UNITED KINGDOM OF PORTUGAL, BRAZIL AND THE ALGARVES

Rio de Janeiro 1 March.

By Superior Order.

I, the King, do hereby proclaim that this Decree with the effect of a Law does stipulate: having the King João IV, of glorious Memory, determined by his Charter of Bestowal of twenty-seventh October of one thousand six hundred and forty-five, that the first born Princes of the Crown of Portugal do receive the Title of the Princes of Brazil, in order to possess only in Title, and thus be henceforth referred to as Princes of Brazil and Dukes of Bragança: And I Do Recognise that this Title of Prince of Brazil was rendered incompatible in the wake of the Letter of the Law dated sixteenth of December one thousand eight hundred and fifteen which Did Serve to elevate the State of Brazil to the dignified status of Kingdom, United to those of Portugal and the Algarves: And in Wishing that Prince Pedro, My much loved and cherished Firstborn Son, and all other Princes, that are the Firstborn of this Crown, do so benefit from a Title of still greater pre-eminence, and that doth prove appropriate to the aforementioned Union: Do rule for the good that the said Prince My Son, does hereon forwards bear the Title of – Royal Prince of the United Kingdom of Portugal, and of Brazil, and of the Algarves – and always preserving that of the Dukes of Bragança, and these same Titles shall hereafter henceforth be borne by the Firstborn Princes of this Crown (…) as well as the Royal Charter of 17th December one thousand seven hundred and thirty four by which the Lord King João V., of such cherished Memory, did deem for the better that the Firstborn Princes of the Princes of Brazil receive the title – Princes of Beira – And such shall be complied in due accordance with that contained within (…) Issued in the Palace of Palace of Rio de Janeiro on the Ninth of January of one thousand eight hundred and seventeen. – KING. – Count Barca. – Decree etcetera.

National Library of Lisbon