Liberal Wars | |||||||
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Battle of Ferreira Bridge, 23 July 1832 |
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Miguelites Supported by:
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Dom Pedro Duke of Terceira Marshal Saldanha Charles Napier |
Dom Miguel Viscount of Montalegre Viscount of Santa Marta Manuel António Marreiros |
Liberal victory, Concession of Evoramonte:
Miguelites Supported by:
The Liberal Wars, also known as the Portuguese Civil War, the War of the Two Brothers, or Miguelite War, was a war between progressive constitutionalists and authoritarian absolutists in Portugal over royal succession that lasted from 1828 to 1834. Embroiled parties included the Kingdom of Portugal, Portuguese rebels, the United Kingdom, France, the Church of Rome, and Spain.
The death of King João VI in 1826 created a dispute over royal succession. While Dom Pedro, the Emperor of Brazil, was the king's oldest son, his younger brother Miguel contended that Pedro had forfeited his claim to the throne by declaring Brazilian independence. Pedro briefly entitled himself Dom Pedro IV of Portugal. Neither the Portuguese nor the Brazilians wanted a unified monarchy; consequently, Pedro abdicated the throne in favor of his daughter, Maria, a child of 7. In April 1826, to settle the succession dispute, Pedro revised the 1st constitution of Portugal granted in 1822 and left the throne to Maria, with his sister Isabel Maria as regent.