The journey of Pedro I to Minas Gerais in 1831: Political conflicts and the formation of the constitutional monarchy in Brazil

Abstract

The article reconstitutes the journey of Emperor Pedro I to the province of Minas Gerais in 1831, focusing on the interactions between local political elites and the central government, represented at that time by the Emperor himself. It is part of a wider research field that has expanded the notion of politics by drawing on the concept of 'public space,' using it not only as a conceptual entity, but emphasizing its physical dimension as well. The main conclusion is that the expansion of liberals in the public space of Minas Gerais made the Emperor's goal of politically isolating the exalted liberals a much more complicated task than expected. Suggested in the paper is that the increasing unpopularity of D. Pedro I after the journey and the subsequent abdication of the throne were due more to circumstances arising from the further implementation of the constitutional monarchy than to his supposed absolutism or anti-national attitude.