Portugal: The First Civil War (1828-1834) Quiz

Answer: The Liberal Wars

This term is most commonly used by the Portuguese historians to identify the conflict fought in Portugal between 1828 and 1834. This war has been referred to also as The Miguelite War and The War of the Two Brothers.

Answer: True

Dom Pedro and Dom Miguel were sons of King Dom Joao VI. After the death of Dom Joao VI, Dom Pedro IV, the natural heir and at that time emperor of the newly proclaimed Empire of Brazil, abdicated the throne in favor of his daughter, the future Queen of Portugal, Dona Maria II, who was commited to marry her uncle, Dom Miguel, according to the succession settlement, which stipulated the confirmation of the Constitutional Monarchy in Portugal.

In 1828, Dom Miguel betrayed this settlement by abolishing all the liberal reforms and declared war on his brothers and followers of the Constitutional Charter.

Answer: Liberalism and Absolutism

The confrontation between Liberalism and Absolutism started with the French Revolution in 1789, spread with the Napoleonic Wars to the rest of Europe and was present in the Europe's major transformations and revolutions during the nineteenth century.

Answer: Dom Miguel's betrayal of his loyalty to the Constitutional Charter

After swearing loyalty to the Consitutional Charter, Dom Miguel, supported by the church and landowners, dissolved all the liberal institutions, such as the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Peers, and reinstated absolutism in Portugal.

Answer: Ilha Terceira

This Azorian island was the only Portuguese region to reject DomMiguel's proclamation as the new king of Portugal and to swear loyalty to Dona Maria II, the daughter of Dom Pedro, and the liberal cause. It was from this island that the liberals started their fight against Dom Miguel and the absolutists.

Answer: The Beach of the Thieves

Coming from Ilha Terceira (Azores) to the continent with the help of British ships, the liberals landed in the north of Portugal at this beach in 1832 and from here they moved towards the city of Porto. Today this beach is known as "The Beach of Memory".

Answer: 1 year and 1 month

The liberal troops were besieged by the absolutist forces from July of 1832 to August of 1833. During this time the liberal cause was embraced by the people of Porto who helped the armies of Dom Pedro against the permanent attacks of the Miguelite troops.

Answer: Great Britain

London and the liberals reached an agreement shortly after the war started. This agreement secured and increased British trade interests in Portugal in exchange for logistic aid to the liberal cause. Duque de Palmela was the man responsible for this settlement.

The mutual sympathy between Austria and the absolutists was also not well viewed in Britain, which at the time was resisting any extention of Austrian influence in southern Europe.

Answer: Convention of Évora Monte

The Convention of Évora Monte was signed on 26 May of 1834 by thus ending six years of internal conflict. As a result of the convention Dom Miguel was forced into exile and absolutism was abolished in Portugal once and for all.

Answer: True

Dom Pedro was much criticized within the liberal cause due to this decision stipulated in the Convention of Évora Monte. Dom Pedro was more concerned with getting the country united in peace and felt that applying some kind of punishment to his brother could lead to more resentment and spark a new civil war. However, his supporters wanted to try his brother for treason.