May 14 Revolt
Encyclopedia
The May 14 Revolt was a politico-military uprising led by Álvaro de Castro
and General Sá Cardoso
which started in Lisbon
, Portugal
, with the objective of taking power from the dictatorship
of General Pimenta de Castro during the Portuguese First Republic
and returning the government to the principles of the 1911 Constitution
.
. At the height of political instability, when many of the Parties in the legislature were openly hostile to each other and the Assembly was unmanageable, the former President (finding no consensus) and wishing to reduce the influence of the Portuguese Republican Party, dissolved the National Assembly unilaterally, and installed Pimenta de Castro to run the government. Castro immediately appointed several military officers in various ministries, dissolved the National Assembly, and ran the government as a dictator. He allowed the re-opening of monarchist organizations, three monarchist papers, and their members amnestied, including Henrique Paiva de Couceiro (who had led monarchist counter-revolutionary campaigns into northern Portugal). As a result of these actions Pimenta de Castro, Machado dos Santos, António José de Almeida
and President Manuel de Arriaga
were branded traitors to the Republic.
As the government had been appointed when the Assembly was not in session, the politicians demanded the resumption of sittings on March 4. This was refused, since the President was under no legal obligation to open the Assembly. Refused admittance to the National Assembly, the politicians gathered at the Palácio da Mitra, and decided to openly attack the government; they established, as a legally constituted assembly, that the acts of Pimenta de Castro and President Arriaga were unlawful, undemocratic and void, and were willing to take power by force.
It was at this time that they decided on the formation of a Revolutionary Junta to seize power. In addition to General Sá Cardoso
and Álvaro de Castro
, the Junta included Norton de Matos, Freitas Ribeiro, António Maria da Silva
and they were dependent on Leote do Rego, as commandant of the Navy, to provide the principal insurrection. The coup d'état would be identical to the October 5 revolution, supported by the Navy (the group that was most favorable to the republicans) and violent civil groups, in particular the Carbonária
and Formiga Branca (especially if it seemed that the army would not support the attempt, or if it was determined that they could not be trusted).
On the morning of May 14, a group of revolutionaries that included naval marines, army soldiers, some men from the Guarda Fiscal (), Guarda Nacional Republicana () and accompanied by members of the Carbonária
occupied the Naval Arsenal, in Lisbon, immediately taking possession of the arms. The reaction from the Castro government troops was timid and apprehensive. The 16th Infantry, commanded by Colonel Gomes da Costa
, encircled the Naval Arsenal, but were violently bombarded by the ships in the Tagus River, including the cruiser NRP Vasco da Gama. The artillery attempted to bombard the ships, but their forces were repulsed from the heights of Santa Catarina
. Yet, Álvaro de Castro
was fearful that loyal government troops in Lisbon would counter-attack and traveled to Santarém
in order to shore-up republican forces.
During subsequent hours on May 14, members of Pimenta de Castro's government escaped to the protection of the barracks in the Largo do Carmo, due to the disproportionate forces that were armed against them, and by the end of the afternoon had surrendered.
Although rapid, the May 14 Revolt was quite violent; many residents and protestors battled the police and were mortally wounded or injured, during the events of the insurrection: 200 people were killed, and approximately, 1000 were injured. João Chagas
, the former Prime Minister, was blinded by a gunshot in the location of the Entroncamento, by Senator João José de Freitas. The aggressor was immediately lynched by the gathered crowd. The majority of the deaths did not occur from the bombardments on May 14, but occurred in the following days, as members of the Carbonária
and Formiga Branca pursued the combatants and made ajustes de contas (). Between May 14 and 17 there did not exist law in the streets of Lisbon, allowing the members of the Carbonária and Formiga Branca to pillage, assassinate and conduct political retributions on their enemies; more than 20 police officers and officer cadets were summarily executed in the streets, police stations were attacked, private homes assaulted and clubs whose proprietors supported Pimenta de Castro were vandalized. Some Republican vigilantes proceeded to attack the newspapers that supported Pimenta de Castro, the monarchist's papers, and Machado Santo's O Intransigente. Afonso Costa
, would later eulogize the members of the Formiga Branca, in the pages of the newspaper O Mundo:
The attacks motivated the French, Spanish and English governments to send contingents to mitigate the violence and allow the new government to reestablish order, as well as protect their nationals. The revolt lasted until the 19 May 1915.
. Pimenta de Castro and Machado Santos were eventually arrested and dispatched to Angra do Heroísmo
.
Sá Cardoso would gather with other members of the victorious group at the balcony of the Lisbon town hall to proclaim their victory. With order restored Teófilo Braga
became President and the Democratic Party leader, João Chagas
, was nominated to head the government, but was unable to take-up his position, as he was in the hospital from the injuries sustained during the revolt.
Álvaro de Castro
Álvaro Xavier de Castro was Prime Minister of Portugal from November 20 to November 30, 1920 and from December 18, 1923 to July 6, 1924.-Early career:...
and General Sá Cardoso
Alfredo de Sá Cardoso
Alfredo Ernesto de Sá Cardoso , commonly known as Alfredo de Sá Cardoso , or just Sá Cardoso, was a Portuguese republican politician of the Portuguese First Republic, who served twice as Prime Minister of Portugal.- Biography :Sá Cardoso was the son of Adelaide Leopoldina de Sá Cardoso...
which started in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, with the objective of taking power from the dictatorship
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
of General Pimenta de Castro during the Portuguese First Republic
Portuguese First Republic
The Portuguese First Republic spans a complex 16 year period in the history of Portugal, between the end of the period of constitutional monarchy marked by the 5 October 1910 revolution and the 28 May coup d'état of 1926...
and returning the government to the principles of the 1911 Constitution
5 October 1910 revolution
The revolution of 1910 was a republican coup d'état that occurred in Portugal on 5 October 1910, which deposed King Manuel II and established the Portuguese First Republic....
.
Background
The Revolt was the consequence of the events during the Presidency of Manuel de ArriagaManuel de Arriaga
Manuel José de Arriaga Brum da Silveira e Peyrelongue was a Portuguese lawyer, the first Attorney-General and the first elected President of the First Portuguese Republic, following the abdication of King Manuel II of Portugal and a Republican Provisional Government headed by Teófilo Braga Manuel...
. At the height of political instability, when many of the Parties in the legislature were openly hostile to each other and the Assembly was unmanageable, the former President (finding no consensus) and wishing to reduce the influence of the Portuguese Republican Party, dissolved the National Assembly unilaterally, and installed Pimenta de Castro to run the government. Castro immediately appointed several military officers in various ministries, dissolved the National Assembly, and ran the government as a dictator. He allowed the re-opening of monarchist organizations, three monarchist papers, and their members amnestied, including Henrique Paiva de Couceiro (who had led monarchist counter-revolutionary campaigns into northern Portugal). As a result of these actions Pimenta de Castro, Machado dos Santos, António José de Almeida
António José de Almeida
António José de Almeida, GCTE, GCA, GCC, GCSE, , son of José António de Almeida and wife Maria Rita das Neves, was a Portuguese political figure...
and President Manuel de Arriaga
Manuel de Arriaga
Manuel José de Arriaga Brum da Silveira e Peyrelongue was a Portuguese lawyer, the first Attorney-General and the first elected President of the First Portuguese Republic, following the abdication of King Manuel II of Portugal and a Republican Provisional Government headed by Teófilo Braga Manuel...
were branded traitors to the Republic.
As the government had been appointed when the Assembly was not in session, the politicians demanded the resumption of sittings on March 4. This was refused, since the President was under no legal obligation to open the Assembly. Refused admittance to the National Assembly, the politicians gathered at the Palácio da Mitra, and decided to openly attack the government; they established, as a legally constituted assembly, that the acts of Pimenta de Castro and President Arriaga were unlawful, undemocratic and void, and were willing to take power by force.
It was at this time that they decided on the formation of a Revolutionary Junta to seize power. In addition to General Sá Cardoso
Alfredo de Sá Cardoso
Alfredo Ernesto de Sá Cardoso , commonly known as Alfredo de Sá Cardoso , or just Sá Cardoso, was a Portuguese republican politician of the Portuguese First Republic, who served twice as Prime Minister of Portugal.- Biography :Sá Cardoso was the son of Adelaide Leopoldina de Sá Cardoso...
and Álvaro de Castro
Álvaro de Castro
Álvaro Xavier de Castro was Prime Minister of Portugal from November 20 to November 30, 1920 and from December 18, 1923 to July 6, 1924.-Early career:...
, the Junta included Norton de Matos, Freitas Ribeiro, António Maria da Silva
António Maria da Silva
António Maria da Silva, GCTE was a Portuguese politician. An engineer, he was a prominent member of the Portuguese Republican Party. He was Prime Minister for four times, during the Portuguese First Republic. After his party victory in the legislative elections of 8 November 1925, he was invited...
and they were dependent on Leote do Rego, as commandant of the Navy, to provide the principal insurrection. The coup d'état would be identical to the October 5 revolution, supported by the Navy (the group that was most favorable to the republicans) and violent civil groups, in particular the Carbonária
Carbonária
The Carbonária was originally an anti-clerical, revolutionary, conspiratorial society, originally established in Portugal in 1822 but soon disbanded. It was allied with the Italian Carbonari. A new organization of the same name and claiming to be its continuation was founded in 1896 by Artur...
and Formiga Branca (especially if it seemed that the army would not support the attempt, or if it was determined that they could not be trusted).
The revolt
Carbonária
The Carbonária was originally an anti-clerical, revolutionary, conspiratorial society, originally established in Portugal in 1822 but soon disbanded. It was allied with the Italian Carbonari. A new organization of the same name and claiming to be its continuation was founded in 1896 by Artur...
occupied the Naval Arsenal, in Lisbon, immediately taking possession of the arms. The reaction from the Castro government troops was timid and apprehensive. The 16th Infantry, commanded by Colonel Gomes da Costa
Gomes da Costa
Manuel de Oliveira Gomes da Costa, GOTE, GCA, commonly known as Manuel Gomes da Costa , or just Gomes da Costa , son of Carlos Dias da Costa Manuel de Oliveira Gomes da Costa, GOTE, GCA, commonly known as Manuel Gomes da Costa , or just Gomes da Costa (Lisbon, January 14, 1863 – Lisbon,...
, encircled the Naval Arsenal, but were violently bombarded by the ships in the Tagus River, including the cruiser NRP Vasco da Gama. The artillery attempted to bombard the ships, but their forces were repulsed from the heights of Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina (Lisbon)
Santa Catarina is a Portuguese civil parish in the municipality of Lisbon, within an area of 0.21 km², but whose population exceeds 4081 inhabitants .-History:...
. Yet, Álvaro de Castro
Álvaro de Castro
Álvaro Xavier de Castro was Prime Minister of Portugal from November 20 to November 30, 1920 and from December 18, 1923 to July 6, 1924.-Early career:...
was fearful that loyal government troops in Lisbon would counter-attack and traveled to Santarém
Santarém
-In Portugal:* Santarém District, a district in Portugal* Santarém Municipality, a municipality in that district* Santarém, Portugal the seat of the above district* Roman Catholic Diocese of Santarém, Portugal-Other:* Santarém cheese, a Portuguese goat cheese...
in order to shore-up republican forces.
During subsequent hours on May 14, members of Pimenta de Castro's government escaped to the protection of the barracks in the Largo do Carmo, due to the disproportionate forces that were armed against them, and by the end of the afternoon had surrendered.
Although rapid, the May 14 Revolt was quite violent; many residents and protestors battled the police and were mortally wounded or injured, during the events of the insurrection: 200 people were killed, and approximately, 1000 were injured. João Chagas
João Pinheiro Chagas
João Pinheiro Chagas was a Portuguese journalist and politician. He was born in Brazil, from Portuguese parents who soon moved back to Portugal. He was an editor at the newspapers "O Primeiro de Janeiro", "Correio do Norte", "O Tempo" and "O Dia"...
, the former Prime Minister, was blinded by a gunshot in the location of the Entroncamento, by Senator João José de Freitas. The aggressor was immediately lynched by the gathered crowd. The majority of the deaths did not occur from the bombardments on May 14, but occurred in the following days, as members of the Carbonária
Carbonária
The Carbonária was originally an anti-clerical, revolutionary, conspiratorial society, originally established in Portugal in 1822 but soon disbanded. It was allied with the Italian Carbonari. A new organization of the same name and claiming to be its continuation was founded in 1896 by Artur...
and Formiga Branca pursued the combatants and made ajustes de contas (). Between May 14 and 17 there did not exist law in the streets of Lisbon, allowing the members of the Carbonária and Formiga Branca to pillage, assassinate and conduct political retributions on their enemies; more than 20 police officers and officer cadets were summarily executed in the streets, police stations were attacked, private homes assaulted and clubs whose proprietors supported Pimenta de Castro were vandalized. Some Republican vigilantes proceeded to attack the newspapers that supported Pimenta de Castro, the monarchist's papers, and Machado Santo's O Intransigente. Afonso Costa
Afonso Costa
Afonso Augusto da Costa, GCTE, GCL was a Portuguese lawyer, professor, and republican politician.-Political career:Costa was the leader of the Portuguese Republican Party, and he was one of the major figures of the Portuguese First Republic. He was a republican deputy in the Chamber of Deputies...
, would later eulogize the members of the Formiga Branca, in the pages of the newspaper O Mundo:
- "The truth is that the Formiga Branca, as an association or revolutionary institution, does not exist. What is referred to as the Formiga Branca is only people that love the Republic, today as on the 5th of October, and who, for great love, zealously watch and defend her. The Portuguese Republican Party does not have to repudiate this Formiga Branca, because the Portuguese Republican Party has to be, and is, a popular Party, in the exact sense of the term."
The attacks motivated the French, Spanish and English governments to send contingents to mitigate the violence and allow the new government to reestablish order, as well as protect their nationals. The revolt lasted until the 19 May 1915.
Afterward
The revolt was victorious in substituting the unpopular dictatorship of Castro, for a Constitutional Junta in 1915, and forcing the resignation of Manuel de ArriagaManuel de Arriaga
Manuel José de Arriaga Brum da Silveira e Peyrelongue was a Portuguese lawyer, the first Attorney-General and the first elected President of the First Portuguese Republic, following the abdication of King Manuel II of Portugal and a Republican Provisional Government headed by Teófilo Braga Manuel...
. Pimenta de Castro and Machado Santos were eventually arrested and dispatched to Angra do Heroísmo
Angra do Heroísmo
Angra do Heroísmo , locally referred to as Angra, is a municipality and city on the island of Terceira, within the Portuguese autonomous region of the Azores. The municipal area has a population of 35,581 and an area of . Along with Praia da Vitória to the north, it is one of two municipal...
.
Sá Cardoso would gather with other members of the victorious group at the balcony of the Lisbon town hall to proclaim their victory. With order restored Teófilo Braga
Teófilo Braga
Joaquim Teófilo Fernandes Braga ]] 24 February 1843 – 28 January 1924) was a Portuguese writer, playwright, politician and the leader of the Republican Provisional Government after the abdication of King Manuel II, as well as the second elected President of the First Portuguese Republic, following...
became President and the Democratic Party leader, João Chagas
João Chagas
João Pinheiro Chagas was a Portuguese journalist and politician. He was born in Brazil, from Portuguese parents who soon moved back to Portugal. He was an editor at the newspapers "O Primeiro de Janeiro", "Correio do Norte", "O Tempo" and "O Dia"...
, was nominated to head the government, but was unable to take-up his position, as he was in the hospital from the injuries sustained during the revolt.
External links
- A summary of the 1915 Revolt at the Mario SoaresMário SoaresMário Alberto Nobre Lopes Soares, GColTE, GCC, GColL, KE , Portuguese politician, served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 1976 to 1978 and from 1983 to 1985, and subsequently as the 17th President of Portugal from 1986 to 1996.-Family:...
Foundation (Portuguese) - A summary of the political events of 1915, from the Centro de Estudos do Pensamento Político (Portuguese)
- A history portal on the 1915 Revolt (Portuguese)
- A historical blog with information/pictures from the revolt (Portuguese)