Dom Pedro I of Brazil (12 October 1798-24 September 1834), also Pedro IV of Portugal, was the Emperor of the Brazilian Empire from 12 October 1822 to 7 April 1831 (preceding Pedro II) and King of Portugal from 10 March to 2 May 1826 (succeeding Joao VI and preceding Maria II). Because he was a member of the Brigantine dynasty that ruled both nations, he was involved with the politics of both countries and although he led Brazil in the Brazilian War of Independence against Portugal, he later abdicated his throne in Brazil in 1831 to focus on Portuguese affairs and invaded Portugal to re-instate his daughter Queen Maria II of Portugal as Queen. He died in 1834.
Biography[]
The son of Joao VI of Portugal, he was a member of the royal family and was made the regent of Portuguese Brazil under the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves. However, he was forced to choose between the insubordinate Portuguese troops in the country and Brazilian independence activists, so he chose Brazil and evicted all of Portugal's troops in the country. He briefly served as King of Portugal in 1826 when his father died, and unable to rule both Portugal and Brazil, Pedro abdicated as Emperor of Brazil in 1831. In July 1832 he invaded Portugal at the head of a Liberal army backed by France and the United Kingdom, fighting the Portuguese government. He and his soldiers agreed not to shave their beards until his daughter, Queen Maria II of Portugal, was restored to power. He died in 1834.