Editing Pedro I of Brazil (section)

=== Abdication ===
{{Main|Abdication of Pedro I of Brazil}}
[[File:Abdicacao Pedro I do Brasil.jpg|thumb|left|300px|alt=A painting showing a crowded room in which a uniformed man hands a sheaf of papers to another uniformed man while in the background a weeping woman sits in an armchair holding a young boy before whom a woman kneels|Pedro&nbsp;I delivers his abdication letter on 7 April 1831, painting by {{ill|Aurélio de Figueiredo|pt}}]]
The Emperor's efforts to appease the Liberal Party resulted in very important changes. He supported an 1827 law that established [[ministerial responsibility]].{{sfn|Macaulay|1986|p=195}} On 19 March 1831, he named a cabinet formed by politicians drawn from the opposition, allowing a greater role for the parliament in the government.{{sfn|Barman|1988|p=159}} Lastly, he offered positions in Europe to Francisco Gomes and another Portuguese-born friend to extinguish rumors of a "secret cabinet".{{sfn|Barman|1988|p=156}}{{sfn|Sousa 1972, Vol 3|p=44}} To his dismay, his palliative measures did not stop the continuous attacks from the Liberal side upon his government and his foreign birth. Frustrated by their intransigence, he became unwilling to deal with his deteriorating political situation.{{sfn|Barman|1988|p=156}}

Meanwhile, Portuguese exiles campaigned to convince him to give up on Brazil and instead devote his energies to the fight for his daughter's claim to Portugal's crown.{{sfn|Barman|1988|p=157}} According to Roderick J. Barman, "[in] an emergency the Emperor's abilities shone forth—he became cool in nerve, resourceful and steadfast in action. Life as a constitutional monarch, full of tedium, caution, and conciliation, ran against the essence of his character."{{sfn|Barman|1988|p=138}} On the other hand, the historian remarked, he "found in his daughter's case everything that appealed most to his character. By going to Portugal he could champion the oppressed, display his chivalry and self-denial, uphold constitutional rule, and enjoy the freedom of action he craved."{{sfn|Barman|1988|p=157}}

The idea of abdicating and returning to Portugal took root in his mind, and, beginning in early 1829, he talked about it frequently.<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Viana|1966|p=24}},
* {{harvnb|Barman|1988|p=154}},
* {{harvnb|Sousa 1972, Vol 3|p=127}}.
</ref> An opportunity soon appeared to act upon the notion. Radicals within the Liberal Party rallied street gangs to harass the Portuguese community in Rio de Janeiro. On 11 March 1831, in what became known as the [[Night of the Bottle Fight]] ({{langx|pt|Noite das Garrafadas}}), the Portuguese retaliated and turmoil gripped the streets of the national capital.{{sfn|Macaulay|1986|pp=246–247}}{{sfn|Barman|1988|p=158}} On 5 April, Pedro&nbsp;I fired the Liberal cabinet, which had only been in power since 19 March, for its incompetence in restoring order.{{sfn|Barman|1988|p=159}}{{sfn|Macaulay|1986|p=250}} A large crowd, incited by the radicals, gathered in Rio de Janeiro downtown on the afternoon of 6 April and demanded the immediate restoration of the fallen cabinet.<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Sousa 1972, Vol 3|p=108}},
* {{harvnb|Barman|1988|p=159}},
* {{harvnb|Macaulay|1986|p=251}}.
</ref> The Emperor's reply was: "I will do everything for the people and nothing [compelled] by the people."<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Barman|1988|p=159}},
* {{harvnb|Macaulay|1986|p=251}},
* {{harvnb|Sousa 1972, Vol 3|p=110}}.
</ref> Sometime after nightfall, army troops, including his guard, deserted him and joined the protests. Only then did he realize how isolated and detached from Brazilian affairs he had become, and to everyone's surprise, he abdicated at approximately 03:00 on 7 April.<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Barman|1988|p=159}},
* {{harvnb|Calmon|1950|pp=192–193}},
* {{harvnb|Macaulay|1986|p=252}}.
</ref> Upon delivering the abdication document to a messenger, he said: "Here you have my act of abdication, I'm returning to Europe and leaving a country that I loved very much, and still love."{{sfn|Macaulay|1986|p=252}}{{sfn|Sousa 1972, Vol 3|p=114}}