this treason."
"These men are not Robespierres", replied João, "they are reasonable men."
A Bible was brought, and João placed his hand on it and swore:
"I Dom João VI, do solemnly swear that I will adhere to the Bases of the Constitution. So help me God."
Another burst of cheering: João could not help but be moved by it.
"You did the right thing, Papa", said Isabel. "Hopefully you will be able to have a partnership with the Cortes."
"Now, Your Majesty", said Costa, now bowing to and addressing Carlota Joaquina, "would you also be gracious enough to take the same oath?"
"I will not", she replied. "I refuse to give my blessing to this piece of dastardly subversion. You should all be kneeling before me and the King to beg our forgiveness for your treason, not asking us to bless it."
"With respect, madam", said Costa, looking dumbfounded, "the Bases are going to form the supreme law of this land. Surely you realise that you have to agree to rule by the law?"
"The law I recognise is the law of God", answered Carlota Joaquina. "You men in here have all committed the gravest of sins, rebellion against God's deputy. May he punish you most severely for your transgressions."
"God is on the side of liberty", said Costa, his voice hardening. "He has blessed our revolution with glorious success, and he has also shown, in the not too distant past, what he does to Kings and Queens who stand against liberty. In this new, free, Portugal, Kings and Queens can only reign if they agree to uphold the constitution."
He turned to the rest of the Cortes.
"What say you?", he cried. "I propose that as Her Majesty refuses to accept the Bases of the Constitution, she should be stripped forthwith of her title and rights as Queen. Let us vote on it."
João tried to open his mouth in a feeble protest against the proposal, but he was too late: the Cortes voted in favour. Carlota Joaquina's cheeks had now turned purple.
"No assembly of seditious and ungodly men can strip me of my God-given title", she shouted. "I will have my revenge on you one day. I will make you all wish you had never been born!".
She stormed away, with Miguel by her side. The members of the Cortes mocked and jeered at her as she left. At the doorway she turned round and shouted:
"We will see who has the last laugh when you are all swinging from the gallows!"
João made his excuses, and he and Isabel hastily made their exits.
"Outrageous!", spluttered Carlota Joaquina to Miguel. "To be mocked by such low-lives, for them to think they can take away my God-given title, for them to make such vile threats against my life."
"You are right, Mama", said Miguel. "These men clearly do not know their place."
"They may not now", said Carlota Joaquina, in a conspiratorial tone, "but one day - too late for them of course - they will see how wrong they were. And, you, my son, shall be the instrument of my revenge."
"I would like nothing better", answered Miguel. "I shall not rest until this Cortes has been abolished, and you have been restored to your rightful position."
"But did you see your father?", said Carlota Joaquina. "How he just gave in to what they said, how he would not defend my dignity against their insults. And instead of defending his own rights, he happily placed his neck under the guillotine's blade."
"I did", said Miguel. "You were right all along, he is a weak man. But I will not be."
At this point, they had reached the main entrance to the Necessidades Palace. A man came up them and bowed.
"Who are you?", asked Carlota Joaquina, her eyes narrowing.
"I am the Duke of Oliveira at your service", he replied. "I was not inside there, but they were so loud I could hear everything that was going on. What they did to you, madam, indeed everything they have done to this great country, is an outrage."
"But they won't be doing it for too much longer", said Miguel. "I am going to overthrow the Cortes."
"And I will help you do it", said Oliveira.
"But not just yet", cautioned Carlota Joaquina. "We need to be mindful that, sadly, they have a lot of support, at least in this city so it would seem. We need to wait until they have discredited themselves, until something happens that shows the people that subversion always leads to disaster. Then will it be time to strike."
"I must confess", said Costa to the rest of the Cortes, "I am disappointed that Dom Pedro is still in Brazil: that is a potential problem for us. I shall write a letter to His Royal Highness asking him to return to this country: he needs to complete his education with a tour of Spain, France and England."
There was a general murmur of assent among the other deputies, as well as comments ridiculing Pedro and dismissing his importance. Costa eventually managed to call everybody to order.
"I now wish to propose a decree", he said. "All agencies, ministries and courts of law in Rio de Janeiro are to be shut down. All provinces of Brazil shall be under the direct jurisdiction of this Cortes, each governed by a junta headed by a military officer whom we shall appoint. Troops shall be sent to Brazil to suppress any rebellion against this decree, and all Brazilian military units shall be commanded by a Portuguese officer. What say you?
"Wait!", cried the Marquis of Palmela, jumping to his feet. "We cannot just go ahead and pass a decree like that."
"Why not?", demanded Costa.
"Because", said Palmela patiently, "the Brazilian representatives to this Cortes have not yet arrived. We cannot simply issue a decree that so drastically affects Brazil without consulting them. Wasn't the whole point of the revolution that laws should be made with the consent of those who have to obey them? This decree also breaches the Bases of the Constitution."
"I utterly reject your premise", replied Costa. "We should move straight ahead to vote on this decree."
Sighing, Palmela sat down again. The Cortes voted, and the decree was approved.
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