Juntas Portuguesas

Juntas Portuguesas, the administrative organs governing Portugal from the revolution of 24 August 1820 until the return of the king from Brazil in 1821. Marking the beginning of Portuguese liberal practice, the leaders of the constitutional movement promised to convoke the General Cortes to draw up a constitution, and they formed a Provisional Junta of the Supreme Government of the Realm, composed of military leaders and representatives of the clergy, the magistracy, and the commercial bourgeoisie of Pôrto. With the adherence of Lisbon to the revolution on 15 September 1820, it became necessary to avoid weakening the revolution by the division of authority. To this end, the governments of Pôrto and Lisbon organized into two distinct bodies, with the Pôrto Junta concerning itself with public administration, and the Provisional Preparatory Junta of the Cortes taking responsibility for all activities necessary for the implementation of the cortes. The two juntas gathered the principal leaders of the 1820 movement, including the brigadier Antônio da Silveira Pinto da Fonseca, the judge of the Court of Appeals Manuel Fernandes Tomás, and the Count of Sampaio. Although they attempted to control the workings of the state, the juntas did not cease to proclaim their loyalty to the church and the monarchy, in the person of João VI.

See alsoJoão VI of Portugal .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Joel Serrão, "Vintismo," Dicionário de história de Portugal, vol. 4 (1971), pp. 321-329.

Joaquim Veríssimo Serrão, História de Portugal, vol. 7 (1984), pp. 354-360.

Additional Bibliography

Schultz, Kirsten. Tropical Versailles: Empire, Monarchy, and the Portuguese Royal Court in Rio De Janeiro, 1808–1821. New York: Routledge, 2001.

                                LÚcia M. Bastos P. Neves