“Here the people rule!”. “Long live the revolution!”. These not-so-subtle sayings — or, in the words of the Gazeta do Rio de Janeiro, “the exaltation of illegal sentiments” — were shouted right in Praça do Comércio, downtown, on April 21, 1821.
Figure 1 – Commercio Square. Pieter Godfried Bertichen. 1856. Fundação Biblioteca Nacional [icon393044_44]
Image description: This is a black-and-white print depicting a historical scene. The image shows a street with old buildings, possibly from the 19th century, featuring two- to three-story structures characteristic of colonial architecture. On the left, there is a row of houses with balconies and simple windows. In the center, a group of people is walking or standing still, some carrying heavy objects. On the right, there is a horse-drawn carriage with barrels stacked on its roof. The sky is clear, suggesting a sunny day.There, voters gathered to choose the commissions of deputies who would be sent to the Cortes, in Lisbon. They would also learn about and comment on the instructions left by King João VI to Pedro, who would take on the regency of Brazil. The meeting, which was supposed to be small and discreet, turned into a mass assembly, resulting in deaths and injuries.
The meeting was called with the intention of calming "the furor of ambitions" that had taken over Rio de Janeiro in the first months of 1821. On February 26, d. João had publicly sworn to uphold the bases of the Constitution that would be drafted by the Cortes, in Lisbon. Right after, he had announced his return to Portugal. But such announcements did the opposite of dispelling insecurities and uncertainties regarding the fate of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. There were also the more radical ones, who deemed these measures insufficient. Barracks, cafés, and shops on Rua Direita had become "the theater of the most unbridled freedom of speech" — as a minister of the time put it.
Figure 2 — [Rua Direita, Rio de Janeiro], Johann Moritz Rugendas. Rio de Janeiro, 1835. Arquivo Nacional [OR_2119_V3_PL13]
Image description: This is a black-and-white engraving depicting a bustling scene in a historic square. On the left, we see old buildings with open windows and hanging curtains. In the center, a building with a dome and tower stands out, possibly a church or temple. On the right, there are more low buildings with balconies and windows. In the central part of the image, a crowd of people has gathered; some are sitting on barrels while others are standing, talking, or engaged in various activities. There are also ox carts and horses, some carrying loads. In the background, we see a hill with buildings and a bridge. The sky is cloudy, lending a somber tone to the scene.These debates reached the palace court in a tone of apprehension about the fate of the kingdom. "Everyone foresees that nothing that exists today can be preserved," the same minister stated.
The venue where the meeting would take place, the newly inaugurated Bolsa building (present-day Casa França-Brasil), was fitted with bleachers to accommodate the voters entitled to choose the Brazilian deputation. But the number of those present — many with anything but a moderate profile, as they were expected to have — went far beyond what had been imagined.
When the judge presiding over the session began reading the names that would make up the prince regent's ministry, his speech was drowned out by cries for the immediate implementation of the "Hespanhola Constitution" — approved in 1812 and a major inspiration for more radical liberals. The rebels also demanded that d. João VI remain in Brazil and that any unauthorized landing at the ports of Rio de Janeiro be forbidden. They gained the support of some military officers and stayed in Praça do Comércio into the small hours.
At four in the morning on April 22, the legalist troops marched toward downtown Rio. A soldier was stabbed and died. Without waiting for orders from above, they opened fire on the Stock Exchange building and stormed the premises brandishing bayonets. The crowd was dispersed, but at the cost of dozens of lives. According to an anonymous account from the time, "ordinary people were killed indiscriminately [...] The bodies were secretly taken to the Navy Arsenal, and there they were buried in secret." The next day, the Stock Exchange building was found painted with the words "Butcher Shop of the Braganças."
At eight in the morning, the decree in which d. João VI accepted the Spanish constitution was revoked. The king claimed it had been drafted "by order of ill-intentioned men, who desired anarchy."
Figure 3 — [Proclamation of] El-rey to the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro. 1821. Fundação Biblioteca Nacional [bndigital0327]
Image description: The image is a copy of an old black-and-white document. At the top, there is a round seal with the text "MEMORIAS" and "NACIONAL". Below it is written "EL REY" in large letters. Next comes the title "AOS HABITANTES DO RIO DE JANEIRO". The document contains text in Portuguese, written in two columns, with well-spaced paragraphs. The text mentions specific dates, such as "20 e 22 de Abril de mil oitocentos e vinte e um", and makes references to historical people and events.This was d. João VI's last official act in Rio de Janeiro. After 13 years, Lisbon once again became the king's residence, and Rio ceased to be the seat of the kingdom.
Figure 4 — Disembarkation of King Dom João. Accompanied by a Deputation of the Courts. In the Magnificent Praça do Terreiro do Paço on July 4th, 1821. Constantino de Fontes, c.1821. Fundação Biblioteca Nacional [icon554829]
Image description: This is a black-and-white engraving. The scene depicts a public disembarkation in a coastal square. On the left, we see a series of uniformed soldiers in formation, followed by a carriage. In the center, a staircase leads to the water, where people walk toward the ships. On the right, a large ship is being disembarked, with figures dressed in formal attire. In the background, there are historic buildings and other ships on the horizon. The sky is cloudy, and the sea is calm. In the lower corner, there is text in Portuguese mentioning the disembarkation of King Dom João VI on July 1st, 1821.Bibliographic References
CARVALHO, José Murilo de; BASTOS, Lúcia; BASILE, Marcello. To Arms, Citizens!: handwritten pamphlets of Brazil's independence (1820-1823). Editora Companhia das Letras, 2012.
ENDERS, Armelle. A história do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro: Gryphus Editora, 2015.
MARSON, Izabel Andrade; OLIVEIRA, Cecília Helena L. de Salles (Orgs.). Monarquia, Liberalismo e Negócios no Brasil: 1780-1860. São Paulo: Edusp, 2013.
PEDREIRA, Jorge Miguel Viana; COSTA, Fernando Dores. D. João VI: a prince between two continents. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2008.
SHULTZ, Kristen. Tropical Versailles: Empire, monarchy, and the Portuguese royal Court in Rio de Janeiro, 1808-1821. Rio de Janeiro: Civilização Brasileira, 2008.
STARLING, Heloisa Maria Murgel; DE LIMA, Marcela Telles (Orgs.). Vozes do Brasil: political language during the Independence period (1820-1824). Brasília: Edições do Senado Federal, 2021.
