History

Brazil was discovered on 22. April 1500 by the Portugese, und officially declared a Portugese colony. In 1807 the Portugese Parlament and the royal family, including their entourage, fled Portugal to escape the threat of Napoléon Bonaparte. As a consequence the Government was relocated to Brazil. After the return of the Government to Portugal in 1821 the reign of Brazils Dom Pedro I., was handed over to the the son of the Portugese King João VI. On 9. January 1822, he refused to follow a decision made by the Portugese Parliament, that took away the power he had over Brazil and was supposed to return the country to colonial rule. On 7. September 1822 he declared the independence of Brazil and on 12 Oktober he made himself the first King. The country remained a Monarchy until 15 November 1889 when Dom Pedro II., the son and successor of Dom Pedro I., lost his power and Marschall Deodoro da Fonseca declaimed a republic. The history of Brazil is very moving, both as a country and in a political sense. The Republic of Brazil today has 26 states, the capital being Brazilia.