Revolt of the Marshals
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The Revolt of the Marshals (Portuguese: Revolta dos Marechais) was an unsuccessful Chartist military coup in Portugal against the Setembrist government of António Dias de Oliveira in 1837. It was led by marshals Saldanha and Terceira.[1] Ultimately the rebels lacked the numbers to succeed, and failed to raise any support in Lisbon.[2]
The September Revolution of 1836 had set aside the Constitutional Charter of 1826 and reinstated the Constitution of 1822.[1] In November that year the Queen mounted the failed Belenzada coup to remove the Septembrist government and restore the 1826 Constitutional Charter.[3] The same month a Constituent Congress was convened to promulgate a new constitution. This eventually resulted in the Portuguese Constitution of 1838.[4]
Course of the revolt
On 12 July the 4th battalion of light cavalry under the command of the (pt) Visconde de Leiria, quartered in Ponte da Barca, marched on Braga demanding the return of the Constitutional Charter of 1826. They tried to enter Braga but were forced to fall back on Valença.[5]
Marshal Saldanha commanding several platoons of lancers and Marshal Terceira with a detachment from the 7th infantry regiment advanced to Torres Novas, where they joined up with Luís da Silva Mouzinho de Albuquerque and proclaimed the establishment of a provisional regency. They then advanced on Lisbon.[5]
In response to the revolt, the government divided the country into two military commands; the north under Sá da Bandeira and the south under Bonfim.[6] Forces were moved from the south of the country to put down the revolt, which created the conditions for a re-emergence of miguelist guerrillas in the Algarve. Other miguelist groups also sprang up in Beira and Minho.[7]
In Lisbon, the liberal press alleged the revolt was being inspired and funded by British interests for the purpose of establishing a government that would end protectionist polices and open Portuguese markets to imports from Britain. The marshals were denounced as devorists and agents of a foreign power. The Constituent Congress suspended its debates for the duration of the conflict, and constitutional rights were suspended likewise.[8]
The defences of the capital had been strengthened by the Conde de Bonfim, and the marshals were obliged to retreat to the north. On 28 August a battle was fought at Chão da Feira, near Batalha.[5] Following this a meeting between Sá da Bandeira, Bonfim and Saldanha was unable to agree an armistice, and the rebels retreated back north.[2]