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Today we mark the 186th anniversary of the proclamation of the constitutional government on the island of Madeira, which took place on June 5, 1834, following the Évora-Monte Convention, signed on May 26 of that year. This diploma marked the end of the Portuguese Civil War, where the brothers D. Pedro IV (1798-1834) and D. Miguel I (1801-1866), fought for succession to the Portuguese throne. This dispute between liberals (constitutionalists) and absolutists (traditionalists) dates back to the 1820 rebellion, which implanted liberalism in Portugal, in a long process of political instability. D. Miguel, supporter of the traditionalists, still during the reign of his father, D. João VI (1767-1826), had already risen against the constitution in 1823 (Vila-Francada) with a new rebellion in 1824 (Abrilada), which resulted in exile of the insurgent infant. Two years later, D. João VI unexpectedly dies and D. Pedro is considered the legitimate heir to the Portuguese Crown. As an emperor of Brazil since 1822, and in a solution of appeasement between the liberal and absolutist hosts, he soon abdicates his rights to the throne in favor of his even smaller daughter, D. Maria da Glória (1819-1853), under the condition of this contract marriage, with his uncle, D. Miguel, who, as regent of his niece, should have sworn the Constitution Charter. Despite agreeing with the terms, D. Miguel revoked the constitution and declared himself as absolute King in 1828, which soon led to rebellions in different parts of the country, particularly in Porto, Terceira and Madeira. On May 16 of that year, a liberal rebellion took place in the cities of Porto and Aveiro, which prepares a provisional government. In Madeira, José Lúcio Travassos Valdês (1787-1862), then Governor and Captain General, being faithful to D. Pedro, declared allegiance to the constitutional charter. Upon learning of the revolutionary union that was joining in Porto, and wanting to complete it, he sent an emissary, the Madeiran lawyer José Maria Martiniano da Fonseca (n. Sé, 10/16/1794; f.07 / 05/1829), bachelor of Laws from the University of Coimbra (1822), to start conversations with one of the secretaries of the rebel government, the judge Manuel António Velez Caldeira (1791-1868). It also had the mission of disseminating printed material with propaganda for the liberal cause and other news about the survey that was being prepared on Madeira Island. Martiniano da Fonseca chartered the American ship “Hope and Esther” and left on June 30, with his assistant, João José de Vasconcelos (1805-?), Also madeiran and cadet of the Artillery battalion, heading for the city of Porto, where landed on July 14. During this trip, D. Miguel had already regained control of the situation, and the Porto rebels were already fleeing to Galicia, so that, two days after arriving at their destination, the Madeiran emissaries were arrested by the miguelist forces, under the accusation of high treason. This Madeiran lawyer was one of the 12 Martyrs of Liberty, hanged and beheaded on May 7 and October 9, 1829, in the old “Praça Nova das Hortas”, today “Praça da Liberdade”, Porto. The martyrs had their heads exposed in different places for 3 days, the Madeiran lawyer was exposed on a gallows in “São João da Foz”. Today, his remains are found in the “Prado do Repouso” cemetery and his name is engraved on the base of the equestrian statue of D. Pedro IV, visible in the square. Cadet Vasconcelos had better luck, who was absolved of the crime of rebellion, but submitted to the military justice forum, for desertion. The aforementioned arrests resulted in the immediate order to replace “Travassos Valdês”, who on June 25, 1828, prevents the landing at the port of Funchal, of the new governor and Captain General, sea-and-war Captain José Maria Monteiro. The deposed governor prepares the defense of the island with the creation of the Royal Volunteer Battalion of D. Pedro IV, and the Cavalry Volunteer Company, which join the effectively under equipped and undisciplined team that already existed in Madeira. As a result of these events, on August 22, a Miguelist squadron attacked the village of Machico, which did not shown great resistance due to the unpreparedness of the troops and warlike incapacity, and on the 24th of that month, the new governor appointed by D. Miguel, disembarks in Funchal. Two days later he proclaims a new king and follows the exile, imprisonment and death for the liberal rebels, jokingly nicknamed "malhados". A liberal reaction was outlined with the occupation of Porto Santo, on April 4, 1832, and Luís Mouzinho de Albuquerque (1792-1846), who had been appointed Captain General of Madeira by D. Pedro, arrived there for three days after. Due to the lack of means to occupy Madeira, he returned to the Azores, on May 5 of that year, without beginning the liberation of the archipelago. At the end of the dispute, he would end up being mayor of the then newly created Funchal City Hall, taking office on August 6, 1834. At the end of the conflict, D. Miguel, on his 33rd birthday, was forced to abdicate the throne in favor of D. Maria II, who enacted the Law of banishment, where the ex-king and his descendants were excluded from the line of succession and condemned them to live in exile, under death penalty if they ever returned to Portugal. The last king of Portugal, D. Manuel II (1889-1932), descended from the winning faction, being a great great grandson of D. Pedro IV, and the won faction is today represented by Duarte Pio de Bragança (b.1945), pretender to the Crown of Portugal and the title of Duke of Bragança, being great-grandson D. Miguel I. The image that accompanies this text, was captured 118 years ago, during the celebrations of the Proclamation of the Liberal Government, on June 5, 1902, where we observe two flags of the Portuguese monarchy and a plaque with the inscription "5 june 1834". Although the anniversary is normally celebrated in the Cathedral, on this occasion the religious ceremony took place in the D. Carlos I field (today “Campo Almirante Reis”), in the same pavilion where the industrial and agricultural exhibition was held, during the visit of the King Carlos de Bragança and D. Amélia de Orléans, in June 1901. “Largo da Restauração”, next to the “São Lourenço” palace, still today evokes the restoration of the constitutional monarchy.

Credits: Museu de Fotografia da Madeira - Atelier Vicente's.
 
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JOAQUIM AUGUSTO DE SOUSA | Altar erected in a pavilion in the D. Carlos I camp (now Almirante Reis camp), on the occasion of the Liberal Government Proclamation celebrations | 1902-06-05 16.4 x 10.8 cm | Simple glass negative | JAS / 230 silver salt gelatin
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