Leopoldina was cradling their newborn daughter in her arms as the little girl slept peacefully. Her parents had named her Januária, after Rio de Janeiro. Pedro and Leopoldina both smiled indulgently at her, while Maria gently stroked her baby sister's head. Her birth had gone some way towards easing the pain they all felt over the loss of João Carlos, though Pedro was disappointed not to have a male heir.
"Things are moving pretty fast, aren't they?", remarked Pedro.
"What do you mean?", asked Leopoldina.
"Well . . . our new daughter", said Pedro, "the rebellion in Bahia . . ."
"Yes", said Leopoldina. "The people do seem to be turning against the Cortes. Which is a good thing."
"You're right", said Pedro, "and I shall be sending troops to help the rebels in Bahia."
"Have you thought about independence?", asked Leopoldina.
"I'm still hoping that some resolution can be found", Pedro replied. "Maybe after the Avilez fiasco, the Cortes will realise that they need to treat Brazil as an equal."
"I'm not sure they will", said Leopoldina.
"José Bonifácio thinks that, as well", Pedro admitted.
"I think he's right", said Leopoldina. "He is usually right about these things."
"I agree", said Pedro, "he is a very able man, and, like a good father, gives us very sound guidance."
Leopoldina nodded.
Pedro rode on his bay mare into Minas Gerais. He had few companions, and he had given orders that there be no pomp or ceremony. He was unsure of what to expect: Minas Gerais had few Portuguese troops, and the junta in charge had not recognised his authority, so he had heard that the population here held some doubts about him. But he needn't have worried: as soon as the people saw who it was cries of "All hail Dom Pedro!" went up. He got off his horse to meet with people: all those he greeted pledged their allegiance to him. Finally he made his way to the city hall, where the junta met.
"Good sirs", he said, "I commend you for the efficient work that you are doing. I come to praise you, but also to command you to submit to the authority of me, the Prince Regent."
"We agree to this", the junta members replied, bowing as one.
Back in Rio, one day Pedro received a petition from the city council.
"Dom Pedro", announced the leader of the council, "we are most appreciative of your courageous and valiant defence of this country against our would-be enslavers in Lisbon. To properly honour you, we humbly request that Your Royal Highness assume the title of Perpetual Protector and Defender of Brazil."
"I thank you for your kind request", replied Pedro. "I shall not assume the title of Protector, as I do not think that the kingdom needs a protector." In truth, the word "Protector" sounded rather too republican for his liking.
The petitioners looked disappointed.
"However", Pedro continued, "I am most pleased to accept the title Perpetual Defender of Brazil."
They cheered.
"And also", asked the leader of the council, "would Your Royal Highness consent to summoning a constituent assembly?"
"We do not need a constituent assembly", asserted José Bonifácio. "Dom Pedro is perfectly capable of writing a constitution himself, with my expert advice."
"I see no harm in a constituent assembly", said Pedro. "I consent to the request."
José Bonifácio looked rather alarmed, but quickly regained his composure.
"As you wish, sire", he said. "But may I request that the elections to it be indirect?"
Pedro agreed. Soon a proclamation went round the city:
"His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the name of His Majesty the King, is pleased to announce that elections will be held to choose a constituent assembly. The purpose of this assembly shall be the maintenance of the integrity of the Portuguese monarchy, and to define the bases on which Brazil's independence should be established. It shall insist on a just equality of rights between Brazil and Portugal."
"Have you finished composing it?", asked Pedro.
"Yes, sire", replied José Bonifácio, and he handed Pedro the Manifesto to Friendly Nations.
"Very well done", said Pedro. "This shall be published immediately."
The Manifesto demanded that all Brazilian representatives in the Cortes should immediately return to Brazil, called on all friendly countries to deal with Brazil directly rather than via the Cortes, and declared war on the Portuguese army in Brazil. It also contained a fierce denunciation of 300 years of Portuguese oppression of Brazil. However, it also asserted that Pedro had no "desire to cut the ties of unity and fraternity which ought to make the Portuguese Nation a single well-organised polity."
"Why not declare independence?", asked Leopoldina.
Pedro shuffled up and down the room, struggling to think of an answer.
"Because", he said, "it would be an act of disloyalty."
"Disloyalty?", repeated Leopoldina.
"To my father", said Pedro. "I thought you would understand that, after all, you always got on well with him."
"But your father barely has any control over Portugal any more", replied Leopoldina. "It is the Cortes that governs the country, and which seems to hate Brazil. And you saw what Avilez did, to this city and to us", she added, with a hardened edge to her voice. "You would be rebelling against the Cortes, not your father: I'm sure he would understand your reasons."
"Maybe", said Pedro, his voice wavering, "but I just don't want to do it."
"It is outrageous!", shouted Costa. "Dom Pedro has defied our instructions, expelled His Majesty's troops from his Kingdom of Brazil, and chosen as chief minister his brother." He pointed an accusing finger at Antônio Carlos, who was smirking at him. "A man who hates us", Costa continued. "If you harbour any doubts about it, just listen to this."
He indignantly brandished a copy of the letter that José Bonifácio had written to convince Pedro to remain in Brazil: Antônio Carlos's smirk grew even wider.
"Apparently", declaimed Costa, "we want to impose 'a system of anarchy and slavery' on Brazil, we are 'enemies of order' who have 'robbed Brazil of the beneficent founder of the kingdom'."
There were angry shouts from the other deputies and from the public gallery.
"Wait", continued Costa, "there's more. José Bonifácio says we are guilty of 'absurdities and despotisms', we are 'a small number of disorganisers', and we are guilty of 'a new Constitutional Machiavellianism."
Angry shouts filled the Necessidades Palace: cries of "Treason!" and "Down with José Bonifácio!" could be heard. Antônio Carlos kept on smirking, while the other Brazilian deputies sat stony faced.
"Why", said Antônio Carlos, jumping purposefully to his feet "what kind of men are you? The worst kind, the ignorant kind. Are you so foolish as to think that this puny little kingdom can subdue the great and vast Kingdom of Brazil? Is there any of you who matches up to Dom Pedro, or to my distinguished brother? What? You think you can strip us of our rights? Can a tiny ant take away from the lion the title of King of the Beasts? What blockheads you are to even think it!"
He sat down: throughout his speech, he had been loudly booed by the gallery, but he just kept on smirking.
Costa's face was a perfect shade of purple as he stood up to respond, but before he could speak, the Marquis of Palmela got to his feet.
"Senhor Costa", he said, "I pray you, do not react rashly to these insults. Cool heads are what is required now."
"Does not Your Lordship see that Brazil is in open revolt against the King?", demanded Costa. "The rebels must be crushed."
"I beg of you", said Palmela, "think hard before you consider your next move. I speak as a man who loves His Majesty and Portugal as much as you do, and has both his and the kingdom's best interests at heart. If you do not tread carefully with Dom Pedro, you are at grave risk of unleashing forces beyond your control. I call upon the Cortes to step back from the brink. I propose that Dom Pedro's recall to Portugal be postponed until the Constitution has been ratified, and that the governors of arms in Brazil be subordinated to the provincial juntas. If we take these steps, we might be able to find a settlement acceptable both to us and to the Brazilians."
These words were met by a disapproving silence. Costa shook his head firmly.
"The time for talking to the Brazilians is past", he said. "You heard what Dom Pedro's chief minister, and his brother, think of us. I propose that we send more troops to Brazil, and we bring a prosecution against José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva for high treason."
The vote was carried overwhelmingly, despite loud shouts of "Shame!", "Down with the Cortes!" and "Long live Dom Pedro!" from Antônio Carlos and the other Brazilians present. The result of the vote prompted loud cheers from both the deputies and the spectators.
"Good", said Costa. "A letter shall be sent to Dom Pedro informing him of the steps we have taken."
"Alas", sighed Palmela, "it seems that all semblance of reason has gone. Passions are flying high on both sides, and no one seems to want to pull back from this."
"Well, maybe", replied the Duke of Terceira, "the fault lies with those Andrada brothers. It's obvious they hold Portugal and the Cortes in contempt."
"I won't defend what they have said", answered Palmela, "but the Cortes is foolish in the extreme in reacting like this. The Andradas may not have helped matters, but there is clearly a lot of anti-Brazil feeling in the Cortes. Remember, from the very start of the Revolution, they said that Brazil should be reduced to a principality. No good can come of this, I am certain. The English, the French and the Spaniards - far larger and more powerful than we - could not defeat their American rebels: what makes them think that we could?"
"Do you think there is a chance of a peaceful resolution?", asked Terceira.
Palmela shook his head sadly.
"The Cortes clearly won't back down, and Dom Pedro will certainly not accept their demands", he said. "I dread what is to come."
"You see?", said Carlota Joaquina eagerly, "just how foolish the traitors are proving to be? Even I didn't think they would be so quick to cause disaster."
"Should we start making our preparations?", asked Miguel.
"Not yet", his mother replied. "The Brazilian catastrophe that they will provoke has not yet happened. But it soon will."
"Let's hope it does", said the Duke of Oliveira.
Pedro once again mounted his bay mare. He had considered whether or not to wear his blue and white armband, but had eventually decided he would, partly out of filial loyalty and partly out of habit.
"Good luck", said Leopoldina.
They had heard that a rebellion had broken out against the São Paolo junta: Pedro was setting off to deal with it.
Pedro leaned down to kiss Leopoldina.
"Goodbye, until we meet again", he said. "I know you will do a fine job as Acting Princess Regent."
And off he rode: Leopoldina continued to watch him until he disappeared from view.
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