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In-Depth Information
of Panama. Common usage, however, sub-
stituted
Mexico
for the formal designation of
New Spain. Spanish rule in this region
ended during the early 1820s, and the peo-
ples within its boundaries evolved with
changing political developments.
entourage fled to Britain, where her claims
were recognized.
Early in 1831 Pedro abdicated the Brazil-
ian throne (in favor of his son by a second
marriage) and set out to fight for his daugh-
ter's rights. In the civil war that followed
Portugal was divided between liberal sup-
porters of Maria and conservatives who felt
that the whole structure of Portuguese reli-
gion and traditional values was under attack
from radicals. Miguel, their king and hero,
had presided over fierce persecution of polit-
ical opponents since 1828 and hoped to pre-
vail in the conflict that now erupted. Pedro,
however, rallied with liberals in the A
ZORES
and launched an invasion of the mainland,
capturing O
PORTO
. With British assistance
the conservatives were defeated, and Miguel
left the country in 1834. The M
IGUELITE
W
AR
was officially over, but Miguel, en route to
his place of exile, reasserted his claim to the
Portuguese crown and denounced his niece
and her supporters. The Miguelite claim to
the kingship of Portugal was again taken up
in arms several times during the 19th cen-
tury. After the revolution of 1910 that pro-
claimed a republic and the subsequent
extinction of the monarchist line descended
from Maria II, the Miguelite pretender
asserted his claim with more validity but
with equal lack of effect.
Miguel, prince of Portugal
(1802-1866)
claimant to the throne of Portugal
Second son of King J
OHN
VI, Dom Miguel,
with the rest of the Portuguese royal family,
fled to B
RAZIL
after the French invasion of
1807. The king returned to Portugal with
Miguel after the legislature in L
ISBON
demanded that he reside there rather than
in Brazil (which had been elevated to the
status of equality with Portugal). Miguel
became the active leader of the reactionary
forces in Portugal and took part in a failed
revolt against this father in 1824, prompted
by the liberal constitution that John had
approved. After John VI's death in 1826,
the situation became increasingly compli-
cated. John had recognized the indepen-
dence of Brazil with his elder son remaining
there as Emperor P
EDRO
I. Now that son
was also Pedro IV of Portugal. Pedro prom-
ised to abdicate in favor of his daughter
Maria da Glória (M
ARIA
II), and to pacify
his brother and the Portuguese conserva-
tives he offered Miguel the guardianship
of Maria and her hand in marriage when
she became of age. Miguel initially
accepted this arrangement but repudiated
it in 1828 and was proclaimed King Miguel
I of Portugal by a legislature under conser-
vative domination. He was recognized as
king by the papacy, Austria, Spain (con-
trolled by conservatives at that time), and
a number of other states. Maria and her
Miguelite War
(1831-1834)
This Portuguese civil war arose from the
complex self-indulgences and ambitions of
the B
RAGANÇA
dynasty. J
OHN
VI and his
family had fled to B
RAZIL
when France
invaded Portugal in 1807. They remained
there until 1820, when liberal forces ousted
the regency council in L
ISBON
and demanded
the king's return. He kept a precarious bal-
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