Latest / The History of Portugal: The Small Nation That Built a Global Empire — Fexingo History
The Portuguese King Who Fled to Brazil: 1807 Escape
In 1807, with Napoleon's army marching on Lisbon, Portugal's royal family did the unthinkable: they abandoned Europe and fled to Brazil. This episode tells the story of the Braganza dynasty's escape to Rio de Janeiro—how a fleet of 36 ships carried nearly 15,000 nobles, courtiers, and servants across the Atlantic, transforming a Portuguese colony into the temporary capital of the Portuguese Empire. We explore Prince Regent João's reluctant decision, the chaotic departure, the harrowing voyage, and the aftermath: the opening of Brazilian ports, the elevation of Brazil to a…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.