Lisbon Choice Woman
We learned about Queen Maria II of Portugal during our time here. I read about her on artsandculture.google.com and learned that she was born in Brazil in 1819 but became the queen of Portugal when her father abdicated the throne when she was only 7 years old. Her uncle, Miguel, took control since she was so young and she was later supposed to marry him, YIKES! But he kind of kicked her out and her father went to war with him until she officially became queen once she was a little older. I learned that her time as queen was at a time when there was a struggle between liberal (constitutional monarchy) and absolutist (traditional monarchy) forces in Portugal. She supported a constitutional monarchy, which has a constitution and a parliament. This limits the powers of the monarchy.
Maria II was known for her support of education and culture. She founded several schools and supported cultural institutions. We also learned from the professors that she supports public healthcare. We learned that the National Theater was named after her because she was a supporter of the arts. I thought it was interesting that she was born in Brazil but came to Portugal to be their queen. I learned from parquedesintra.pt that she had eleven children, several that died at birth or during childhood. She died in 1853, at the age of 34, due to complications from childbirth.
I feel that Queen Maria II is commemorated well in Lisbon. The Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, the national theater in Lisbon, is named after her. This theater is a major cultural institution in Portugal and is an example of her support of the arts and culture. I also learned that there are several schools in Portugal named after her, reflecting her commitment to education and learning. I feel that Queen Maria II played an important role in moving Portugal towards a more modern and democratic system of government.
Great blog post Meg! Learning about her contribution made me deepen my understanding of Lisbon because it showed that women made a difference here. In some countries it is only men, but Maria II was able to make her way to be a powerful woman and made such a great difference. This is a great part of Lisbon's history I loved learning about!
ReplyDeleteLove your post Meg! Learning about Maria II has definitely deepened my understanding of Lisbon as a cultural capital because it shows that they are aware of the history here and want to commemorate Maria even though she was such a young queen. She made so many contributions to the city and I'm so glad they gave her an entire building instead of just a statue so that people can learn more about her.
ReplyDeleteVery fun and interesting post, Meg! I think that some of the things that Maria was pushing for were popular during her time. Although she seemed to making strong efforts toward public health, there might not have been an immediate change. But her effort to make a real difference in the world made her stand out. By learning her and her contributions, we get a better understanding of the history of Lisbon, particularly as it pertains to public health and the monarchy. Without learning about her difference, we would be losing part of the history that makes Lisbon what it is today, and the contributions made.
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