Pedro

Pedro, two emperors of Brazil. Pedro I (1798–1834) was the son of John VI of Portugal, who fled with his family to Brazil when Napoleon Bonaparte invaded his homeland in 1807. On his father's return to Portugal in 1821, Pedro remained in Brazil, declared Brazilian independence (1822), and was crowned emperor. His subsequent mismanagement led to his abdication (1831). He was succeeded by his son Pedro II (1825–1891), declared of age in 1840, who gave Brazil over half a century of stable government. But his liberal policies, especially his attempt to abolish slavery, alienated the Brazilian landowning classes. They organized a bloodless coup in 1889 and made Brazil a republic.

See also: Brazil.