Regency of Angra

A Liberal presence on the island of Terceira originated with the 1810 deportation to the island of 30 exiles as a result of the Third French Invasion of Portugal.[1] Arriving onboard the frigate Amazona, the mostly Jacobites and Masons were maltreated by their hosts, especially the Catholic Church, which were fearful of the ideology and hatred for the French Revolution.[1] Slowly they integrated into the community, mostly as jurists and medics, and subtly began to influence the Liberal movement on the conservative island.[1]

At the time of the August 1820 revolution on the continent, the Azores was administered by Francisco António de Araújo, a person despised by the local populations owing to a series of measures that he undertook.[1] In September, he was advised that he would be replaced.[2] On 18 October Francisco de Borja Garção Stockler arrived and immediately took a anti-Liberal position, an attitude adopted throughout the Kingdom.[2] In his opposition was the secretive Socidedade Patriótica that decided to support the Liberal cause.[2] By 2 April 1821, and without many difficulties general Stockler was diposed and a provisory junta installed, governed by the former governor Francisco António de Araújo.[2] Stockler quickly fomented a counter-revolution, supported by soldiers in the Fortress of São João Baptista, and a populous that still despised Francisco António de Araújo.[2] Stockler retook his position, and proceeded to pursue his adversaries, confiscating property and arresting around 50 liberals.[2] On 13 May 1821, Angra received news that King D. João VI had accepted the liberal constitution, and that Stockler was ordered to institute a new regime in Terceira.[2] The king's instructions forbade him and the bishop from maintaining power in this new regime, but they were able to maneuver themselves into positions of power.[2] In an act of "benevolence" he liberated his prisoners, on 15 May, and swore fielty to the new constitution.[2] The change in attitude did not convince the liberals of Angra and they looked to liberate themselves of the regime.[2] They used the privileged position of the Count of Subserra, in the government of King João IV to sell out the Captain-General.[2] In July, the King John VI proclaimed the government of Angra illegitimate and substituted Stockler with brigadier João Maria Xavier de Brito.[2] Stockler departed for Lisbon, where he was arrested and put on trial, as were the bishop, D. Manuel Nicolau de Almeida and Governor Colonel Caetano Paulo Xavier.[3]

On 27 May 1823, a absolutist counter-revolution (the Vilafrancada) was launched by D. Miguel of Portugal with the support of his mother Queen D. Carlota Joaquina, in order to dethrone King D. João VI.[3] With its failure, the king reinforced his desire not to return to absolutist regime and governed in moderation.[3] However, in Terceira, the absolutists behaved as if a absolutist government was in ascendancy: they persecuted, arrested and attacked various liberals and assaulted there homes.[3] Even the Governor was obliged to seek refuge in the island interior.[3] Many of the absolutist sympathizers petitioned the king to reinstate Stockler, facilitating his absolution in Lisbon.[3] He was re-instated as Captain-General, received the title of Baron of Vila da Praia and returned to Terceira in November 1823.[3] The Count of Subserra, who was unable to oppose him, tried to limit Stockler's actions (by sending two allied functionaries and the 5th Battalion). In Angra, Stockler proceeded to imprison and deport liberals, until he was substituted following the Abrilada (1824) by Manuel Vieira de Albuquerque Touvar. With this new defeat D. Miguel was sent into exile in Austria and the absolutists lost power.[3]

With the death of King João VI in 1826, the infanta D. Isabel Maria assumed the transitory regency until the King's heir was installed as King.[3] But, D. Pedro IV of Portugal abdicted the Portuguese Crown to his daughter, D. Maria II, who was only 7 years old, on the condition that D. Miguel would marry his neice and swear fielty to the Constitutional Charter.[3] The visible return of Miguel bolstered absolutist fortunes, resulting in the Captain-General Touver Albuquerque's change in demeanor and allegiance.[4] The Miguelist forces were, once again, in ascendancy in the city of Angra and its rural periphery.[4] In July 1827, D. Pedro nominated his brother to be his lieutenant in Portugal and gave him the Regency of the kingdom.[4] There was festivities by both sides: the supporters of D. Miguel assumed that he would reset the absolutist regime, while liberals were sure that the monarchy would assume their compromise to maintain the Charter.[4] But, in March 1828, D. Miguel disembarked in Lisbon and quickly dissolved the Chamber of Deputies, restoring the legitimacy of absolutist regime.[4] On 18 March, in Terceira the king was acclaimed with various marches that included supporters that gathered from the rural parishes.[4]

But, Miguel's popularity was not definitive; his regime was only supported internationally by the Vatican, Spain and the United States, while contested throughout the kingdom.[4] Touvar Albuquerque took precautions to deter liberals in the region, whom met cladestinely.[5] Following D. Miguel acclamation, João José da Cunha Ferraz, vicar-general, met with Teotónio Borges and Manuel Joaquim Nogueira in order to organize a response, along with Francisco Eleutério Lobão (who had a connection with the 5th Battalion).[5] Realizing that new deportations were nigh, and that Touvar Albuquerque had organized parish citizenry to march on Angra, they opted to advance with a military operations.[5] A meeting was held at the home of João José da Cunha Ferraz that included, in addition to the three conspirators, Dr. António Silveira, José Ignácio Silveira, lieutenant Lobão, cadet Lobão and sargents Assedio, Borges, Bettencourt and Veríssimo José Gonçalves.[5] Major Quintino Dias, who would later be entitled Baron of Monte Brasil commanded the 5th Battalion,and began his operation on 21 June 1828.[6] Many of the Miguelist officials were imprisoned in the Castle of São João Baptista, while the governor arrested in the palace of the Captains-General.[6] The following day, D. Pedro was acclaimed legitimate king of Portugal, as was D. Maria (as his heir), in conformity with the Constitutional Charter.[6]

A new interim government was established under the direction of João José da Cunha Ferraz and Teotónio Bruges. Liberal prisoners were liberated, deported liberals returned to the island and many absolutists abandoned the island.[6] Many of the civil and military authorities were substituted, while the militias were unarmed in various islands, with the 5th Battalion returning to Faial and São Miguel.[6] On 15 July, D. Miguel's orders nominating a new governor arrived in Angra, Henique da Fonseca Sousa Prego.[6] Terceirense prevented him from disembarking, and forced him to abandon the island and join Touvar Albuquerque in São Miguel, before returning to Lisbon.[6] The liberal government on Terceira recognized the Revolutionary Junta that was installed in Porto and established contacts with Portuguese emigrants in France and England.[6] On 4 September 1828 reinforcements began to arrive on the island sent by the Marquis of Palmela, among those Diocleciano Leão Cabreira to assume the leadership of the government.[6] The military situation on the island of Terceira was still unstable.[6] In addition to divisions amongst the 5th Battalion, there were skirmishes on the island and Miguelists won terrain in the municipality of Praia.[6] These guerrilas were able to obtain arms and gunpowder from São Jorge and Faial, and prepared for battle.[6] After victories over two liberal contigents, D. Miguel was acclaimed in Praia, where they formed a interim absolutist regime.[6] On 4 October 1828, liberals and absolutists met on Pico do Seleiro, where the liberals triumphed. Finally achieving constitutional order on the entire island, a Provisionary Junta was established the following day.[6] But, Miguelist violence was replaced by Liberal reprisals: many absolutists were imprisoned and deported to the other islands; some nobles were sent to England; houses that harboured munition or arms were burned-down; and monetary sums were paid to those who could discover their leaders.[6] In January 1829 two royalists, Joaquim d'Almeida Tavares do Canto and João Moniz Corte-Real, were condemned in absentia, even as their liberal friends assisted them to flee the island.[6]

The Provisionary Junta declared, on 28 October, that Angra was the head of the Portugues government and capital of the Province of the Azores, and promoted public works to defend the island from the assumed blockade of D. Miguel and his forces.[6] Yet, reinforcements were able to evade the embargo, including ships arriving from Porto, that sent troops and munitions.[6] But, starting in 1829, the situation began to degrade. As was the case in exile, emigrants from France and England bickered between the moderate (supporters of Palmela) and radical (supporters of Saldanha), as did divergencies between the members of the Junta and military.[7] The financial situation also worsened, owing to the growing need to support a burgeoning military that grew almost daily.[7] In order to surpass the difficulties, loans were solicited, while the populous was forced to contribute, less be considered enemy collaborators.[7] A mint was created, to coin what became known as malucos (literally lunatics), from the metal extracted from island churchbells.[7] Despite the blockade, the Count of Vila-Flor (later Duke of Terceira) arrived in 1829, ordered by the Queen to occupy the position of Governor.[7] It was under his command that the island resisted and won over a Miguelist squadron (comprising 22 ships, a 2800 garrison and another 3000 men) that attempted to disembark at the Battle of Praia, on 11 August 1829.[7] The decisive victory (that included 500 deaths and 388 prisoners) resulted in the renaming of Praia, to Praia da Vitória, for the grand victory.[7] On 15 March 1830, the Regency of Angra was formalized when king D. Pedro nominated the Marquis of Palmela as president of the Regency.[7] On 18 October, at the Castle of São João Baptista, the blue-and-white flag was hoisted and between April and August 1831 the remainder of the islands allied themselves to the Regency and Queen Maria II of Portugal, following D. Pedro abdication to his daughter.[7] The former-King Pedro returned to Europe in 1832 and, along with a squadron went to the Azores.[7] For a week, owing to a storm, he remainded on the island of São Miguel, arriving in Terceira on 3 March 1832. He assumed the leader of the new government, as Regent, publishing several new laws (authored by Mouzinho da Silveira), while beginning to build his liberation forces on the island.[7] Following a visit to the other islands, D. Pedro joined his forces in São Miguel where he launched his expeditionary force on 27 July 1832 for continental Portugal, landing on the beach of Mindelo.[7] Following the Liberal victories, D. Miguel signed the convention of Evoramonte (1834) and the Civil War came to a close.[7]