ENCYCLOPAEDIA of Rebellions

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Conspiracy of Gomes Freire 1817

Synopsis
The conspiracy of 1817 was an aborted plot to end British influence in Portugal, in particular in the Portuguese Army. There was a deep resentment amongst Portuguese officers who had been overlooked for promotions since the Peninsular War, with the top positions being almost always filled by their English counterparts. The conspirators, mostly freemasons, also had other ideas (although ill-defined ideas) about the Portuguese government, about the regency and about the ‘salvation and independence’ of a country in deep crisis. The conspiracy, which would have started at the beginning of the year, was exposed in May by the authorities who on the 25th arrested the conspirators. After the ensuing inquiry and court case, a dozen of them were sentenced to death and executed on October 18, 1817. Their alleged leader, the highly respected General Gomes Freire de Andrade, was hanged in spite of his plea for a more military-like execution (he wanted a firing squad). The event became a milestone in Portuguese history and culture. It very quickly was appropriated as a founding moment of Portuguese liberalism, with the conspirators being elevated to National martyrs.
Additional info

Starting date: . Ending: . Duration: 5 months. Name in sources: Conspiração de Gomes Freire de Andrade. Location: Lisboa Country (current): Portugal. Monarchy: Portuguese. Main participants: Soldiers. Number of participants: <50. Main reasons & motivations: Military issues, Political. Leadership: Gomes Freire de Andrade. Relevance: high.

Further reading
BRANDÃO, Raul (1922). A Conspiração de 1817. Porto: Renascença Portuguesa, 1922. COSTA, Fernando Marques (2017). Gomes Freire de Andrade: O Mártir do Mito. Lisboa: Instituto de Estudos Maçónicos. PEREIRA, Miriam Halpern (2018). “O bicentenário do processo de Gomes Freire de Andrade e seus companheiros”, Ler História, 72: 219-226.
Cite this entry

(2023) "Conspiracy of Gomes Freire 1817", in J. V. Serrão and M. S. Cunha (coord), Rebellions in the Early Modern Iberian World. (accessed on ).