Miguel de Frias e Vasconcelos (15 October 1805 – 25 May 1859) was a Brazilian military officer, engineer and politician, best known for having received the

abdication Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the Order of succession, succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of ...

letter from emperor Pedro I on 7 April 1831.

Biography

Frias e Vasconcelos was born on 15 October 1805. His father was lieutenant colonel Joaquim de Frias Vasconcelos. Frias e Vasconcelos followed his father's career as a soldier in the 1st Cavalry Regiment at the age of 15. An artillery officer three years later, he joined the Military School. He subsequently advanced in the ranks to the rank of major. In his military career Frias e Vasconcelos took part in the repression against the Mercenaries Revolt, in 1828; in the

Ragamuffin War The Ragamuffin War, also known as the Ragamuffin Revolution or Heroic Decade, was a republican uprising that began in southern Brazil, in the province (current state) of Rio Grande do Sul in 1835. The rebels were led by Generals Bento Gonçalv ...

Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...

from 1842 to 1844, and in the campaign in Uruguay, under the orders of the

Marquis of Caxias A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or widow) ...

, who requisitioned Vasconcelos to be his chief of staff. On the night of 6 April 1831, as the commander of the Fortress of São José da Ilha das Cobras, he went to the

Paço de São Cristóvão Paço de São Cristóvão (; ; also known as Palácio Imperial or Palácio Imperial de São Cristóvão) was an imperial palace located in the Quinta da Boa Vista park in the Imperial Neighbourhood of São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It ...

by orders of general

Francisco de Lima e Silva Francisco de Lima e Silva (8 July 1785 – 2 December 1853) was a Brazilian military officer and politician who served twice as regent of the Empire of Brazil during the minority of emperor Pedro II. Biography Lima e Silva was the son of field m ...

to inform the emperor of the state of agitation in which the people and troops were. The liberals reacted to the appointment of an absolutist ministry by the emperor who, in the face of adverse reaction, decided to form a new body of ministers led by liberal

Nicolau Pereira de Campos Vergueiro Nicolau Pereira de Campos Vergueiro, better known as Senator Vergueiro () (20 December 1778 – 17 September 1859), was a Portuguese-born Brazilian coffee farmer and politician. He was a pioneer in the implementation of a free workforce in Braz ...

who, however, was not found. At two o'clock in the morning of the following day, the Emperor resigned in favor of his unpubescent son, delivering the Letter of Abdication to Frias e Vasconcelos, saying then, with teary eyes: "Here is my abdication; I wish you to be happy! I retire to Europe and leave a country I loved and still love". He was a member of several commissions, such as director of the War Arsenal, president of the commission for the improvement of army equipment and director of the public works of the Court, both civil and military. In Rio de Janeiro, the Capital of the Empire of Brazil, he was responsible for plumbing the waters of the Maracanã river, responsible for major floods in previous years. Between 1853 and 1856 he was the President of the

Municipal Chamber of Rio de Janeiro The Municipal Chamber of Rio de Janeiro is the Unicameralism, unicameral legislative body of the city of Rio de Janeiro. It was founded in 1565 by the Portuguese colonists. External links Website
Municipal chambers in Brazil Politics o ...

. He was elected with 4,451 votes, but the elections was annulled and held once more, with Frias e Vasconcelos being once again the most voted. Frias e Vasconcelos died on 25 May 1859.

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Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Frias E Vasconcelos, Miguel De 1805 births 1859 deaths