Pedro II of Brazil
Dom Pedro II (2 December 1825 - 5 December 1891), nicknamed "the Magnanimous", was the Empire of Brazil's second and final monarch, reigning for over 58 years. He was born in Rio de Janeiro as the seventh child of Emperor Dom Pedro I of Brazil and Empress Dona Maria Leopoldina, making him a member of the House of Braganza's Brazilian branch. His father's abrupt abdication and departure to Europe in 1831 left the five-year-old Emperor, leading to a grim and lonely childhood and adolescence spent studying in preparation for rule. His experiences with court intrigues and political disputes during this period had a significant impact on his later personality; he grew into a man with a strong sense of duty and devotion to his country and people, but grew increasingly resentful of his role as monarch. He is remembered as one of the most important historical figures in Brazil.
Pedro II inherited an empire on the verge of collapse, but he transformed Brazil into an emerging power on the global stage. The country distinguished itself from its Hispanic neighbors due to its political stability, zealously guarded freedom of expression, respect for civil rights, vibrant economic growth, and government form—a functional representative parliamentary monarchy. Brazil also won the Platine War, the Uruguayan War, and the Paraguayan War, as well as several other international conflicts and domestic tensions. Despite strong political and economic opposition, Pedro II steadfastly pursued the abolition of slavery. The Emperor, a savant in his own right, established a reputation as a vigorous supporter of learning, culture, and the sciences, and he earned the respect and admiration of people like Charles Darwin, Victor Hugo, and Friedrich Nietzsche, as well as Richard Wagner, Louis Pasteur, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Most Brazilians had no desire for a change in the form of government, but the Emperor was deposed in a surprise coup that had almost no support outside of a clique of military leaders who desired a dictatorial republic. Despite overwhelming popular support, Pedro II had grown tired of emperorship and was pessimistic about the monarchy's future prospects. He did not allow his removal to be challenged, and he opposed any attempt to restore the monarchy. He lived in exile in Europe for the last two years of his life, living alone on very little money.
Pedro II's reign thus came to an unusual end—he was deposed while still highly regarded by the people and at the pinnacle of his popularity, and some of his achievements were quickly undone as Brazil descended into a long period of weak governments, dictatorships, and constitutional and economic crises. The men who had exiled him saw him as a model for the Brazilian Republic. His reputation was restored a few decades after his death, and his remains were returned to Brazil amid nationwide celebrations. Historians have regarded the Emperor favorably, and several have ranked him as the greatest Brazilian.
