“The Brazilian Ruling Class”
Written by Ricardo C. Amaral
Originally published at:
Without José Bonifácio's de Andrada e Silva influence on Brazilian history, we would have instead four or five independent countries in South America where Brazil is located. Without José Bonifácio, Brazil in its current form would simply not exist.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva and his Aviz, Bragança and
Lancaster Dynasty Ancestry
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (The Younger)
Royal House:
Dom João I and Dom João III were both kings of Portugal from the Aviz Dynasty.
John the Gaunt was king of England from the Lancaster Dynasty.
The two Emperors of Brazil also were descendants of the 7th Duke of Bragança, since the 8th Duke of Bragança became Dom João IV king of Portugal.
Jose Bonifacio could have accumulated immense wealth when he was running all kinds of important positions in the Portuguese government between 1801 and 1819 when he returned to Brazil. But he did not because he was not interested in wealth, he was an idealist and did a lot of things because he thought it was his duty as a good citizen.
When Jose Bonifacio organized the revolution to separate Brazil from Portugal D. Pedro was ready to go back to Portugal, and he asked Jose Bonifacio to become the new emperor of Brazil. (D.Pedro was aware that Jose Bonifacio was a descendant of the 7th Duke of Braganca, and also of D. Joao III - Aviz Dynasty)
Jose Bonifacio declined the offer because he thought he was too old at age 57 to become the new emperor of Brazil. That was when Jose Bonifacio convinced D. Pedro to stay in Brazil, and become emperor himself.
When Jose Bonifacio became Prime Minister, D. Pedro offered him any title he wanted and wealth for that matter – and Jose Bonifacio turned him down, because he was not interested on either offer.
D. Pedro asked Jose Bonifacio again for him to become the new emperor of Brazil right before D. Pedro became D. Pedro I – and D. Pedro asked Jose Bonifacio for the last time for him to become the emperor of Brazil when D. Pedro I was ready to abdicate to return to Portugal.
Jose Bonifacio turned down the offer to become emperor of Brazil for the third time – then D. Pedro forced Jose Bonifacio to become the tutor of D. Pedro II.
According to historian Afrânio Peixoto (1876-1947) in his study of José Bonifácio's genealogical family tree, he found out that José Bonifácio's great-grandfather was a younger brother of Dom Joäo IV, O Restaurador (The Restorer). Dom Joäo IV was the King of Portugal from 1640 to 1656, and he was credited with restoring the liberty of the Portuguese people from Spanish rule.
It was during the reign of Dom João l that the Portuguese aristocracy began to be officially ranked by the categories and titles typical of the French and English nobility. João l was fortunate in possessing the qualities of a successful prince, and in having ministers and a family of the highest quality. He was himself a cultured and learned man, prudent almost to a fault, and astute in his political dealings.
João I's English queen, Philippa of Lancaster, daughter of John the Gaunt, was a most exemplary princess, both as a wife and a queen. Their five sons were the most talented and imaginative generation of heirs in Portuguese history.
The first dukedom in Portuguese aristocratic history had been created by the crown during the reign of D. João I (1384-1433), and given to his son Afonso who became the first Duke of Bragança.
In 1578, the young ruler of Portugal Sebastião I died in battle creating a crisis of succession for the Portuguese crown. The late king's sixty-six year old great-uncle Cardinal D. Henrique, was left regent but lived only a year and a half, ending the rule of the Aviz dynasty. The strongest claimant to the throne was Felipe II of Spain, for he was the uncle of Sebastião and his first wife had been a Portuguese princess.
Then for a period of 60 years, Portugal was ruled from Spain by the Hapsburg dynasty from 1580 to 1640.
In 1637 an economic crisis was under way in Portugal, followed by a revolt in 1640. At that time, the leading descendant of the Portuguese royal family, Dom João, eighth Duke of Bragança, was acclaimed as a national leader. Grandson of a daughter of Dom João III (1521-1557), and the greatest landholder in Portugal, with 80,000 peasants on his Alentejo estates, João of Bragança was the natural leader of Portuguese society. He was born on March 19, 1604 in Portugal, and he died on November 6, 1656.
On December 1, 1640 Dom João of Bragança was acclaimed king of Portugal as Dom João IV, and he restored the Portuguese monarchy. This is why he is also named Dom João IV, The Restorer, and he ruled Portugal from 1640 to 1656.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva was a great/great-grandson of the 7th Duke of Bragança, and his great-grandfather was a younger brother of the 8th Duke of Bragança who became in 1640, Dom João IV king of Portugal.
José Bonifácio's great-grandfather also was a great-grandson of Dom João III (1521-1557), a Portuguese king from the Aviz dynasty. Dom João III ruled Portugal at the height of Portuguese power.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva and his brothers Martim Francisco and Antonio Carlos were descendants of the Aviz Dynasty. The Andrada brothers were the 6th generation direct descendants of Dom João III.
On the Bragança side they were direct descendants of the 7th Duke of Bragança, and going back many generations they also were descendants of D. João I of the Aviz Dynasty, and of his British queen of the Lancaster Dynasty.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (The Younger) who was a son of Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada and his wife Gabriela Frederica Ribeiro de Andrada (she was a daughter of José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, The Patriarch of Brazilian Independence.) Martim Francisco was 12 years younger than his brother José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (The Patriarch), and he married his niece.
My grandmother's grandfather was a son of Martim Francisco, and grandson of José Bonifácio, The Patriarch. He also was a nephew of The Patriarch, because his father Martim Francisco had married his niece, a daughter of The Patriarch.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (The Younger) was born on November 8, 1827, in France during exile. He was named José Bonifácio in honor of his famous grandfather.
José Bonifácio (The Younger) had such prestige in literary circles that critics compared him with the best writers of the time. The highest literary honor in Brazil is to become a member of the Brazilian Academy of letters. The Academy has only 40 chairs and when a member is elected to one of these chairs he holds that honor to the end of his life. Each chair has a patron and the chair is named in his honor. The patron of chair number 22 at the Brazilian Academy of Letters is my great/great grandfather: José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (The Younger).
José Bonifácio was elected deputado on June 14, 1861. He was appointed Minister of the Navy on June 29, 1862. He stayed in that position until a new Ministry was formed by the government on May 12, 1865. Later he spent another period as a government Minister. After that on December 9, 1878 he was elected Senator representing the State of São Paulo. When he died of a heart attack on October 25, 1886 he was still a Senator.
My grandmother's maiden name was Sylvia Andrada de Souza Queiroz. When I was young, I used to spend my weekends in my grandmother's house, and sometimes stayed with her on my vacation for weeks at a time. My grandmother reminds me of a sophisticated French or Italian baroness. She was very proper all the time, and she did not like jokes or language that was not proper for a lady.
She always wore gray, navy blue or black skirts, and white, black or lilac color silk and linen blouses. First thing in the morning and she was completely dressed up and her hair was done. She always looked like she was going out to some special function. It did not matter the time of day or day of the week, my grandmother was always impeccably dressed. Since I was a little kid, I never even once saw my grandmother casually dressed. She died at age 95, she had a very nice life since she was very wealthy and never had to work for a living her entire life. She was the last link to an age long gone.
The Andrada brothers have streets, avenues, squares, and monuments named in their honor all over Brazil. The Andrada family became very influential in Brazilian politics since 1821. Even after the three brothers' death, over 50 of their descendants had illustrious political careers and became governor of states in Brazil, senators, deputados federais (congressmen), mayors, and cabinet ministers in Brazil.
*****
Here are some more facts about my ancestors and Family History.
The Souza Queiroz family branch also has documented that the Senator Francisco Souza Queiroz - Barão de Souza Queiroz is a direct descendant of Alfonso VI – King of Spain and his wife Isabel of Seville.
In 2005 one of my cousins got in contact with me because our family is in the process of writing various books documenting the history of our family, and the impact that they had in Brazilian history. He told me that there are right now various historians in Brazil doing research and writing books about our family, and the genealogic tree of the Barao de Souza Queiroz (one of my great-great grandfathers).
The historians found some interesting information regarding the ancestors of the Baron de Souza Queiroz and they included various kings of Spain. They were able to trace his ancestors all the way to Alfonso VI – King of Spain around 1095. The interesting information about that particular ancestor is that he married the Muslim Princess Zaida (b. 1071- d.1103) – the daughter of Muhammad III (Abu-l-Kasim) Al-Mutamid, King of Seville. Muhammad III born in 1040, in Seville, Spain, and after the Spanish drove him out of Spain he became the Emir of Morocco and he died in 1095, in Aghmat, Morocco at age 55.
When Muslim Princess Zaida married Alfonso VI – King of Spain, she was baptized Catholic and they changed her name to Isabel of Seville.
I find interesting that the historians in Brazil were able to trace the ancestors of my great-great-grandfather – the Baron of Souza Queiroz all the way to the year 1095.
***
Note: Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (Vivar c.1040 – Valencia, 10 July 1099), known as “El Cid” Campeador, was a Castilian nobleman, then military and political leader who conquered and governed the city of Valencia. Rodrigo Díaz was educated in the royal court of the Castile and became the alférez, or chief general, of “Alfonso VI,” fighting against the Moors in the early Reconquista.
***
The Baron of Souza Queiroz had thirteen children and my great-grandfather was the Baron’s youngest child.
My great-grandfather Carlos de Souza Queiroz, married Maria Flora de Andrada e Silva.
Maria Flora was a daughter of Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva (The Young).
The marriage of my great-grandfather Carlos de Souza Queiroz with Maria Flora de Andrada e Silva – brought together the 2 most influential families in Brazil.
Ricardo C. Amaral - Author and economist
He can be reached at:
brazilamaral@yahoo.com
Originally published at:
Brazzil magazine - January 2003
“The Brazilian Ruling Class”
Without José Bonifácio's de Andrada e Silva influence on Brazilian history, we would have instead four or five independent countries in South America where Brazil is located. Without José Bonifácio, Brazil in its current form would simply not exist.
By: Ricardo C. Amaral
My grandmother, my father's mother, was
an unusual person in many ways. She had a unique family background.
She was a descendant of many illustrious people on both sides of her
family. Both of her grandfathers were senators.
Her grandfather, her father's father
was Francisco Antonio de Souza Queiroz, the Barão de Souza Queiroz,
(Baron of Souza Queiroz) who holds the record for being a senator for
the longest time in Brazilian history. He still was a senator when he
died in 1891, after being senator for 42 years (from 1849 to 1891.)
He became a deputado (House Representative) for the Province of São
Paulo in 1845, and a senator in 1849. He was one of the richest men
in Brazil.
Besides being senator, the Barão of
Souza Queiroz became Vice-President of the Province of São Paulo on
May 18, 1885. The Souza Queiroz family was the most influential
family in São Paulo politics from the 1840's until 1930.
The archives of the Portuguese Empire
show that the title and the coat-of-arms was transferred to the new
Barão of Souza Queiroz, the Brigadier Luiz Antonio de Souza, on
February 5, 1818, as shown in the registry of the Cartório da
Nobreza, in Portugal, in book l, page 80. In 1874, when D. Pedro II
transferred the title of baron to my great/great/grandfather Francisco Antonio de Souza
Queiroz, the documentation refers in detail to the information of the
title transfer of 1818.
His title included the word "com
Grandeza" (with greatness). In heraldry that means that the
title carried the right to transfer to their descendants, and also
indicated that they were descendants of old nobility. The
coat-of-arms of the Barão de Souza Queiroz was subdivided in four
parts, each part showing the coat-of-arms of each of his
grandparents, because each one of them was part of the old nobility;
they also had their own family coat-of-arms.
The Brigadier Luiz Antonio de Souza,
born in Portugal, was an officer in D. João IV's army. The Brigadier
had a vast family fortune; he was a very wealthy man.
He went to Brazil a little before the
Portuguese Royal family also had to go to Brazil, because Napoleon
Bonaparte had invaded Portugal in 1808. He married in Brazil, Dona
Genebra de Barros Leite, and his oldest son Francisco Antonio de
Souza Queiroz, the future Barão de Souza Queiroz was sent to
Portugal to study to become a lawyer at the Coimbra University.
The Brigadier died, and his oldest son,
Francisco Antonio de Souza Queiroz at the age of 18 years old, had to
take control of the family's fortune. He turned out to be a great
businessman, and a man of vision.
Francisco Antonio de Souza Queiroz
married Antonia Eufrosina Campos Vergueiro de Souza Queiroz, a
daughter of Nicolau Pereira de Campos Vergueiro, a Senator, and D.
Maria Angelica de Vasconcelos de Campos Vergueiro (following is some
information about Senador Vergueiro, one of my grandmother's
great/grandfathers).
Senador Vergueiro
In 1778, Nicolau Pereira de Campos
Vergueiro was born in Portugal, in Val-da-Porca, Província de
Tráz-os-Montes. When he was 25 years old he decided to try his luck
in Brazil. He arrived in São Paulo in 1803, and started practicing
law with the Arouche brothers, Manuel Joaquim Ornellas, and Manuel
Eufrásio de Azevedo Marques. These five lawyers were the only
lawyers practicing in this small city of 20 thousand people,
including 6 thousand slaves.
Vergueiro adapted very well to the way
of life of the São Paulo society. It did not take long before he met
Maria Angélica de Vasconcelos. She was a beautiful woman and he was
also impressed by her culture. Her family also had prestige,
influence and a major fortune. After a short courting period of a few
months, he married her.
His law practice prospered and he was
well respected in the community. He had a reputation of being
competent, and of having good character and integrity. He also
started accepting government positions such as: prosecutor (1806),
judge of the province (1811), and congressman (1813). In 1807, he
bought a farm in the area of the Piracicaba River to produce sugar
cane.
He also was the judge in that area,
which gave him knowledge and experience in the area of agriculture
issues. In 1814, he bought another farm in São Carlos for cattle
raising. His agriculture/cattle raising business was doing very well
and started growing into a large enterprise. These businesses started
becoming his favorite activities.
In 1816 he met a very wealthy man to
help him with the finance—the Brigadier Luiz Antonio de Souza who
was a pioneer in the development of the São Paulo economy. The
Brigadier had introduced to the province a new system of banking
credit. They became partners in a company called Vergueiro &
Souza; Vergueiro contributed his two farms, and the Brigadier
contributed the financing.
In April 23, 1821, when the new
provisory government of the São Paulo province was formed, Vergueiro
was chosen as Minister of Agriculture of the new government. He also
was elected a deputado to represent the Province of São Paulo at the
Courts in Lisbon, Portugal. He was second in the number of votes in
that election; only Antonio Carlos de Andrada e Silva received more
votes than he.
In that same election José Bonifácio
de Andrada e Silva was elected Vice-President, and his younger
brother Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada was elected Finance
Minister.
The new deputados arrived in Lisbon on
February 5, 1822, after a trip that took 84 days—that was how long
it took to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 1821. Two deputados
distinguished themselves at the Portuguese Courts; Antonio Carlos de
Andrada e Silva and Nicolau Pereira de Campos Vergueiro. The
Portuguese gave Vergueiro a real hard time; they even called him a
traitor, because he was a Portuguese citizen and was fighting for the
Brazilian cause.
When he was in Portugal representing
Brazil, D. Pedro I proclaimed Brazilian independence. He did not go
back to Brazil immediately. He went to the North of Portugal to visit
his father and family. He arrived back in Rio de Janeiro on July 27,
1823.
When Emperor D. Pedro I gave the order
for the Constituent Assembly dissolution on November 12, 1823,
various deputados ended up in prison including José Bonifácio de
Andrada e Silva, his brothers Antonio Carlos and Martim Francisco,
and Nicolau Vergueiro. The Andrada brothers were sent to exile in
France, but Vergueiro was allowed to stay in Brazil and continue his
career as a deputado.
Vergueiro had such a great reputation
that finally in 1828 he became a senator representing the State of
Minas Gerais. In 1828, he was the politician with the most prestige
in Brazil.
When Dom Pedro I abdicated the
Brazilian crown on April 7, 1831, in favor of his five year old son,
the future Dom Pedro II, based on the 1824 Constitution, congress had
to elect three people to the provisory regency. The deputados and
senators chose the following people to be regents: the Brigadier
Francisco de Lima e Silva (to represent the armed forces), José
Joaquim Carneiro de Campos—Marquês de Caravelas (to represent the
aristocracy), and Senador Nicolau Pereira de Campos Vergueiro
(because of his prestige as a senator).
When congress elected the permanent
regents in 1832, he asked congress to not include him as one of the
regents. He still was a senator and a minister of the empire. He also
accumulated a number of government positions during this period.
He was elected deputado for São Paulo
in 1835, and president of the assembly of deputados (1835-1837). He
was Vice-President of the São Paulo province (1835-1836), and
director of the Faculdade de Direito do Largo de São Francisco
(1837-1842). He finally left the assembly of deputados in 1847, when
he was 69 years old.
In 1842 when a liberal revolution in
São Paulo and Minas Gerais was crushed by the troops of the Barão
de Caxias, Vergueiro ended up in prison for two years, because he was
one of the people who inspired the movement.
Vergueiro was against slavery, and he
was the first farmer in Brazil, starting in 1840, to bring over three
thousand immigrants from Germany to work as farm hands in the
country. After a very distinguished career, Vergueiro died in Rio de
Janeiro, on September 18, 1859.
Barão de Souza Queiroz
Francisco Antonio de Souza Queiroz
(Barão de Souza Queiroz) was born in São Paulo on December 8, 1807.
He died in São Paulo on July 4, 1891, in his dear Chácara Velha,
which was located in the center of São Paulo, in the Avenida São
Luiz, facing the Consolação Street. His house was in the same
location where today we have the Municipal Library Mário Andrade.
The Barão of Souza Queiroz was one of
the richest men in Brazil during his lifetime. He had vast land
holdings in the Province of São Paulo including farmland in the
following areas: Campinas, Limeira, Leme, Belém do Descalvado, and
São Manoel. Most of his farmlands were located along the way of one
of his companies; the Companhia Paulista de Vias Férreas e Fluviais.
In 1834, he married Antonia Eufrosina
de Campos Vergueiro, Senador Vergueiro's daughter. He had 12 children
with his wife. The majority of his children, when they reached 14
years old, were sent to Germany to further their studies. Before they
left Brazil they knew which school they were to be enrolled in
Germany. Only two of his sons decided to stay in Brazil to study at
the Faculdade de Direito de São Paulo.
As soon as his children returned from
studying in Europe, or graduated from the Faculdade de Direito de São
Paulo, they were sent to the Fazenda Quilombo in Campinas. This is
where his children got their training in farm management, and learned
how to administer with competence a sugar cane or coffee plantation.
They learned everything necessary to
manage a farm, including how to handle the slaves and later the
immigrant labor. As soon as they were ready, each child of the Barão
de Souza Queiroz, received as a gift a farmland, money, slaves and
other farm help to get them started in their new coffee plantation.
Only one son of the Barão did not receive his share of the wealth,
because he died in the ship when he was returning to Brazil after
finishing his studies in Europe.
In descending order by age, the Barão
of Souza Queiroz distributed farmland to his children as follows:
Francisco Antonio, married to Francisca
Miquelina de Paula de Souza Queiroz, daughter of the Barão de
Limeira, received the fazenda Araquá, in São Manoel.
Luiz Antonio, married to Antonia Pompeu
de Camargo, the fazenda Ibijuba, in Belém do Descalvado.
Carolina, married to Manuel Batista da
Cruz Tamandaré, the fazenda Tamandaré, also in Belém do
Descalvado.
Nicolau, married to Isabel Dabney de
Abelar Brather, the fazenda Bela Aliança, also in Belém do
Descalvado.
Maria Angélica, married to Francisco
Aguiar de Barros, the fazenda Santa Maria, also in Belém do
Descalvado.
Antonio, married to Vitalina Pompeu de
Camargo, the fazenda Tabajara, in Limeira.
Augusto, married first Antonia de
Barros Freire, and later he had a second wife Gessy Pompeu do Amaral,
the fazenda Sete Quedas, in Campinas.
Helena, married to Manuel Joaquim de
Albuquerque Lins (he was governor of the State of São Paulo), the
fazenda São Gerônimo, in Limeira.
Frederico, married to Augusta de Pádua
Fleury, the fazenda Jaguaquara, in Tietê.
José, married to Gisela Brauer, the
fazenda Cressiumal, in Leme.
Carlos, married to Maria Flora de
Andrada e Silva, the fazenda Ibicatu, in Leme.
My grandmother's father was Carlos, the
youngest son of the Barão of Souza Queiroz. Carlos was married to
Maria Flora de Andrada e Silva a daughter of José Bonifácio de
Andrada e Silva (The Younger).
My grandmother's mother's side of
her family was even more influential in Brazilian history, because
that side of the family included the following people:
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva
(The Younger) who was a son of Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada
and his wife Gabriela Frederica Ribeiro de Andrada (she was a
daughter of José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, The Patriarch of
Brazilian Independence.) Martim Francisco was 12 years younger than
his brother José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (The Patriarch), and
he married his niece.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva
(The Younger) was my grandmother's grandfather. Martim Francisco
Ribeiro de Andrada was her great/grandfather. And finally, José
Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (The Patriarch) was her
great/great/grandfather. I will return to the Andrada side of the
family later.
A Man of Vision
After distributing so much land to his
children, the Barão still had his own farmland to grow coffee, since
coffee was one of the main commodities in Brazil, and helped to make
many people very wealthy.
The Barão himself enjoyed the life in
the city; he was not a farm person. He became one of the major real
estate developers in São Paulo. Everything that he received as rent
of his properties he reinvested in the center of São Paulo, buying
new land and building new properties.
He had properties in Rua Direita, Rua
José Bonifácio, and his Chácara Velha had about 6 alqueires, and
went from Rua Consolação to where Praça da República is located
today, and to Rua 7 de Abril. The Barão built the Avenida São Luiz
on his property, in the center of São Paulo. He gave each one of his
children a piece of land along Avenida São Luiz for them to build
their homes.
The Souza Queiroz family also had a
parcel of land going all the way to Praça João Mendes. This is why
the two viadutos (bridges) that go to Praça João Mendes (one called
Dona Paulina, and the other Maria Paula), were named in honor to the
two sisters of the Barão of Souza Queiroz. Avenida Brigadeiro Luiz
Antonio was named in honor of the Barão's father.
The Barão also owned a large section
of Rua Florêncio de Abreu, around the train station of São Paulo,
Estação da Luz. This area was an important commercial center at
that time. They had many warehouses that served as the distribution
center of goods to the port of Santos, and received foreign goods
from Santos to be distributed in the interior of São Paulo. The
Barão had many of these warehouses. He built his buildings with 2 to
3 floors.
On the first floor, they stored the
goods and commodities. On the upper floors he had rooms to be rented
to people traveling, and to businessmen. Some of the buildings had a
restaurant area for dining. Just a reminder: at that time São Paulo
had no hotels.
Based on the testament of the Baroness
de Souza Queiroz, dated December 4, 1891, the Baroness listed the
ownership of over 100 properties, and an extensive stock portfolio
including a number of railroads and bank stocks. The Barão was one
of the major shareholders of the Banco Comércio e Indústria de São
Paulo. He was also a major shareholder of— among other
companies—the Companhia Ituana, and the Companhia Paulista Vias
Férreas e Fluviais.
When the Barão turned 65 years old, he
resigned of most of his corporate positions, and from then on he
spent his time doing philanthropy. He founded in November 1874 a
philanthropic organization named Associação Barão de Souza Queiroz
de Proteção à Infâcia e à Juventude-Instituto Dona Ana Rosa. He
set up this organization in such way that the organization was
financially independent.
The greater part of the funding made
available for the organization was invested in the purchase of real
estate in central São Paulo. The income from the rental of these
properties has supported the institute for the last 127 years.
Throughout all this time, the association has been maintained by the
Barão's descendants, now in the sixth generation. All members of the
Board of Trustees of this organization always have been descendants
of the Barão.
Over the years the organization took
care of more than 2,000 children per year. But lately the
organization has been able to help about 1,200 children; they have a
crèche for children up to seven, and a center for children age 7 to
14, and provide ten courses in jobs skills such as carpentry,
cooking, printing and computing, among others.
Our family never liked any publicity
about this organization, but The Institute Dona Ana Rosa came into
the spotlight in 1999, when the organization received a cash prize
and was ranked number 8 in the ranking of the 100 Best Run Charities
of Latin America and the Emerging Countries.
Today, my cousin Maria Nazareth Soares
de Camargo Meira de Castro is the elected President of this
outstanding organization, and she can be reached at the following
number in São Paulo, Brazil: telephone 55-11-37446747.
Her organization also has all the
information about the Barão de Souza Queiroz, in Portuguese. The
information includes not only the biography of the Barão, but also
all kinds of copies of other documentation such as the transfer of
the title and coat-of-arms, copy of the testament of the Baroness
made soon after the Barão died in 1891, and copies of pictures and
correspondence that the family exchanged with various members of the
Royal Family after the Republic was proclaimed in Brazil in 1889 and
the Royal Family had moved to Paris, France.
The Andradas
When historians refer to The Andrada
Brothers they are referring to the three brothers, as follows:
A) José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva
( B 1763 - D 1838),
B) Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada
e Silva ( B 1775 - D 1844), and
C) Antônio Carlos Ribeiro de Andrada
Machado e Silva ( B 1773 - D 1845).
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva is
one of the greatest statesmen in world history, but he is unknown to
the American public. In terms of Brazil, he is Thomas Jefferson,
Benjamin Franklin, James Madison and George Washington embodied in
one person.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva was
the architect of Brazilian independence; that is why he is known as
The Patriarch of Independence. He guided Brazil through its
independence process from 1821 to 1823. During this period José
Bonifácio was the Prime Minister and his brother Martim Francisco
was the Finance Minister of Brazil.
We can summarize José Bonifácio's
importance to Brazilian history as follows: Without José Bonifácio's
influence on Brazilian history, we would have instead four or five
independent countries in South America where Brazil is located.
Without José Bonifácio in its history, the country Brazil in its
current form would not exist today. The major reason to honor José
Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva is the fact that Brazilians owe him the
country, which we call Brazil today. The country itself was José
Bonifácio's legacy to future Brazilian generations.
Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada
There is a sharp contrast between the
United States and Brazil in the recognition that they give to the
respective authors of their Declaration of Independence documents. In
the United States, Thomas Jefferson is held in the highest esteem by
its citizens. However, in Brazil, Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada
is not as widely known by the Brazilian population as the author of
the document The Declaration of Independence of Brazil.
The Andrada Brothers Expelled from the Constituent Assembly
The Andrada Brothers with their
leadership had a major impact on the Constituent Assembly and also
guided the proceedings of the process of framing the first Brazilian
Constitution. This Constitution was effective December 13, 1823.
The fight got so heated that the
members of the Constituent Assembly were worried that their existence
was in jeopardy. The Emperor was so angry with the Andradas that he
decided to dissolve the Constituent Assembly or to expel the Andradas
from the Constituent Assembly.
The Emperor watched the three Andrada
brothers continue to dominate the situation. Finally he got his horse
and, followed by a group of horseman, went to the Constituent
Assembly. The forces surrounded the Constituent Assembly building and
pointed their artillery at the door of the building, and Brigadier
Moraes passed on to the Constituent Assembly the Emperors' order for
their dissolution. Antônio Carlos and Martim Francisco were held
prisoners as soon as they left the building.
On November 13, 1823 a new group
started deliberating the Constitution; at that point most of the
articles of the Constitution had been decided and they were in the
process of being submitted to the Municipal Chambers of the States
for review. Dom Pedro told them to finalize the Constitution by
December 13, 1823. This Constitution was to be effective as of
December 13, 1823 and the swearing ceremony would be done on March
25, 1824.
The port of Rio de Janeiro was reopened
on November 24, 1823 as soon as the ship Lucônia left Brazil with
the prisoners. When José Bonifácio, Martim Francisco, and Antônio
Carlos went down in the ship, they had a nice surprise. Their
families were waiting for them to go with them into exile in France.
In the beginning of 1828, Martim
Francisco and Antônio Carlos returned to Brazil with their families.
They returned to defend themselves, including José Bonifácio,
against all of the charges brought forth by the government. José
Bonifácio stayed in France with his wife.
As soon as they arrived in Rio de
Janeiro they presented themselves to the authorities who imprisoned
them immediately in the prison in the Ilha das Cobras. They prepared
their defense and they destroyed their adversaries in court. They got
a unanimous absolution on September 6, 1828. Their names were cleared
and vindicated.
The Andradas Continue Their Political Careers
When Martim Francisco was in prison he
was invited to take a position as a government Minister. He did not
accept the offer and told them that first he had to get justice and
prove his innocence. Also, when he was in prison in 1828 he was
elected deputado for the Minas Gerais province. Later in 1838, Martim
Francisco was elected deputado for the São Paulo province. Antônio
Carlos also was elected deputado when he returned from exile in 1828
and resumed his political career in Brazil.
After the Andradas had been vindicated
in Brazil, José Bonifácio stayed one more year in France before he
returned to Brazil. José Bonifácio left Bordeaux at the end of May
1829 to return to Rio de Janeiro. He arrived in Brazil on July 23,
1829. When José Bonifácio was in exile, the Province of Bahia
elected him deputado to represent them in Congress. José Bonifácio
returned to Congress as a Bahia representative only on June 22, 1831.
Martim Francisco and Antônio Carlos Appointed Ministers in 1840
After José Bonifácio's death in 1838,
his brothers Martim Francisco and Antônio Carlos continued their
political careers. The political situation was a mess in Brazil in
April 1840. The Andrada brothers and other liberal leaders organized
a secret club to promote the emancipation of Dom Pedro II.
The Andradas began to organize public
demonstrations in support of the emancipation of Dom Pedro II, and
engaged in debate using the press to get further public support.
Disregarding the pleas from the leader of the government for
postponement, a joint session of Congress invested Dom Pedro with
imperial authority on July 23, 1840. The young Prince was fourteen
years old. He took the oath to uphold the Constitution and from then
on he was Emperor Pedro II.
Unlike his father, Dom Pedro II had
been born and educated in Brazil. His tutors, starting with José
Bonifácio, exposed him to heavy doses of Enlightenment thought.
During his later years in power some political commentators referred
to Dom Pedro II's government as the best republican government in the
Americas.
When the Emperor Dom Pedro II formed
his first cabinet of ministers in 1840, he rewarded the Andrada
brothers by appointing Antônio Carlos as the Prime Minister, and
Martim Francisco as the Finance Minister.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva's Noble Ancestry
According to historian Afrânio Peixoto
(1876-1947) in his study of José Bonifácio's genealogical family
tree, he found out that José Bonifácio's great-grandfather was a
younger brother of Dom Joäo IV, O Restaurador (The Restorer). Dom
Joäo IV was the King of Portugal from 1640 to 1656 and he was
credited with restoring the liberty of the Portuguese people from
Spanish rule.
It was during the reign of Dom João l
that the Portuguese aristocracy began to be officially ranked by the
categories and titles typical of the French and English nobility.
João l was fortunate in possessing the qualities of a successful
prince and in having ministers and a family of the highest quality.
He was himself a cultured and learned man, prudent almost to a fault,
and astute in his political dealings.
João I's English queen, Philippa of
Lancaster, daughter of John the Gaunt, was a most exemplary princess,
both as a wife and a queen. Their five sons were the most talented
and imaginative generation of heirs in Portuguese history.
The Bragança Dynasty
The first dukedom in Portuguese
aristocratic history had been created by the crown during the reign
of D. João I (1384-1433), and given to his son Afonso who became the
first Duke of Bragança.
In 1578, the young ruler of Portugal
Sebastião I died in battle creating a crisis of succession for the
Portuguese crown. The late king's sixty-six year old great-uncle
Cardinal D. Henrique, was left regent but lived only a year and a
half, ending the rule of the Aviz dynasty. The strongest claimant to
the throne was Felipe II of Spain, for he was the uncle of Sebastião
and his first wife had been a Portuguese princess.
Then for a period of 60 years, Portugal
was ruled from Spain by the Hapsburg dynasty from 1580 to 1640.
In 1637 an economic crisis was under
way in Portugal, followed by a revolt in 1640. At that time, the
leading descendant of the Portuguese royal family, Dom João, eighth
Duke of Bragança, was acclaimed as a national leader.
Grandson of a daughter of Dom João III
(1521-1557), and the greatest landholder in Portugal, with 80,000
peasants on his Alentejo estates, João of Bragança was the natural
leader of Portuguese society. He was born on March 19, 1604 in
Portugal, and he died on November 6, 1656.
On December 1, 1640 Dom João of
Bragança was acclaimed king of Portugal as Dom João IV, and he
restored the Portuguese monarchy. This is why he is also named Dom
João IV, The Restorer, and he ruled Portugal from 1640 to 1656.
He was the first king of the Bragança
dynasty, a dynasty which ruled Portugal until 1910, and also ruled
Brazil from 1822 to 1889.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva was
a great/great-grandson of the 7th Duke of Bragança, and his
great-grandfather was a younger brother of the 8th Duke of Bragança
who became in 1640, Dom João IV king of Portugal.
José Bonifácio's great-grandfather
also was a great-grandson of Dom João III (1521-1557), a Portuguese
king from the Aviz dynasty. Dom João III ruled Portugal at the
height of Portuguese power.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva and
his brothers Martim Francisco and Antonio Carlos were descendants of
the Aviz Dynasty. The Andrada brothers were the 6th generation direct
descendants of Dom João III.
On the Bragança side they were direct
descendants of the 7th Duke of Bragança, and going back many
generations they also were descendants of D. João I of the Aviz
Dynasty, and of his British queen of the Lancaster Dynasty.
My grandmother's grandfather was a son
of Martim Francisco, and grandson of José Bonifácio, The Patriarch.
He also was a nephew of The Patriarch, because his father Martim
Francisco had married his niece, a daughter of The Patriarch.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva
(The Younger) was born on November 8, 1827, in France during exile.
He was named José Bonifácio in honor of his famous grandfather.
José Bonifácio (The Younger) had such
prestige in literary circles that critics compared him with the best
writers of the time. The highest literary honor in Brazil is to
become a member of the Brazilian Academy of letters. The Academy has
only 40 chairs and when a member is elected to one of these chairs he
holds that honor to the end of his life. Each chair has a patron and
the chair is named in his honor. The patron of chair number 22 at the
Brazilian Academy of Letters is my great/great grandfather: José
Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (The Younger).
José Bonifácio was elected deputado
on June 14, 1861. He was appointed Minister of the Navy on June 29,
1862. He stayed in that position until a new Ministry was formed by
the government on May 12, 1865. Later he spent another period as a
government Minister. After that on December 9, 1878 he was elected
Senator representing the State of São Paulo. When he died of a heart
attack on October 25, 1886 he was still a Senator.
My grandmother's maiden name was Sylvia
Andrada de Souza Queiroz. When I was young, I used to spend my
weekends in my grandmother's house, and sometimes stayed with her on
my vacation for weeks at a time. My grandmother reminds me of a
sophisticated French or Italian baroness. She was very proper all the
time, and she did not like jokes or language, which was not proper
for a lady.
She always wore gray, navy blue or
black skirts, and white, black or lilac color silk and linen blouses.
First thing in the morning and she was completely dressed up and her
hair was done. She always looked like she was going out to some
special function. It did not matter the time of day or day of the
week; my grandmother was always impeccably dressed. Since I was a
little kid, I never even once saw my grandmother casually dressed.
She died at age 95, she had a very nice life since she was very
wealthy and never had to work for a living her entire life. She was
the last link to an age long gone.
The Andrada brothers have streets,
avenues, squares, and monuments named in their honor all over Brazil.
The Andrada family became very influential in Brazilian politics
since 1821. Even after the three brothers' death, over 50 of their
descendants had illustrious political careers and became deputados,
senators and ministers in Brazil.
Copyright © 2003 All rights
reserved.
Ricardo C. Amaral
Author / Economist
Brazzil Magazine - January 2003
“The Brazilian Ruling Class”
Written by Ricardo C. Amaral
*****
Dom João I and Dom João III were both kings of Portugal from the Aviz Dynasty.
John the Gaunt was king of England from the Lancaster Dynasty.
The two Emperors of Brazil also were descendants of the 7th Duke of Bragança, since the 8th Duke of Bragança became Dom João IV king of Portugal.
*****
Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva
But from all of my famous ancestors there’s one that stands out, and he is my favorite and the one that I am most proud of – Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva (The Patriarch of Brazilian Independence.) I am 6th generation from Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva.Jose Bonifacio could have accumulated immense wealth when he was running all kinds of important positions in the Portuguese government between 1801 and 1819 when he returned to Brazil. But he did not because he was not interested in wealth, he was an idealist and did a lot of things because he thought it was his duty as a good citizen.
When Jose Bonifacio organized the revolution to separate Brazil from Portugal D. Pedro was ready to go back to Portugal, and he asked Jose Bonifacio to become the new emperor of Brazil. (D.Pedro was aware that Jose Bonifacio was a descendant of the 7th Duke of Braganca, and also of D. Joao III - Aviz Dynasty)
Jose Bonifacio declined the offer because he thought he was too old at age 57 to become the new emperor of Brazil. That was when Jose Bonifacio convinced D. Pedro to stay in Brazil, and become emperor himself.
When Jose Bonifacio became Prime Minister, D. Pedro offered him any title he wanted and wealth for that matter – and Jose Bonifacio turned him down, because he was not interested on either offer.
D. Pedro asked Jose Bonifacio again for him to become the new emperor of Brazil right before D. Pedro became D. Pedro I – and D. Pedro asked Jose Bonifacio for the last time for him to become the emperor of Brazil when D. Pedro I was ready to abdicate to return to Portugal.
Jose Bonifacio turned down the offer to become emperor of Brazil for the third time – then D. Pedro forced Jose Bonifacio to become the tutor of D. Pedro II.
*****
José Bonifácio de Andrada e
Silva's Noble Ancestry
According to historian Afrânio Peixoto (1876-1947) in his study of José Bonifácio's genealogical family tree, he found out that José Bonifácio's great-grandfather was a younger brother of Dom Joäo IV, O Restaurador (The Restorer). Dom Joäo IV was the King of Portugal from 1640 to 1656, and he was credited with restoring the liberty of the Portuguese people from Spanish rule.
It was during the reign of Dom João l that the Portuguese aristocracy began to be officially ranked by the categories and titles typical of the French and English nobility. João l was fortunate in possessing the qualities of a successful prince, and in having ministers and a family of the highest quality. He was himself a cultured and learned man, prudent almost to a fault, and astute in his political dealings.
João I's English queen, Philippa of Lancaster, daughter of John the Gaunt, was a most exemplary princess, both as a wife and a queen. Their five sons were the most talented and imaginative generation of heirs in Portuguese history.
The Bragança Dynasty
The first dukedom in Portuguese aristocratic history had been created by the crown during the reign of D. João I (1384-1433), and given to his son Afonso who became the first Duke of Bragança.
In 1578, the young ruler of Portugal Sebastião I died in battle creating a crisis of succession for the Portuguese crown. The late king's sixty-six year old great-uncle Cardinal D. Henrique, was left regent but lived only a year and a half, ending the rule of the Aviz dynasty. The strongest claimant to the throne was Felipe II of Spain, for he was the uncle of Sebastião and his first wife had been a Portuguese princess.
Then for a period of 60 years, Portugal was ruled from Spain by the Hapsburg dynasty from 1580 to 1640.
In 1637 an economic crisis was under way in Portugal, followed by a revolt in 1640. At that time, the leading descendant of the Portuguese royal family, Dom João, eighth Duke of Bragança, was acclaimed as a national leader. Grandson of a daughter of Dom João III (1521-1557), and the greatest landholder in Portugal, with 80,000 peasants on his Alentejo estates, João of Bragança was the natural leader of Portuguese society. He was born on March 19, 1604 in Portugal, and he died on November 6, 1656.
On December 1, 1640 Dom João of Bragança was acclaimed king of Portugal as Dom João IV, and he restored the Portuguese monarchy. This is why he is also named Dom João IV, The Restorer, and he ruled Portugal from 1640 to 1656.
He was the first king of the Bragança
dynasty, a dynasty that ruled Portugal until 1910, and also ruled
Brazil from 1822 to 1889.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva
and his Aviz, Bragança and Lancaster Dynasty Ancestry
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva was a great/great-grandson of the 7th Duke of Bragança, and his great-grandfather was a younger brother of the 8th Duke of Bragança who became in 1640, Dom João IV king of Portugal.
José Bonifácio's great-grandfather also was a great-grandson of Dom João III (1521-1557), a Portuguese king from the Aviz dynasty. Dom João III ruled Portugal at the height of Portuguese power.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva and his brothers Martim Francisco and Antonio Carlos were descendants of the Aviz Dynasty. The Andrada brothers were the 6th generation direct descendants of Dom João III.
On the Bragança side they were direct descendants of the 7th Duke of Bragança, and going back many generations they also were descendants of D. João I of the Aviz Dynasty, and of his British queen of the Lancaster Dynasty.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva
(The Younger)
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (The Younger) who was a son of Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada and his wife Gabriela Frederica Ribeiro de Andrada (she was a daughter of José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, The Patriarch of Brazilian Independence.) Martim Francisco was 12 years younger than his brother José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (The Patriarch), and he married his niece.
My grandmother's grandfather was a son of Martim Francisco, and grandson of José Bonifácio, The Patriarch. He also was a nephew of The Patriarch, because his father Martim Francisco had married his niece, a daughter of The Patriarch.
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (The Younger) was born on November 8, 1827, in France during exile. He was named José Bonifácio in honor of his famous grandfather.
José Bonifácio (The Younger) had such prestige in literary circles that critics compared him with the best writers of the time. The highest literary honor in Brazil is to become a member of the Brazilian Academy of letters. The Academy has only 40 chairs and when a member is elected to one of these chairs he holds that honor to the end of his life. Each chair has a patron and the chair is named in his honor. The patron of chair number 22 at the Brazilian Academy of Letters is my great/great grandfather: José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (The Younger).
José Bonifácio was elected deputado on June 14, 1861. He was appointed Minister of the Navy on June 29, 1862. He stayed in that position until a new Ministry was formed by the government on May 12, 1865. Later he spent another period as a government Minister. After that on December 9, 1878 he was elected Senator representing the State of São Paulo. When he died of a heart attack on October 25, 1886 he was still a Senator.
My grandmother's maiden name was Sylvia Andrada de Souza Queiroz. When I was young, I used to spend my weekends in my grandmother's house, and sometimes stayed with her on my vacation for weeks at a time. My grandmother reminds me of a sophisticated French or Italian baroness. She was very proper all the time, and she did not like jokes or language that was not proper for a lady.
She always wore gray, navy blue or black skirts, and white, black or lilac color silk and linen blouses. First thing in the morning and she was completely dressed up and her hair was done. She always looked like she was going out to some special function. It did not matter the time of day or day of the week, my grandmother was always impeccably dressed. Since I was a little kid, I never even once saw my grandmother casually dressed. She died at age 95, she had a very nice life since she was very wealthy and never had to work for a living her entire life. She was the last link to an age long gone.
The Andrada brothers have streets, avenues, squares, and monuments named in their honor all over Brazil. The Andrada family became very influential in Brazilian politics since 1821. Even after the three brothers' death, over 50 of their descendants had illustrious political careers and became governor of states in Brazil, senators, deputados federais (congressmen), mayors, and cabinet ministers in Brazil.
*****
The “Souza Queiroz” Family
Here are some more facts about my ancestors and Family History.
The Souza Queiroz family branch also has documented that the Senator Francisco Souza Queiroz - Barão de Souza Queiroz is a direct descendant of Alfonso VI – King of Spain and his wife Isabel of Seville.
In 2005 one of my cousins got in contact with me because our family is in the process of writing various books documenting the history of our family, and the impact that they had in Brazilian history. He told me that there are right now various historians in Brazil doing research and writing books about our family, and the genealogic tree of the Barao de Souza Queiroz (one of my great-great grandfathers).
The historians found some interesting information regarding the ancestors of the Baron de Souza Queiroz and they included various kings of Spain. They were able to trace his ancestors all the way to Alfonso VI – King of Spain around 1095. The interesting information about that particular ancestor is that he married the Muslim Princess Zaida (b. 1071- d.1103) – the daughter of Muhammad III (Abu-l-Kasim) Al-Mutamid, King of Seville. Muhammad III born in 1040, in Seville, Spain, and after the Spanish drove him out of Spain he became the Emir of Morocco and he died in 1095, in Aghmat, Morocco at age 55.
When Muslim Princess Zaida married Alfonso VI – King of Spain, she was baptized Catholic and they changed her name to Isabel of Seville.
I find interesting that the historians in Brazil were able to trace the ancestors of my great-great-grandfather – the Baron of Souza Queiroz all the way to the year 1095.
***
Note: Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (Vivar c.1040 – Valencia, 10 July 1099), known as “El Cid” Campeador, was a Castilian nobleman, then military and political leader who conquered and governed the city of Valencia. Rodrigo Díaz was educated in the royal court of the Castile and became the alférez, or chief general, of “Alfonso VI,” fighting against the Moors in the early Reconquista.
***
The Baron of Souza Queiroz had thirteen children and my great-grandfather was the Baron’s youngest child.
My great-grandfather Carlos de Souza Queiroz, married Maria Flora de Andrada e Silva.
Maria Flora was a daughter of Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva (The Young).
The marriage of my great-grandfather Carlos de Souza Queiroz with Maria Flora de Andrada e Silva – brought together the 2 most influential families in Brazil.
Copyright
© 2013 by Ricardo C. Amaral. All rights reserved.
***
He can be reached at:
brazilamaral@yahoo.com
.
