kingdom · Iberia

Miguelist Portugal

1828 CE – 1834 CE · capital Lisbon

The absolutist regime of King Miguel I, whose seizure of the throne in 1828 sparked Portugal's Liberal Wars.

Origins

On John VI's death in 1826 his heir Pedro, emperor of Brazil, granted Portugal a constitutional Charter and abdicated for his daughter Maria II, naming his brother Miguel regent. In 1828 Miguel, backed by absolutists and the Church, had the Cortes proclaim him king.

Rule and society

Miguel abolished the Charter and ruled as an absolute monarch, persecuting liberals, many of whom fled abroad or to the Azores. He enjoyed popular support in the countryside and among the clergy, but most European powers refused to recognise him. The liberals held Terceira and formed a government in exile.

Decline and legacy

Pedro returned from Brazil, landed near Porto in 1832 and endured a long siege before liberal forces took Lisbon in 1833. Miguel surrendered by the Concession of Evoramonte in May 1834 and went into permanent exile, and Maria II was restored to the Kingdom of Portugal.

Lineage

Kingdom of Portugal 1139 CE – 1910 CEMiguelist Portugal

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Miguelist Portugal. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/miguelist-portugal
MLA
“Miguelist Portugal.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/miguelist-portugal. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Miguelist Portugal.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/miguelist-portugal.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Miguelist Portugal’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/miguelist-portugal (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻