First reign (Empire of Brazil)

The First Reign was the period of Brazilian history in which Pedro I ruled Brazil as Emperor. It began on September 7, 1822, when Brazil's independence was proclaimed, and ended on April 7, 1831, when Pedro I abdicated the Brazilian throne.

When Pedro I declared independence, defeating those who were still loyal to Portugal, he achieved great prestige and power. In 1823, he convened the Constituent Assembly which, amid great disagreements between parliamentarians and the Emperor, promulgated Brazil's first constitution the following year. The document brought centralizing aspects along with the controversial moderating power, which contributed to growing discontent and revolts, including the defeat in the Cisplatine War and the assassination of Líbero Badaró, a well-known journalist. These incidents diminished the Emperor's popularity and led to episodes such as a trip to Minas Gerais, where Pedro I was harassed by the miners.

At this point, two of the most important groups supporting the monarch also withdrew their support: the nobility and the army. This made the political situation untenable; confronted, Pedro I found no solution and, in April 1831, abdicated in favor of his son, Pedro de Alcântara, then 5 years old.

This period of transition was marked by a major economic, financial, social and political crisis. Brazil's independence was effectively consolidated in 1831 with the abdication of Pedro I. It is historically incorrect to refer to this period as the "First Empire", since Brazil had a single continuous imperial period, divided into the First Reign, the Regency Period and the Second Reign.