In the news1808
Brazilian Ports Opened (1808)
The 1808 opening of Brazilian ports ended Portugal's colonial trade monopoly, causing a major long-term decline in the Portuguese merchant navy and economic stagnation.
Lisbon, 26 Oct 1802 – Esselbach, 14 Nov 1866
12 facts3 sources
26 Oct 1802
Born in Lisbon
1828–1834
Monarch of Portugal
1830–1862
9 children are born
14 Nov 1866
Dies in Esselbach, aged 64
He lived through 7 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Lisbon.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
Who governed
Monarch of Portugal, 1777–1816 · Kingdom of Portugal
In the news1808
The 1808 opening of Brazilian ports ended Portugal's colonial trade monopoly, causing a major long-term decline in the Portuguese merchant navy and economic stagnation.
Music
Nuns as skilled musicians
Nuns in monasteries were skilled musicians who played instruments like the organ, harpsichord, and harp, and they sometimes commissioned and performed complex concertato music.
In Europe · 1803–1815The Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon’s armies redrew the map of Europe from Spain to Moscow; his invasion of Portugal sent its court to Rio de Janeiro.
Daily life
Typical urban housing and layout
Urban houses often had a functional layout where the kitchen was placed on the top floor, partly for safety against fire, while ground floors were used for shops or workshops. Living quarters were often cramped, with high buildings blocking sunlight and providing poor insulation against the weather.
In the news1807–1811
The French invasions of 1807, 1809, and 1810-1811 caused widespread devastation, economic ruin, and the temporary departure of the royal family to Brazil.
What people wore
Fishermen's daily and festive attire
Fishermen wore wide linen drawers to the knee secured by silver buttons, a wool cap, and a sleeveless vest called a sertum while working. On Sundays and feast days, they wore blue cloth trousers, vests, and jackets, often accessorized with large silver shoe buckles.
Getting around
Travel by boat and pack mule
Travelers heading from Aveiro to Oporto frequently used boats and then continued on pack mules, often riding without stirrups or reins while the muleteer dictated the pace.