movement began around the year 1789

Marquis de Pombal, Portugal's powerful secretary of state for foreign affairs, had succeeded in forming a trade empire based in Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, and allowed Brazilians to trade only with Portugal. But this royal monopoly on trade had also created a powerful class of planters and merchants in many parts of Brazil--many of whom wanted to be free of Portugal's trade restrictions.

Napoleon Bonaparte was quite helpful to the Brazilian cause of independence: the French emperor invaded Lisbon in 1807, from where King João and the royal family fled to Brazil, where they set up court in Rio de Janeiro

Pedro, influenced by members of the mercantile class, saw that independence was inevitable, and King João, learning of the colonists' increasing authority over his son, ordered Pedro to come home and "complete his political education." But the Brazilians begged him to stay on as their leader, and in 1822 Pedro declared the colony an independent state. With overwhelming support from the Brazilians, all Portuguese forces were driven out within the year. Pedro, now emperor Pedro I of Brazil, would later have his own problems running the new country, but for now the Brazilians happily accepted him as their leader

Brazil's post-independence got off to a rocky start, but became remarkably stable compared to the rest of South America

Pedro I,

unpopular

unskilled a politician as his father, King João, had feared; in 1824 he adopted a constitution for the country without consulting the powerful members of the merchant class who had supported him. He assumed all of Portugal's colonial debts, and invited an influential English presence into his court, which angered Brazilians. In 1831 the Brazilian army forced Pedro to step down and abdicate power to his six-year-old son, also named Pedro. A regency of Brazilian military officials and politicians ruled until Pedro II assumed leadership in 1840, at the age of fifteen. Pedro II was a sensitive, capable leader and his reign lasted until 1889, when he enacted a measure that freed all Brazilian slaves. The merchant class, dependent on slavery, overthrew Pedro II, and a provisional republican government, begun by the general that had seized power, lasted until 1937.