known as Dom Pedro
born Oct. 12, 1798, Lisbon, Port.
died Sept. 24, 1834, Lisbon
First emperor of Brazil (182231) and, briefly, king of Portugal.
The son of John VI of Portugal, he became regent of Brazil in 1821, but in 1822 he broke with Lisbon and declared Brazil's independence. The former colony became a constitutional monarchy with Pedro its emperor. Strong opposition to his autocratic manner and impatience with parliamentary procedure induced him to abdicate in favour of his five-year-old son, Pedro II . When John VI died, Pedro I became Portugal's King Pedro IV, but he quickly abdicated in favour of his daughter, the future Queen Maria II. See also José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva .