Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil
Isabel (29 July 1846 – 14 November 1921), nicknamed "the Redemptress",[1] was Regent of the Empire of Brazil and titular Empress as successor to her father, the last reigning Emperor Pedro II. She was heiress presumptive to the Brazilian throne, bearing the title of Princess Imperial until 1891 when her father, deposed in 1889 in a military coup d'état, died and she was recognized as his successor by the countries who still did not acknowledged the First Brazilian Republic as well as by a large sector of the Brazilian society.
| Isabel | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Princess Isabel around age 41, c. 1887 | |||||
| Head of the Imperial House of Brazil | |||||
| 5 December 1891 – 14 November 1921 | |||||
| Predecessor | Emperor Pedro II | ||||
| Successor | Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza | ||||
| Born | 29 July 1846 Palace of São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ||||
| Died | 14 November 1921 (aged 75) Château d'Eu, Eu, France | ||||
| Burial | |||||
| Spouse | Prince Gaston, Count of Eu (m. 1864) | ||||
| Issue | |||||
| |||||
| House | Braganza | ||||
| Father | Pedro II of Brazil | ||||
| Mother | Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||
| Signature |  | ||||
Life
Isabel was born in Rio de Janeiro, the eldest daughter of Emperor Pedro II and Empress Teresa Cristina, and thus she was a member of the Brazilian branch of the House of Braganza (Portuguese: Bragança). After the deaths of her two brothers in infancy, she was recognized as her father's heiress presumptive. She married a French prince, Gaston, Count of Eu, in an arranged marriage and they had three sons.
During her father's absences abroad, Isabel acted as regent. In her third and final regency, she actively promoted and ultimately signed a law, named Lei Áurea or the Golden Law, emancipating all slaves in Brazil. Even though the action was broadly popular, there was strong opposition to her succession to the throne by the conservative elites. Her gender, strong Catholic faith and marriage to a foreigner were seen as impediments against her. The emancipation of the slaves generated dislike among powerful planters. In 1889, her family was deposed in a military coup. Then she spent the last 30 years of her life in exile in France.
Isabel, Princess Imperial Of Brazil Media
Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil, c.1851.
Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil at age 12, 1858.
The wedding of Gaston of Orleans and Dona Isabel of Braganza at the Imperial Chapel
- Princess Isabel of Brazil takes oath as Regent of the Empire of Brazil.Juramento da Constituição pela Princesa Isabel como Regente do Império do Brasil.
Princess Isabel with her father Emperor Pedro II, c. 1870
Open mass on 17 May 1888 commemorating the abolition of slavery. Isabel and her husband can be seen under a canopy to the left. The monarchy was never so popular, but at the same time never so frail.
1877 portrait of the Princess Imperial and the Count of Eu with their son Pedro, Prince of Grão-Pará, by Karl Ernst Papf
Isabel and the Count of Eu with their son Prince Luís, his wife and children, 1913
Tomb of Princess Isabel (far left) at the Imperial Mausoleum, within the Cathedral of Petrópolis, Brazil
References
- ↑ Barman 2002, p. 1.
Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil Cadet branch of the House of Aviz Born: 29 July 1846 Died: 14 November 1921
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| Brazilian royalty | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Prince Afonso |
Princess Imperial of Brazil 11 June 1847 – 19 July 1848 |
Succeeded by Prince Pedro |
| Preceded by Prince Pedro |
Princess Imperial of Brazil 9 January 1850 – 15 November 1889 |
Monarchy abolished |
| Titles in pretence | ||
| Republic declared | Princess Imperial of Brazil 15 November 1889 – 5 December 1891 |
Succeeded by Prince Pedro de Alcântara |
| Preceded by Pedro II |
— TITULAR — Empress of Brazil 5 December 1891 – 14 November 1921 Reason for succession failure: Empire abolished in 1889 |
Succeeded by Prince Pedro Henrique |