Ordem e Progresso ("Order and Progress") | |||||||
| Anthem | "Hino Nacional Brasileiro" | ||||||
| Capital (and largest city) |
Rio de Janeiro | ||||||
| Language | Portuguese | ||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||||
| Demonym | Brazilian | ||||||
| Government | Constitutional Monarchy | ||||||
| Legislature | General Assembly | ||||||
| Emperor | Emperor Luiz of Orleans-Braganza | ||||||
| Area | 8,691,092 km² | ||||||
| Population | 201,445,221 | ||||||
| Independence | from Portugal | ||||||
| declared | September 7, 1822 | ||||||
| Currency | Brazilian real | ||||||
The Empire of Brazil was South Americas largest nation and was one of its most stable nations at that. It had zealously guarded political, religious and speech institutions that were South America's best. Its government was a representative parliamentary constitutional monarchy under the rule of Emperors Dom Pedro I and his son Dom Pedro II, both members of the House of Braganza—a branch of the Capetian dynasty. A colony of the Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil became the seat of the Portuguese colonial Empire in 1808, when the Portuguese Prince regent, later King Dom João VI, fled from Napoleon I's invasion of Portugal and established himself and his government in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. João VI later returned to Portugal, leaving his eldest son and heir, Pedro, to rule Brazil as regent.
The Empire has since gone on to become a major power and with house Braganza continuing in its line had become one of the Worlds only remaining monarchies by 1920 with major influence in South America and was a direct competitor to the United States until (Date to come) when the empire fell following the Third World War
Independence
The territory which would come to be known as Brazil was claimed by Portugal on 22 April 1500, when the navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral landed on its coast. Permanent settlement followed in 1532, and Portuguese slowly expanded westwards until they had reached their Spanish Neighbors.. In 1808, the army of French Emperor Napoleon I invaded Portugal, forcing the Portuguese royal family—the House of Braganza, a branch of the thousand-year-old Capetian dynasty—into exile. They re-established themselves in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, which became the unofficial seat of the Portuguese Empire.
In 1815, the Portuguese crown prince Dom João, acting as regent, created the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves, which raised the status of Brazil from colony to kingdom. He ascended the Portuguese throne the following year, after the death of his mother, Maria I of Portugal. He returned to Portugal in April 1821, leaving behind his son and heir, Prince Dom Pedro, to rule Brazil as his regent. The Portuguese government immediately moved to revoke the political autonomy that Brazil had been granted since 1808.
The threat of losing their limited control over local affairs ignited widespread opposition among Brazilians. José Bonifácio de Andrada, along with other Brazilian leaders, convinced Pedro to declare Brazil's independence from Portugal. In October, the prince was acclaimed Pedro I, first Emperor of the newly created Empire of Brazil, a constitutional monarchy. The declaration of independence was opposed throughout Brazil by armed military units loyal to Portugal. The war of independence was fought across the country, with battles in the northern, northeastern, and southern regions. The last Portuguese soldiers to surrender did so in March 1824, and independence was recognized by Portugal in August 1825.
Government
The Monarchy
Inheriting an Empire on the verge of disintegration, Pedro II turned Portuguese-speaking Brazil into an emerging power in the international arena. The nation grew to be distinguished from its Hispanic neighbors on account of its political stability, zealously guarded freedom of speech, respect for civil rights, vibrant economic growth and especially for its form of government: a functional, representative parliamentary monarchy. Brazil was also victorious in three international conflicts (the Platine War, the Uruguayan War and the Paraguayan War) under his rule, as well as prevailing in several other international disputes and domestic tensions.
While not exactly a crisis, Dom Pedro II, who would much rather adhere to his hobbies than rule his empire and spent much of his time traveling. This hands off mentality of the Empire is not good but with the previous death of his son Dom Afonso the Emperor was grief striken. But with his daughter talking with her husband about Having Children the Emperor had become Revitalized with Dom Pedro promising to take their son if they had one, tutor him in the ways of an empire, and have him take the throne of his grandfathers empire over his mother citing the male lines of Succession over Female which would allow their child to take the throne as an enthusiastic heir and continuation of the Empire.
The Monarchy is the current Head of state of Brazil and is comparable in duties, responsibilities and Power to the President of the United States of America. The Monarchy can be heavily limited by the Parliament and other limiting systems of the Government.
Parliament
The Constitution of the Empire of Brazil specified for the Creation of the a Parliament/General Assembly and was given major governmental power by the constitution. The Constitution endowed the Assembly with both status and authority, and created legislative, moderating, executive and judicial branches as "delegations of the nation" with the separation of those powers envisaged as providing balances in support of the Constitution and the rights it enshrined.
The prerogatives and authority granted to the legislature within the Constitution meant that it would play a Huge role in the functioning of the government. The General Assembly alone could enact, revoke, interpret and suspend laws under Article 13 of the Constitution. The legislature also held the power of the Treasury and was required to annually authorize expenditures and taxes. It alone approved and exercised oversight of government loans and debts. Other responsibilities entrusted to the Assembly included setting the size of the military's forces, the creation of offices within the government, monitoring the national welfare and ensuring that the government was being run in conformity to the Constitution. This last provision allowed the legislature wide authority to examine and debate government policy and conduct
Council of Ministers
The Emperor was the head of both the moderating and executive branches (being aided by the Council of State and the Council of Ministers, respectively); he had the final say and held ultimate control over the national government. He was tasked with ensuring national independence and stability. The Constitution (Article 101) gave him very few avenues for imposing his will upon the General Assembly. His main recourse was the right to dissolve or extend legislative sessions. In the Senate, an emperor's authority to appoint senators did not necessarily give him added influence since senators held their offices for life and were thus freed from government pressure once confirmed. On those occasions when the Chamber of Deputies was dissolved, new elections were required to be held immediately and the new Chamber seated. "This power was effective when held in reserve as a threat. It could not be employed repeatedly, nor would its use work to the emperor's advantage.
Military
The Military of the Empire while extremely lackluster and unnoticed for many years managed to climb its way to the top of the line following a series of conflicts in South America between itself, and the Spanish Republic of Argentina. This Rivalry was spurred on by the nation of Twantinsuyu being allied with Argentina against Brazil. Their military however greatly advanced over this period as the first two wars went badly and the Empire consequently lost its ability to project its influence into the northern part of the Continent, and in the second war lost Uruguay as a province. A Period of Rapid military modernization and quality control brought the Argentinians, and Inca to their knees less than 4 years later ending the Brazilian-Argentinian wars (1875-1889) which brought Brazil to the Forefront of South American politics and establishing their major alignment with the British Empire for their efforts.
Following these wars Brazil and its newly major economy and qualified military embarked on an Influence campaign which brought them bases across the continent and eventually brought about the end of various opposition factions to Brazil on the continent. Brazils navy during this period grew exponentially to remain caught up as a major power and eventually become one of the Worlds great powers and was the United States direct influential and military Rival in the Americas. Their military was not again majorly tested until the First World War when Brazil managed to hold its own against the United States at great cost to its allies.
By World War Two the Empire of Brazil still going extremely strong pushed its way still into the group of Great Powers and kept its major influence in South America but losing its influence in the Republic of Mexica to the United States. Relations during this time between the US and Brazil lightended due to the threat of Communism however the Soviet unions far reaching and extremely powerful influences ending in 1990 brought the US and Brazil into their own localized Cold war. By this point Brazil had an extremely powerful and well armed military but ultimately could not hold its own against the United States armed forces.
Economy
The Brazilian economy was largely based on Industrial production and the production of certain cash crops such as Rubber, Sugar, Cocoa, and Coffee beans. Along with this Brazil is the worlds second largest exporter of Beef behind the United States and still maintains this into their new Republic. Along with this the Brazilian economy maintains a certain high tech industry that still maintains near total dominance of the South American Market for high tech industry.
The increased influence that Brazil began to wield gave them large scale usage rights to areas in Venezuela such as their oil fields, and currently maintains a near total energy monopoly on South America and uses its own domestically discovered oil (after years of intense coastal searching) as well as Venezuelan oil to maintain an extremely large share of the Global oil market that is only alleviated by very Pro-US/Pro-Vinland Saudi Arabia. Brazil however does not maintain any large scale influence over Anglo-Argentina and with this their almost near dominance is interrupted by the Commonwealth of Nations, economic bloc and its centralized system.
Following the Third World War Brazil lost a considerable amount of its economic and political influences in South America as the US, Vinland, and the Commonwealth of Nations all restructured the post war South America to be much more open to the world. However this restructuring has left many people either unemployed or unable to meet with the rising demand on the world market creating more problems. However Brazil itself has managed to alleviate the problem by developing work programs to rebuild major cities affected by the Invasion during the War.
Science and Technology
While not on the same levels as Europe, Vinland, and the US, the empire maintained its own very well developed and high tech industry which on occasion played on the Cold war to gain more power or money. This led to several points of Contention between Brazil and both the Capitalist, and Communist blocs during the Cold war.
Brazil just before the war attempted to create its own Mass Driver for cheaper uplift capabilities and possible future exploitation of Space and its resources but in 2001 when World War III broke out it was completely destroyed in the Siege of Rio de Janeiro. While destroyed it still remains a testament to the abilities of the Brazilians.
The Brazilian high tech industries did manage to independently develop their own Internet systems, high tech satellites (by 1987) and advanced Avionics systems in which aircraft such as Russias Sukhoi craft were equipped with. Brazil in Exchange was able to buy many of the new aircraft and their subsequent counterparts for dirt cheap compared to the USSR's allies. The Brazilian avionics company also co-developed and unlike the Russians (post cold war) converted or personally built a number of SU-37's which proved to be more than a match for more American aircraft and was only directly challenged by the F/A-18 superhornet, and the F-22 Raptor. Brazil also post War is co-developing Russias 5th generation fighter, and acquired Su-47 prototypes which coincidentally have been built and Used as combat aircraft to a large degree in the Post war Federal Republic of Brazil