Balaiada

Balaiada Revolt - Brasil
Troops departing from Rio de Janeiro to Maranhão.
Date 1838-1841 Location Province of Maranhão, Brazil Result Legalist victory
Belligerents
Empire of Brazil National Guard Imperial Navy	Rebels Balaios African slaves
Commanders and leaders
Colonel Luís Alves de Lima e Silva	Cosme Bento † Raimundo Gomes
Strength
10,000-12,000	8,000

Empire of Brazil

Rebels

The Balaiada was a social revolt that occurred between 1838 and 1841 in the interior of the province of Maranhão, Brazil.

During the imperial period, the Maranhão region, which exported cotton, suffered a severe economic crisis because of competition with the increasingly productive United States. In addition, the cattle industry consumed a large part of the workforce in this region. These factors explain the involvement of the slave and poorly paid free workers in the movement.

A political power dispute arose in the heart of the elite class, which was reflected in Maranhão by the opposition of liberals (bem-te-vis) and conservatives (cabanos). When Pedro de Araújo Lima, Marquis of Olinda became prime minister, provoking the so-called regresso conservador ("conservative regression"), the Maranhão conservatives took advantage of the opportunity to remove the liberals in power, and at the same time, weaken them further by contracting the service of the cattle ranchers, traditionally supported by the liberals.

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