Armed Forces of the Empire of Brazil
Encyclopedia
The Armed Forces of the Empire of Brazil were the overall unified military forces of the Empire of Brazil. The Brazilian military was first formed by Emperor Dom
Pedro I to defend the new nation against the Portuguese Empire
in the Brazilian War of Independence
. The Army and Armada (as the Navy was called) were commissioned in 1822 with the objective of defeating and expelling the Portuguese troops from Brazilian soil.
From the time of its inception, the military played a decisive role in the history of the Empire of Brazil
. A sense of national unity and identity was forged out of the victorious War of the Triple Alliance
. The Emperor was commander-in-chief of the military, with the Ministries of War and Navy
, as the main organs by which military policy was carried out.
. He was aided by the Ministers of War and Navy
in regard to matters concerning the Army
and the Armada
, respectively. Traditionally, the holders of the office of Ministers of War and Navy were civilians but there were some exceptions. The model chosen was the British parliamentary or Anglo-American system, in which "the country's Armed Forces had unrestricted obedience
to the civilian government while keeping distance from political decisions and also from the ones referring to borders's security".
The military personnel were allowed to run and serve in political offices while staying on active duty. However, they did not represent the Army or the Armada but instead the population of the city or province that they were elected by. Dom Pedro I chose nine military personnel as Senators
and five (out of 14) to the State Council. During the Regency, two were chosen to the Senate and none to the State Council as there was none at the time. Dom Pedro II
chose four military personnel to become Senators during the 1840s, two in 1850s and three until the end of his reign. He also chose seven military personnel to be State Counselors during the 1840s and 1850s and three after that.
. It was formed almost in its totality by ships, staff, organizations and doctrines proceeding from the transference of the Portuguese Royal Family
in 1808. Some of its members were native-born Brazilians, who under Portugal had been forbidden to serve. Other members were Portuguese who adhered to the cause of separation and foreign mercenaries. Some establishments created by King João VI of Portugal were used and incorporated such as the Department of Navy, Headquarters of the Navy, the Intendancy and Accounting Department, the Arsenal (Shipyard) of the Navy, the Academy of Navy Guards, the Naval Hospital, the Auditorship, the Supreme Military Council, the powder plant, and others. The Brazilian-born Captain Luís da Cunha Moreira was chosen as the first minister of the Navy on October 28, 1822.
Britisher Lord Thomas Alexander Cochrane
was nominated the commander of the Brazilian Armada and received the rank of "First Admiral". At that time, the fleet was composed of one ship of the line
, four frigate
s, and smaller ships for a total of 38 warships. The Secretary of Treasury Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada created a national subscription to generate capital in order to increase the size of the fleet. From all over Brazil contributions were sent. Even the Emperor Dom Pedro I acquired at his own expense a merchant brig
(that was renamed "Caboclo") and donated it to the State. The navy fought in the north and also south of Brazil where it had a decisive role in the independence of the country.
After the suppression of the revolt in Pernambuco
in 1824 and prior to the Argentina-Brazil War
, the navy increased significantly in size and strength. From its 38 ships in 1822, the navy had in its possession 96 modern warships of various types with over 690 cannons. The Armada blocked the estuary of the Rio de la Plata
hindering the contact of the United Provinces (as Argentina was called back then) with the Cisplatine rebels and the outside world. Several battles had occurred between Brazilian and Argentine ships until the defeat of an Argentine flotilla composed of two corvettes, five brigs and one barquentine
near the Island of Santiago in 1827. When Pedro I abdicated in 1831, he left a powerful navy made up of two ships of the line and ten frigate
s in addition to corvettes, steamships, and other ships for a total of at least 80 warships in peace time.
During the 58-year reign of Dom Pedro II
the Brazilian Navy reached the point at which it was strongest in relation to various navies around the world. The Arsenal, Navy department, and the Naval Jail were improved and the Imperial Mariner Corps (formed then by volunteers) was created. Steam navigation was definitively adopted. Brazil quickly modernized the fleet acquiring ships from foreign sources while also constructing others locally. It also substituted the old smoothbore
cannons for new ones with rifled barrels, which were more accurate and had longer ranges. Improvements were also made in the Arsenals (shipyards) and naval bases that were equipped with new workshops.
Ships were constructed in the Arsenal of the Navy in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife, Santos, Niterói and Pelotas. The Armada also successfully fought against all revolts that occurred during the Regency (where it made blockades and transported the Army troops) such as: Cabanagem, War of Tatters
, Sabinada, Balaiada
, amongst others.
When Emperor Pedro II was declared of legal age and assumed his constitutional prerogatives in 1840, the Armada had over 90 warships: six frigates, seven corvettes, two barque-schooners, six brigs, eight brig-schooners, 16 gunboats, 12 schooners, seven armed brigantine-schooners, six steam barques, three transport ships, two armed lugger
s, two cutters and thirteen larger boat
s.
During the 1850s the State Secretary, the Accounting Department of the Navy, the Headquarter of the Navy and the Naval Academy were reorganized and improved. New ships were bought and the ports administrations were better equipped. The Imperial Mariner Corps was definitively regularized and the Marine Corps was created, taking the place of the Naval Artillery. The Service of Assistance for Invalids was also established, along with several schools for sailors and craftsmen.
The conflicts in the Platine region did not cease after the war of 1825. The anarchy caused by the despotic Rosas and his desire to subdue Bolívia, Uruguay and Paraguay forced Brazil to intercede
. The Brazilian Government sent a naval force of 17 warships (a ship of the line, 10 corvettes and six steamships) commanded by the veteran John Pascoe Grenfell. The Brazilian fleet succeeded in passing
through the Argentine line of defence in Toneleros under heavy attack and transported the troops to the theater of operations. The Brazilian Armada had a total of 59 vessels of various types in 1851: 36 armed sailing ships, 10 armed steamships, seven unarmed sailing ships and six sailing transports.
More than a decade later the Armada was once again modernized and its fleet of old sailing ships was converted to a fleet of 40 steamships armed with more than 250 cannons. In 1864 the navy fought in the Uruguayan War
and immediately afterwards in the War of the Triple Alliance
where it annihilated the Paraguayan navy in the Battle of Riachuelo
. The navy was further increased with the acquisition of 20 ironclads and six fluvial monitors
. At least 9,177 navy personnel fought in the five years' conflict. Brazilian naval constructors such as Napoleão Level, Trajano de Carvalho and João Cândido Brasil planned new concepts for warships that allowed the country's Arsenals to keep their competitiveness with other nations. All damage suffered by ships was repaired in addition to various improvements to the ships. In 1870, Brazil had 94 modern warships and had the fifth most powerful navy in the world.
and a corvette in 1873, an ironclad and a monitor in 1874 and immediately afterwards two cruiser
s and another monitor. The improvement of the Armada continued during the 1880s. The Arsenals of the Navy in the provinces of Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Pernambuco, Pará and Mato Grosso continued to build dozens of warships. Also, four torpedo boats were bought.
On November 30, 1883, the Practical School of Torpedoes was created and also a workshop devoted to construction and repairing torpedoes and electric devices in the Arsenal of Navy of Rio de Janeiro. This Arsenal constructed four steam gunboat
s and one schooner, all with iron and steel hulls (the first of these categories constructed in the country). The Imperial Armada reached its apex with the incorporation of the ironclad battleship
s Riachuelo
and Aquidabã
(both equipped with torpedo launchers) in 1884 and 1885, respectively. Both ships (considered state-of-the-art by experts from Europe) allowed the Brazilian Armada to retain its position as one of the most powerful naval forces. By 1889, the navy had 60 warships and was the fifth or sixth most powerful of the world.
In the last cabinet of the monarchic regime, the Minister of the Navy, Admiral José da Costa Azevedo (the Baron of Ladário), left an unfinished project of reorganization and modernization of the navy. The coup that ended the monarchy in Brazil in 1889 was not well accepted by the personnel of the Armada. Imperial Mariners were attacked when they tried to give their support to the imprisoned Emperor in the City Palace. The Marquis of Tamandaré begged Pedro II to allow him to fight back the coup, however, the Emperor refused to allow any bloodshed. Tamandaré would later be imprisoned by order of the dictator Floriano Peixoto
under the accusation of financing the monarchist military in the Federalist Revolution.
The Baron of Ladário remained in contact with the exiled Imperial Family, hoping to restore the monarchy, but ended up being ostracized by the republican government. Admiral Saldanha da Gama led the Revolt of the Armada
with the objective of restoring the Empire and allied himself with other monarchists that were fighting in the Federalist Revolution. However, all the attempts at restoration were violently crushed. High ranking Monarchist officers were imprisoned, banished or executed by firing squad without due process of law and their subordinates also suffered harsh punishments.
s and Orderlies inherited from the colonial times. With the refusal to join the Independence cause
by the Portuguese military in the provinces of the Bahia
, Maranhão
, Pará
and Cisplatine
, Emperor Pedro I reorganized the troops at his disposal for the imminent conflict. Most of the personnel stationed in the country remained loyal to the monarch, who made use of troops, equipment and forts for the war operations. The terrestrial force efficiently fought in the north and the south of Brazil, defeating the loyal troops of Portugal. In 1824 the Army of 1st Line had 24,000 men disciplined, trained and equipped just as well as its European equivalents. At the end of the war of Independence, the Brazilian Armed Forces were already well organized and equipped. This occurred mainly because Pedro I heavily supported the Army. In the same year a battalion was sent to Pernambuco where it successfully quelled the revolt of the Confederation of the Equator.
Army officers' training was completed in the Military Academy (now Academia Militar de Agulhas Negras
and also the only engineering school in Brazil up to 1874), although it was not obligatory for personnel to study there to advance in the profession. Personnel from the infantry and cavalry branches only needed to study the disciplines of the 1st (arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry and technical drawing) and 5th years (tactical, strategy, camping, fortification in campaign, terrain reconnaissance and chemistry), while the engineers and artillerymen were obliged to carry through the complete course, which resulted in their branches being considered the most prestigious. However, infantrymen and cavalrymen were allowed to study the disciplines of the 2nd (algebra, geometry, analytical geometry, differential and integral calculus, descriptive geometry and technical drawing), 3rd (mechanics, ballistics and technical drawing), 4th (spherical trigonometry, physics, astronomy, geodesy, geography and technical drawing), 6th (regular and irregular fortification, attacking and defending strongholds, civil architecture, roads, ports, canals, mineralogy and technical drawing) and 7th years (artillery, mines and natural history) if they desired to.
The Empire declared war
against the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata (now Argentina) in 1825 as it was aiding the secessionist revolt of the Brazilian province of Cisplatine. The Argentine and the Cisplatine secessionist troops made use of guerrilla tactics that prevented the much stronger Brazilian Army (1st Line with 27,242 men and 2nd Line with 95,000) from delivering an overwhelming blow against its enemies. By the end of the conflict more than 8,000 Brazilians had died and the esteem with which a career in the military was viewed in the country declined. In the aftermath, the military blamed the Emperor for not being able to convince the Parliament to allow more financial aid to purchase equipment, munitions and provisions, while the liberals, on the other hand, considered the monarch responsible for the high costs of the conflict.
With the intention of assisting the reduced Army, the Government created the National Guard on August 18, 1831. The new institution would substitute the old Militias and Orderlies that were extinguished at the same time. The National Guard was formed by all male Brazilians who had an annual income superior to Rs 200$000 (the same value to be an elector). The majority of the male population had condition to be part of the National Guard: someone who worked as a craftsman or clerk reached the demanded minimum value. Even the “ingenuous” (free children of slaves of ex-slaves) were allowed to enlist themselves in the force. Its members were not remunerated and, except for weapons with which they were supplied by the Government, they had to pay all expenses related to uniforms and equipment. However, the Guard's members had little if any military skills and they were completely inadequate for the wars of the Industrial Age. It did not have permanent troops nor barracks in which to be lodged. In war times the National Guard was incorporated to the Army of 1st Line and it was, for all effects, a reserve force of the Imperial Army.
The result of the Liberal's policy towards the Army were soon felt. The Government was incapable of fighting the rebellions that occurred in the country during the second half of the 1830s. The election of the conservative Pedro de Araújo Lima for the office of regent in 1837 completely changed the situation. The Conservative Party restored the Army, reorganizing and reequipping it and increased it to 18,000 men. The Imperial Army achieved several victories over the provincial revolts, such as in: Cabanagem
, Sabinada, War of Tatters
, among others. At the beginning of the 1840s a new reorganization of the Army gave it more cohesion and made it more capable.
during which it defeated the Argentine Confederation with the contribution of Uruguayan troops and Argentine rebels.
The Uruguayan War
(which was followed by the War of the Triple Alliance
) revealed the complete neglect that the Imperial Army had been subjected to after 1852. It did not have enough equipment, ammunition, uniforms or transportation. With only 18,000 men in 1864 it was necessary to search for reserve forces to collaborate with the war effort. The National Guard had 440,000 men on 1864. However, although with impressive numbers, the lack of training and equipment and the resistance of most of its members to be sent to the theater of operations considerably reduced the military potential of the institution. From then on the National Guard would be gradually put aside in favor of the Army. The Fatherland Volunteer Corps was created on January 7, 1865, and received Brazilians who had joined spontaneously and later conscripted ones. The nomination of the Marquis of Caxias
as the commander of the Imperial Army in the middle of 1866 put an end to the anarchy. Of the 18,000 men deployed in enemy territory in 1865, it grew to 67,365 in 1866, 71,039 in 1867 and finally 82,271 in 1869.
The Marquis of Caxias reorganized the troops who received uniforms, equipment and weapons just as good as the ones in the Prussian Army. The health service of the Armed Forces was not as good as the one in the American Civil War
, but was superior to the one of the Crimean War
. The armed conflict lasted for more than five years and cost the lives of 50,000 Brazilians. However, the Empire came out of it victorious and kept its supremacy over the rest of South America. The Imperial Army mobilized 154,996 men for the war, divided into the following categories: 10,025 Army personnel who were in Uruguay in 1864, 2,047 who were in the province of Mato Grosso, 55,985 Fatherland Volunteers, 60,009 National Guardsmen, 8,570 ex-slaves and another 18,000 National Guardsmen who remained in Brazil to defend it.
A new generation of turbulent and undisciplined military personnel began to appear at the beginning of the 1880s. The old monarchist officers, such as Luis Alves de Lima e Silva
(Duke of Caxias), Polidoro da Fonseca Quintanilha Jordão (Viscount of Santa Teresa), Antonio de Sampaio, Manuel Marques de Sousa
(Count of Porto Alegre) and Manuel Luis Osório
(Marquis of Herval) had deceased. In an Army with only 13,000 men, 7,526 were sent to jail in 1884 for bad behavior. The cadets in the Military College learned about Positivism and discussed politics while completely ignoring military matters. These men advocated the implantation of a military dictatorship. In 1882, the murder of a journalist that had criticized the behavior of the Army by military officers in broad day light went unpunished. The republicans stimulated the undisciplined behavior of these personnel during the years of 1887 and 1888 having alleged a lack of attention and consideration on the part of the Government towards the Army.
On November 15, 1889, the monarchy was overthrown by Army troops led by Field Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca
who became the leader of the first Brazilian dictatorship. Marshal Câmara (Viscount of Pelotas), affirmed that about 20 percent of the Imperial Army supported the coup. In the following days several battalions of the Army spread across the country fought against republican forces with intention of stopping the coup. In Desterro (now Florianópolis
), the 25th Infantry Battalion attacked the Republican Club on November 17, 1889. A month later on December 18, in Rio de Janeiro, the 2nd Artillery Regiment also tried to restore the monarchy. In 1893, Monarchist soldiers participated in the Federalist Revolution with intention of restoring the Empire. The Monarchists that did not die in battles were imprisoned, deported or murdered.
Don (honorific)
Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:...
Pedro I to defend the new nation against the Portuguese Empire
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
in the Brazilian War of Independence
Brazilian Declaration of Independence
The Brazilian Independence comprised a series of political events occurred in 1821–1823, most of which involved disputes between Brazil and Portugal regarding the call for independence presented by the Brazilian Kingdom...
. The Army and Armada (as the Navy was called) were commissioned in 1822 with the objective of defeating and expelling the Portuguese troops from Brazilian soil.
From the time of its inception, the military played a decisive role in the history of the Empire of Brazil
History of the Empire of Brazil
-Independence:The land now known as Brazil was claimed by Portugal for the first time on 22 April 1500 when the Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral landed on its coast...
. A sense of national unity and identity was forged out of the victorious War of the Triple Alliance
War of the Triple Alliance
The Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...
. The Emperor was commander-in-chief of the military, with the Ministries of War and Navy
Ministry of Defence (Brazil)
The Ministry of Defence of Brazil, is the civilian cabinet organization responsible for managing the Military of Brazil. It is headed by the Minister of Defence....
, as the main organs by which military policy was carried out.
Organization
The Brazilian Armed Forces were subordinated to the Emperor, its Commander-in-ChiefCommander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
. He was aided by the Ministers of War and Navy
Ministry of Defence (Brazil)
The Ministry of Defence of Brazil, is the civilian cabinet organization responsible for managing the Military of Brazil. It is headed by the Minister of Defence....
in regard to matters concerning the Army
Brazilian Army
The Brazilian Army is the land arm of the Brazilian Military. The Brazilian Army has fought in several international conflicts, mostly in South America and during the 19th century, such as the Brazilian War of Independence , Argentina-Brazil War , War of the Farrapos , Platine War , Uruguayan War ...
and the Armada
Brazilian Navy
The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...
, respectively. Traditionally, the holders of the office of Ministers of War and Navy were civilians but there were some exceptions. The model chosen was the British parliamentary or Anglo-American system, in which "the country's Armed Forces had unrestricted obedience
Civilian control of the military
Civilian control of the military is a doctrine in military and political science that places ultimate responsibility for a country's strategic decision-making in the hands of the civilian political leadership, rather than professional military officers. One author, paraphrasing Samuel P...
to the civilian government while keeping distance from political decisions and also from the ones referring to borders's security".
The military personnel were allowed to run and serve in political offices while staying on active duty. However, they did not represent the Army or the Armada but instead the population of the city or province that they were elected by. Dom Pedro I chose nine military personnel as Senators
Senate of Brazil
The Federal Senate of Brazil is the upper house of the National Congress of Brazil. Created by the first Constitution of the Brazilian Empire in 1824, it was inspired by the United Kingdom's House of Lords, but with the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889 it became closer to the United States...
and five (out of 14) to the State Council. During the Regency, two were chosen to the Senate and none to the State Council as there was none at the time. Dom Pedro II
Pedro II of Brazil
Dom Pedro II , nicknamed "the Magnanimous", was the second and last ruler of the Empire of Brazil, reigning for over 58 years. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he was the seventh child of Emperor Dom Pedro I of Brazil and Empress Dona Maria Leopoldina and thus a member of the Brazilian branch of...
chose four military personnel to become Senators during the 1840s, two in 1850s and three until the end of his reign. He also chose seven military personnel to be State Counselors during the 1840s and 1850s and three after that.
Early years, 1822–31
The National Armada (later known as the Brazilian Navy), informally known as Imperial Armada, appeared with the independence of the countryBrazilian Declaration of Independence
The Brazilian Independence comprised a series of political events occurred in 1821–1823, most of which involved disputes between Brazil and Portugal regarding the call for independence presented by the Brazilian Kingdom...
. It was formed almost in its totality by ships, staff, organizations and doctrines proceeding from the transference of the Portuguese Royal Family
Transfer of the Portuguese Court to Brazil
The Transfer of the Portuguese Court to Brazil was an episode in the history of Portugal and the history of Brazil in which the Portuguese royal family and its court escaped from Lisbon on November 29, 1807 to Brazil, just days before Napoleonic forces captured the city on December 1...
in 1808. Some of its members were native-born Brazilians, who under Portugal had been forbidden to serve. Other members were Portuguese who adhered to the cause of separation and foreign mercenaries. Some establishments created by King João VI of Portugal were used and incorporated such as the Department of Navy, Headquarters of the Navy, the Intendancy and Accounting Department, the Arsenal (Shipyard) of the Navy, the Academy of Navy Guards, the Naval Hospital, the Auditorship, the Supreme Military Council, the powder plant, and others. The Brazilian-born Captain Luís da Cunha Moreira was chosen as the first minister of the Navy on October 28, 1822.
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician....
was nominated the commander of the Brazilian Armada and received the rank of "First Admiral". At that time, the fleet was composed of one ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
, four frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s, and smaller ships for a total of 38 warships. The Secretary of Treasury Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada created a national subscription to generate capital in order to increase the size of the fleet. From all over Brazil contributions were sent. Even the Emperor Dom Pedro I acquired at his own expense a merchant brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
(that was renamed "Caboclo") and donated it to the State. The navy fought in the north and also south of Brazil where it had a decisive role in the independence of the country.
After the suppression of the revolt in Pernambuco
Confederation of the Equator
The Confederation of the Equator was a short-lived rebellion that occurred in the northeastern region of Brazil during that nation's struggle for independence from Portugal. The secessionist movement was led by wealthy landowners who opposed early reforms by the nation's first leader, Emperor...
in 1824 and prior to the Argentina-Brazil War
Argentina-Brazil War
The Cisplatine War or the Argentine–Brazilian War was an armed conflict over an area known as Banda Oriental or "Eastern Shore" in the 1820s between the United Provinces of River Plate and the Empire of Brazil in the aftermath of the United Provinces' emancipation from Spain.-Background:Led by...
, the navy increased significantly in size and strength. From its 38 ships in 1822, the navy had in its possession 96 modern warships of various types with over 690 cannons. The Armada blocked the estuary of the Rio de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
hindering the contact of the United Provinces (as Argentina was called back then) with the Cisplatine rebels and the outside world. Several battles had occurred between Brazilian and Argentine ships until the defeat of an Argentine flotilla composed of two corvettes, five brigs and one barquentine
Barquentine
A barquentine is a sailing vessel with three or more masts; with a square rigged foremast and fore-and-aft rigged main, mizzen and any other masts.-Modern barquentine sailing rig:...
near the Island of Santiago in 1827. When Pedro I abdicated in 1831, he left a powerful navy made up of two ships of the line and ten frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s in addition to corvettes, steamships, and other ships for a total of at least 80 warships in peace time.
Quelling rebellions, 1831–49
Pedro II of Brazil
Dom Pedro II , nicknamed "the Magnanimous", was the second and last ruler of the Empire of Brazil, reigning for over 58 years. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he was the seventh child of Emperor Dom Pedro I of Brazil and Empress Dona Maria Leopoldina and thus a member of the Brazilian branch of...
the Brazilian Navy reached the point at which it was strongest in relation to various navies around the world. The Arsenal, Navy department, and the Naval Jail were improved and the Imperial Mariner Corps (formed then by volunteers) was created. Steam navigation was definitively adopted. Brazil quickly modernized the fleet acquiring ships from foreign sources while also constructing others locally. It also substituted the old smoothbore
Smoothbore
A smoothbore weapon is one which has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars.-History of firearms and rifling:...
cannons for new ones with rifled barrels, which were more accurate and had longer ranges. Improvements were also made in the Arsenals (shipyards) and naval bases that were equipped with new workshops.
Ships were constructed in the Arsenal of the Navy in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife, Santos, Niterói and Pelotas. The Armada also successfully fought against all revolts that occurred during the Regency (where it made blockades and transported the Army troops) such as: Cabanagem, War of Tatters
War of Tatters
The War of the Ragamuffins was a Republican uprising that began in southern Brazil, in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina in 1835...
, Sabinada, Balaiada
Balaiada
The Balaiada was a social revolt that occurred between 1838 and 1841 in the interior of the province of Maranhão, Brazil.-Background:During the imperial period, the Maranhão region, which exported cotton, suffered a grave economic crisis because of competition with the increasingly productive...
, amongst others.
When Emperor Pedro II was declared of legal age and assumed his constitutional prerogatives in 1840, the Armada had over 90 warships: six frigates, seven corvettes, two barque-schooners, six brigs, eight brig-schooners, 16 gunboats, 12 schooners, seven armed brigantine-schooners, six steam barques, three transport ships, two armed lugger
Lugger
A lugger is a class of boats, widely used as traditional fishing boats, particularly off the coasts of France, Scotland and England. It is a small sailing vessel with lugsails set on two or more masts and perhaps lug topsails.-Defining the rig:...
s, two cutters and thirteen larger boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s.
During the 1850s the State Secretary, the Accounting Department of the Navy, the Headquarter of the Navy and the Naval Academy were reorganized and improved. New ships were bought and the ports administrations were better equipped. The Imperial Mariner Corps was definitively regularized and the Marine Corps was created, taking the place of the Naval Artillery. The Service of Assistance for Invalids was also established, along with several schools for sailors and craftsmen.
Platine Wars, 1849–70
| Year | Navy (number of ships) |
|---|---|
| 1822 | 38 |
| 1825 | 96 |
| 1831 | 80 |
| 1840 | 90 |
| 1851 | 59 |
| 1864 | 40 |
| 1870 | 94 |
| 1889 | 60 |
The conflicts in the Platine region did not cease after the war of 1825. The anarchy caused by the despotic Rosas and his desire to subdue Bolívia, Uruguay and Paraguay forced Brazil to intercede
Platine War
The Platine War, also known as the War against Oribe and Rosas was fought between the Argentine Confederation and an alliance consisting of the Empire of Brazil, Uruguay and the Argentine provinces of Entre Ríos and Corrientes...
. The Brazilian Government sent a naval force of 17 warships (a ship of the line, 10 corvettes and six steamships) commanded by the veteran John Pascoe Grenfell. The Brazilian fleet succeeded in passing
The Passage of the Tonelero
The Passage of the Tonelero was a battle fought near the cliff of Acevedo, in the west bank of the Paraná River, Argentina, on 17 December 1851, between the Argentine Army commanded by Lucio Norberto Mansilla and Brazilian warships led by John Pascoe Grenfell....
through the Argentine line of defence in Toneleros under heavy attack and transported the troops to the theater of operations. The Brazilian Armada had a total of 59 vessels of various types in 1851: 36 armed sailing ships, 10 armed steamships, seven unarmed sailing ships and six sailing transports.
More than a decade later the Armada was once again modernized and its fleet of old sailing ships was converted to a fleet of 40 steamships armed with more than 250 cannons. In 1864 the navy fought in the Uruguayan War
Uruguayan War
The Uruguayan War , also known as the War against Aguirre, was fought between Uruguay and an alliance between the Empire of Brazil and Uruguayan Colorados....
and immediately afterwards in the War of the Triple Alliance
War of the Triple Alliance
The Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...
where it annihilated the Paraguayan navy in the Battle of Riachuelo
Battle of Riachuelo
The naval Battle of Riachuelo was a key point in the War of the Triple Alliance. By late 1864, Paraguay had scored a series of victories in the war; on June 11, 1865, however, its naval defeat by Brazil began to turn the tide in favor of the allies....
. The navy was further increased with the acquisition of 20 ironclads and six fluvial monitors
Monitor (warship)
A monitor was a class of relatively small warship which was neither fast nor strongly armoured but carried disproportionately large guns. They were used by some navies from the 1860s until the end of World War II, and saw their final use by the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.The monitors...
. At least 9,177 navy personnel fought in the five years' conflict. Brazilian naval constructors such as Napoleão Level, Trajano de Carvalho and João Cândido Brasil planned new concepts for warships that allowed the country's Arsenals to keep their competitiveness with other nations. All damage suffered by ships was repaired in addition to various improvements to the ships. In 1870, Brazil had 94 modern warships and had the fifth most powerful navy in the world.
Final years, 1870–89
During the 1870s, the Brazilian Government strengthened the navy as the possibility of a war against Argentina over Paraguay's future became quite real. Thus, it acquired a gunboatGunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
and a corvette in 1873, an ironclad and a monitor in 1874 and immediately afterwards two cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s and another monitor. The improvement of the Armada continued during the 1880s. The Arsenals of the Navy in the provinces of Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Pernambuco, Pará and Mato Grosso continued to build dozens of warships. Also, four torpedo boats were bought.
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
s and one schooner, all with iron and steel hulls (the first of these categories constructed in the country). The Imperial Armada reached its apex with the incorporation of the ironclad battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s Riachuelo
Brazilian battleship Riachuelo (1883)
Riachuelo was a Brazilian ironclad battleship completed in 1883. She was named in honour of the Battle of Riachuelo in 1865.-Design:Riachuelo was built after the Brazilian Minister of the Navy, Admiral Jose Rodrigues de Lima Duarte, presented a report to the national legislature on the importance...
and Aquidabã
Brazilian battleship Aquidabã
Aquidabã, anglicized as Aquidaban, was a Brazilian ironclad warship built in the mid-1880s. The ship participated in two naval revolts; during the second she was sunk by a government torpedo boat. After being refloated, Aquidabã was sent to Germany for repairs and modernization...
(both equipped with torpedo launchers) in 1884 and 1885, respectively. Both ships (considered state-of-the-art by experts from Europe) allowed the Brazilian Armada to retain its position as one of the most powerful naval forces. By 1889, the navy had 60 warships and was the fifth or sixth most powerful of the world.
In the last cabinet of the monarchic regime, the Minister of the Navy, Admiral José da Costa Azevedo (the Baron of Ladário), left an unfinished project of reorganization and modernization of the navy. The coup that ended the monarchy in Brazil in 1889 was not well accepted by the personnel of the Armada. Imperial Mariners were attacked when they tried to give their support to the imprisoned Emperor in the City Palace. The Marquis of Tamandaré begged Pedro II to allow him to fight back the coup, however, the Emperor refused to allow any bloodshed. Tamandaré would later be imprisoned by order of the dictator Floriano Peixoto
Floriano Peixoto
Floriano Vieira de Araújo Peixoto , April 30, 1839, Maceió, Brazil — July 29, 1895, Rio de Janeiro; born in Ipioca , was a Brazilian soldier and politician, a veteran of the War of the Triple Alliance, and the second President of Brazil.-Election and Succession as President:Floriano Peixoto...
under the accusation of financing the monarchist military in the Federalist Revolution.
The Baron of Ladário remained in contact with the exiled Imperial Family, hoping to restore the monarchy, but ended up being ostracized by the republican government. Admiral Saldanha da Gama led the Revolt of the Armada
Revolta da Armada
Brazilian Naval Revolts, or the Revoltas da Armada , were armed mutinies promoted mainly by Admirals Custodio de Mello and Saldanha da Gama and their fleet of Brazilian Navy ships against unconstitucional attitudes of the then the central government in Rio de Janeiro.-First revolt:In November 1891,...
with the objective of restoring the Empire and allied himself with other monarchists that were fighting in the Federalist Revolution. However, all the attempts at restoration were violently crushed. High ranking Monarchist officers were imprisoned, banished or executed by firing squad without due process of law and their subordinates also suffered harsh punishments.
Early years, 1822–31
The National Army, or Imperial Army, during the monarchy was divided into two branches: the 1st Line, which was the Army itself; and the 2nd Line that was formed by the MilitiaMilitia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
s and Orderlies inherited from the colonial times. With the refusal to join the Independence cause
Brazilian Declaration of Independence
The Brazilian Independence comprised a series of political events occurred in 1821–1823, most of which involved disputes between Brazil and Portugal regarding the call for independence presented by the Brazilian Kingdom...
by the Portuguese military in the provinces of the Bahia
Bahia
Bahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
, Maranhão
Maranhão
Maranhão is a northeastern state of Brazil. To the north lies the Atlantic Ocean. Maranhão is neighbored by the states of Piauí, Tocantins and Pará. The people of Maranhão have a distinctive accent...
, Pará
Pará
Pará is a state in the north of Brazil. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest it also borders Guyana and Suriname, and to the northeast it borders the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Belém.Pará is the most populous state...
and Cisplatine
Cisplatina
The Cisplatina Province was a Portuguese and later a Brazilian province in existence from 1815 to 1828...
, Emperor Pedro I reorganized the troops at his disposal for the imminent conflict. Most of the personnel stationed in the country remained loyal to the monarch, who made use of troops, equipment and forts for the war operations. The terrestrial force efficiently fought in the north and the south of Brazil, defeating the loyal troops of Portugal. In 1824 the Army of 1st Line had 24,000 men disciplined, trained and equipped just as well as its European equivalents. At the end of the war of Independence, the Brazilian Armed Forces were already well organized and equipped. This occurred mainly because Pedro I heavily supported the Army. In the same year a battalion was sent to Pernambuco where it successfully quelled the revolt of the Confederation of the Equator.
Academia Militar de Agulhas Negras
The Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras is the biggest among several schools of formation of combatant officers of the Brazilian Army...
and also the only engineering school in Brazil up to 1874), although it was not obligatory for personnel to study there to advance in the profession. Personnel from the infantry and cavalry branches only needed to study the disciplines of the 1st (arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry and technical drawing) and 5th years (tactical, strategy, camping, fortification in campaign, terrain reconnaissance and chemistry), while the engineers and artillerymen were obliged to carry through the complete course, which resulted in their branches being considered the most prestigious. However, infantrymen and cavalrymen were allowed to study the disciplines of the 2nd (algebra, geometry, analytical geometry, differential and integral calculus, descriptive geometry and technical drawing), 3rd (mechanics, ballistics and technical drawing), 4th (spherical trigonometry, physics, astronomy, geodesy, geography and technical drawing), 6th (regular and irregular fortification, attacking and defending strongholds, civil architecture, roads, ports, canals, mineralogy and technical drawing) and 7th years (artillery, mines and natural history) if they desired to.
The Empire declared war
Argentina-Brazil War
The Cisplatine War or the Argentine–Brazilian War was an armed conflict over an area known as Banda Oriental or "Eastern Shore" in the 1820s between the United Provinces of River Plate and the Empire of Brazil in the aftermath of the United Provinces' emancipation from Spain.-Background:Led by...
against the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata (now Argentina) in 1825 as it was aiding the secessionist revolt of the Brazilian province of Cisplatine. The Argentine and the Cisplatine secessionist troops made use of guerrilla tactics that prevented the much stronger Brazilian Army (1st Line with 27,242 men and 2nd Line with 95,000) from delivering an overwhelming blow against its enemies. By the end of the conflict more than 8,000 Brazilians had died and the esteem with which a career in the military was viewed in the country declined. In the aftermath, the military blamed the Emperor for not being able to convince the Parliament to allow more financial aid to purchase equipment, munitions and provisions, while the liberals, on the other hand, considered the monarch responsible for the high costs of the conflict.
Quelling rebellions, 1831–49
Pedro I's abdication resulted in the reduction of the size of the Army contingent. The liberals were against the Army for ideological and economic reasons. Their objective was to prevent any possibility of return of Pedro I to Brazil, therefore weakening one of the institutions most connected to the former Emperor. Some battalions were dissolved while others were transferred to distant provinces. Most of the soldiers were discharged, enlistment was suspended and the promotion of any officer was forbidden. On August 30, 1831, the liberal regency reduced the Army to less than 10,000 men and later to only 6,000. The battalions formed by mercenaries were also disbanded.The result of the Liberal's policy towards the Army were soon felt. The Government was incapable of fighting the rebellions that occurred in the country during the second half of the 1830s. The election of the conservative Pedro de Araújo Lima for the office of regent in 1837 completely changed the situation. The Conservative Party restored the Army, reorganizing and reequipping it and increased it to 18,000 men. The Imperial Army achieved several victories over the provincial revolts, such as in: Cabanagem
Cabanagem
The Cabanagem was a social revolt that occurred in the then-province of Grão-Pará, Brazil.Among the causes for this revolt were the extreme poverty of the Paraense people and the political irrelevance to which the province was relegated after the independence of Brazil.The name "Cabanagem" refers...
, Sabinada, War of Tatters
War of Tatters
The War of the Ragamuffins was a Republican uprising that began in southern Brazil, in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina in 1835...
, among others. At the beginning of the 1840s a new reorganization of the Army gave it more cohesion and made it more capable.
Platine Wars, 1849–70
In 1845 the Military College (known before as the Military Academy) was divided into two halves: one remained with the old name, while the other one became the Central College. A new reform (Decree nº 585) on September 6, 1850, considerably improved the quality of the officers of the Imperial Army. Progression in the military career from then on would occur through antiquity, merit and academic resume, beyond a clear preference for the personnel who completed the Military College over the ones who did not. On September 20, 1851, the conservative cabinet created a branch of the Military College in Porto Alegre that had a course of infantry and cavalry which included disciplines taken from the 1st and 5th years of study. The National Guard was reorganized in the same month and became subordinated not to the locally elected Judges of Peace anymore, but directly to the Minister of Justice. In 1851 the Imperial Army had more than 37,000 men and participated in the Platine WarPlatine War
The Platine War, also known as the War against Oribe and Rosas was fought between the Argentine Confederation and an alliance consisting of the Empire of Brazil, Uruguay and the Argentine provinces of Entre Ríos and Corrientes...
during which it defeated the Argentine Confederation with the contribution of Uruguayan troops and Argentine rebels.
| Year | Army (1st Line) | Army (2nd Line) |
|---|---|---|
| 1824 | 24,000 | Unknown |
| 1827 | 27,242 | 95,000 |
| 1832 | 6,000 | Unknown |
| 1838 | 18,000 | Unknown |
| 1851 | 37,000 | Unknown |
| 1864 | 18,000 | 440,000 |
| 1869 | 82,271 | Unknown |
| 1875 | 17,000 | Unknown |
| 1883 | 13,000 | Unknown |
| 1889 | 14,300 | Unknown |
Uruguayan War
The Uruguayan War , also known as the War against Aguirre, was fought between Uruguay and an alliance between the Empire of Brazil and Uruguayan Colorados....
(which was followed by the War of the Triple Alliance
War of the Triple Alliance
The Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...
) revealed the complete neglect that the Imperial Army had been subjected to after 1852. It did not have enough equipment, ammunition, uniforms or transportation. With only 18,000 men in 1864 it was necessary to search for reserve forces to collaborate with the war effort. The National Guard had 440,000 men on 1864. However, although with impressive numbers, the lack of training and equipment and the resistance of most of its members to be sent to the theater of operations considerably reduced the military potential of the institution. From then on the National Guard would be gradually put aside in favor of the Army. The Fatherland Volunteer Corps was created on January 7, 1865, and received Brazilians who had joined spontaneously and later conscripted ones. The nomination of the Marquis of Caxias
Luís Alves de Lima e Silva
Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias , nicknamed "the Peacemaker" and "Iron Duke", was an army officer, politician and monarchist of the Empire of Brazil. Caxias pursued a military career, as had his father and many relatives before him. In 1823, he fought as a young officer during most of...
as the commander of the Imperial Army in the middle of 1866 put an end to the anarchy. Of the 18,000 men deployed in enemy territory in 1865, it grew to 67,365 in 1866, 71,039 in 1867 and finally 82,271 in 1869.
The Marquis of Caxias reorganized the troops who received uniforms, equipment and weapons just as good as the ones in the Prussian Army. The health service of the Armed Forces was not as good as the one in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, but was superior to the one of the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
. The armed conflict lasted for more than five years and cost the lives of 50,000 Brazilians. However, the Empire came out of it victorious and kept its supremacy over the rest of South America. The Imperial Army mobilized 154,996 men for the war, divided into the following categories: 10,025 Army personnel who were in Uruguay in 1864, 2,047 who were in the province of Mato Grosso, 55,985 Fatherland Volunteers, 60,009 National Guardsmen, 8,570 ex-slaves and another 18,000 National Guardsmen who remained in Brazil to defend it.
Final years, 1870–89
In 1873, the role of the National Guard was restricted when it was decided that it would no longer act as a police force. As a result it effectively became a reserve force of the Army, however, its definitive dissolution, would not occur until 1918. From the Military School in 1874 the Polytechnical College of Rio de Janeiro it was created, which focused on the provision of civil engineering courses. For the fiscal year of 1873–74, the Government allocated about 27 percent of the budget for the Army and the Armada.Luís Alves de Lima e Silva
Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias , nicknamed "the Peacemaker" and "Iron Duke", was an army officer, politician and monarchist of the Empire of Brazil. Caxias pursued a military career, as had his father and many relatives before him. In 1823, he fought as a young officer during most of...
(Duke of Caxias), Polidoro da Fonseca Quintanilha Jordão (Viscount of Santa Teresa), Antonio de Sampaio, Manuel Marques de Sousa
Manuel Marques de Sousa, Count of Porto Alegre
Manuel Marques de Sousa, the Count of Porto Alegre , was a Brazilian military officer, monarchist and politician.-Early years:...
(Count of Porto Alegre) and Manuel Luis Osório
Manuel Luís Osório, Marquis of Erval
Manuel Luís Osório, Marquis of Erval , was a Brazilian military officer, monarchist and politician.-References:* Carvalho, José Murilo de. D. Pedro II: ser ou não ser. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2007....
(Marquis of Herval) had deceased. In an Army with only 13,000 men, 7,526 were sent to jail in 1884 for bad behavior. The cadets in the Military College learned about Positivism and discussed politics while completely ignoring military matters. These men advocated the implantation of a military dictatorship. In 1882, the murder of a journalist that had criticized the behavior of the Army by military officers in broad day light went unpunished. The republicans stimulated the undisciplined behavior of these personnel during the years of 1887 and 1888 having alleged a lack of attention and consideration on the part of the Government towards the Army.
On November 15, 1889, the monarchy was overthrown by Army troops led by Field Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca
Deodoro da Fonseca
Marshal Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca became the first president of the Republic of Brazil after heading a military coup that deposed Emperor Pedro II and proclaimed the Republic in 1889, disestablishing the Empire of Brazil.- Biography :...
who became the leader of the first Brazilian dictatorship. Marshal Câmara (Viscount of Pelotas), affirmed that about 20 percent of the Imperial Army supported the coup. In the following days several battalions of the Army spread across the country fought against republican forces with intention of stopping the coup. In Desterro (now Florianópolis
Florianópolis
-Climate:Florianópolis experiences a warm humid subtropical climate, falling just short of a true tropical climate. The seasons of the year are distinct, with a well-defined summer and winter, and characteristic weather for autumn and spring. Frost is infrequent, but occurs occasionally in the winter...
), the 25th Infantry Battalion attacked the Republican Club on November 17, 1889. A month later on December 18, in Rio de Janeiro, the 2nd Artillery Regiment also tried to restore the monarchy. In 1893, Monarchist soldiers participated in the Federalist Revolution with intention of restoring the Empire. The Monarchists that did not die in battles were imprisoned, deported or murdered.
See also
- Empire of Brazil
- History of the Empire of BrazilHistory of the Empire of Brazil-Independence:The land now known as Brazil was claimed by Portugal for the first time on 22 April 1500 when the Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral landed on its coast...
- Military history of BrazilMilitary history of BrazilThe military history of Brazil comprises centuries of armed actions in the territory encompassing modern Brazil, and the role of the Brazilian Armed Forces in conflicts and peacekeeping worldwide. For several hundreds of years, the area was the site of intertribal wars of indigenous peoples...
- List of wars involving Brazil
- Brazilian ArmyBrazilian ArmyThe Brazilian Army is the land arm of the Brazilian Military. The Brazilian Army has fought in several international conflicts, mostly in South America and during the 19th century, such as the Brazilian War of Independence , Argentina-Brazil War , War of the Farrapos , Platine War , Uruguayan War ...
- Brazilian NavyBrazilian NavyThe Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...