In the 18th Century, ideas from the enlightenment were being disseminated throughout Europe. This philosophical movement held ideas of displacing organised religion to favour science and reason, advocating for a separation of church and state. Pioneers of this movement were thinkers such as Sir Isaac Newton and René Decartes who were utilising new scientific discoveries and modes of observation to understand the physical world and challenge religious authority. These ideals eventually were transmitted to Brazil, in large part, through the minds of many who went to University of Coimbra in Portugal. As these young members of Brazilian elite were sent to stay in Coimbra and were influenced by ideas from the enlightenment, there became more calls to open Brazillian ports for international commerce.

One celebrated author which held particular influence in this was Guillaume Thomas François Raynal, a Frenchman who wrote the book Philosophical and Political History of the Two Indies in 1770. Within this he scrutinised the monopolistic economic trading policies of Portugal which went against his ideas of free trade, and of Portugal?s economic and political dependence on Britain. These ideas and by extension, the intellectual revolution as a whole, undoubtedly spurred action within multiple layers of Brazilian society.

The Mineira Conspiracy

One core example is the Mineira Conspiracy Inconfidencia Mineira, which was a conspiracy in Minas Gerais (1789) planned by mainly elites who refused to pay gold-taxes to the Portuguese governor, Viscount of Barbacena, and who had long standing debts. Coupled by the decline in gold production, and the derrama – a one fifth tax on gold – elites? desire for an established independent republic became apparent. Within this republic, there would be and end to colonial monopoly on trading, an encouraging of domestic manufacturing and a university created. However, there were not motivations to end slavery and no plan to change the socio-economic order. The Inconfidencia Mineira was never fulfilled as Silverio dos Reis, a member of the conspiracy, famously betrayed the Inconfidência by giving eye-witness accounts of the plot to the Viscount of Barbacena. Its members became arrested and jailed soon after.

Tiradentes

A core member of the activists was Tiradentes, other known as toothpuller. This infamous hero was hanged and quartered in 1792, eventually becoming a symbol for Brazillian nationalism after Brazil became a republic in 1889. This member, notably of low socio-economic capital relative to his merchant-capitalist counterparts, became the conspiracy?s ?scape-goat?. Tiradentes didn?t have any influential family connections, he was a bachelor and had ?no reputation beyond Brazil? Historian Kenneth Maxwell argues that what was heroic about Tiradentes was not that he was the primary actor in the plot, but that he ?claimed for himself the biggest risk?, and martyred himself in the name of an independent Minas Gerais. 

“Therefore condemn the defendant Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, nicknamed Tiradentes, a Lieutenant who was from the paid troop of the Captaincy of Minas, to be led through the public streets to the place of the gallows and to die a natural death forever , and that after death his head is cut off and taken to Vila Rica, where in a more public place he will be nailed, on a high pole until time consumes him, his body will be divided into four parts, and nailed to poles , by the roads of Minas Gerais, in the Varginha and Cebolas farms, where the defendant had his infamous practices, and the more in the sites of larger populations until time also consumes them; declare the infamous defendant, and his children and grandchildren, having them, his assets apply to the tax authorities and the Royal Chamber, and the house he used to live in in Vila Rica will be razed and salted,so that it may never be built on the ground again, and, not being its own, it will be evaluated and paid to its owner for the confiscated goods, and on the same ground a standard is raised, by which the memory of this abominable defendant is preserved”

As shown in the paintings, depictions of Tiradentes display him to be a martyr, utilising religious imagery to symbolise his likeness to a holy figure. It’s important to note that these paintings were painted after Brazil became a Republic in 1889 which increased nationanilism throughout the country, rendering Tiradentes tragic death as a sacrificial act for the future of Brazil.

The Bahian Revolt

This revolt, starting in Salvador in 1798, differed greatly in comparison the Mineira Conspiracy, mostly because this revolt involved many members of the lower-class, many enslaved Africans, freed people, and people of mixed-background unlike the Mineira elites. As the demographic was different, the motivations and goals were too. In this, the people advocated for an increase in soldiers pay, reduction in taxes, establishment of a Bahian republic and most importantly and end to slavery. In many ways this revolt was more revolutionary as it encouraged a transformation of the hierarchal, racial, elite-centric structure that reigned Brazil. Similar to other revolts, this one was influenced by anti-colonial ideas and ideas from the enlightenment. The Haitian Revolution (1791-1840) in particular deeply inspired those participating in this revolt as it involved the expelling of the French to put Africans in power. This uprising was startling to white, elite Brazilians who had not yet had their authority questioned, and sparked fear that those enslaved would pursue vengeance.

The large amount of tailors present in the movement gave the Bahian Revolt another name of the ?Tailors Revolt?. It?s main leaders were João de Deus Nascimento and Manuel Faustino dos Santos Luís Gonzaga das Virgens and Lucas Dantas Amorim Torres. The organisation of this movement was given through the dissemination of leaflets and bulletins which proclaimed regional nationalism of Bahia, which eventually became the revolt?s downfall as it sparked an investigation into the possible culprits. The following image is showing a plaque created for one of the leaders João de Deus Nascimento who was killed and hanged in 1799 at Salvador?s Piedade square. It reads:

João de Deus do Nascimento was born in the village of our lady of the rosary of Porto da Cachoeira, in 1771, the son of Jose de Araújo and Francisca Maria. Married to Luiza Francisca de Araújo, Free, Master Alfaiate and squad cape of the 2nd militia regiment, he was arrested on September 16, 1798, judged by the court on november 5, 1799, hanged, in this square November 8, 1799, at 27 years. Martyr of the revolutionary movement of 1798, entitled conspiracy of Búzios, Revolt of the Tailors or Conspiracy of Bahia, defended the cause of the independence of brazil, the proclamation of the Republic, the abolition of slavery and equal rights. Inaugured in the management of Mayor Antonio Imbasshy, on November 8, 2004. Restored in the management of Mayor Antonio Carlos Magalhaes Neto, in August 2017.

These revolts and conspiracies inarguably demonstrate the increase of anti-colonial ideologies that permeated Brazil and were inspired by ideas of the enlightenment and by other revolutions at the time. The nationalist sentiment and frustration with the Portuguese Crown grew during this time period and eventually led to Brazil?s independence in 1822. 

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