Palace of Necessidades
Encyclopedia
The Palace of Necessidades (Portuguese: Palácio das Necessidades) is a historical building in the Largo do Rilvas, a public square in Lisbon
, Portugal
. Formerly a convent belonging to the Congregation of the Oratory, it was built in the 18th century, by order of King John V, in gratitude for prayers answered by Our Lady of Needs, whose first devotional chapel stood on this site.
, beginning in the reign of Maria II, and all subsequent monarchs lived there, except for her son, Luis I
, who preferred to use the Palace of Ajuda. Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
, husband of Maria II, lived in this palace until his death, amassing a large collection of art, which would be dispersed after his death. The palace then underwent several renovations to accommodate the taste of the various monarchs who lived there, the most recent of which was carried out at the beginning of the twentieth century by Carlos I
. He enlarged the state dining room because of the frequency of diplomatic activity
undertaken there.
The palace was the scene of memorable events in Portuguese history, some momentous, some tragic, some slightly ridiculous. One famous example: the king, Pedro V, had installed in the front door of the palace a slot through which his subjects could, if they wished to, leave messages and complaints for the attention of the sovereign. The last significant event at the palace, which would also be the epilogue of the monarchy, was the joint funeral of King Carlos and his son, Prince Luís Filipe, on 8 February 1908, after their assassination
by radical republicans
.
On 5 October 1910, during the Republican Revolution
, the palace, because it was the official residence
of the king, Manuel II
, was shelled by the cruiser Adamastor
, one of the ships stationed in the Tagus River. The salvo
es caused some damage to the Palace, and one of the bomblets even reached the king’s private quarters on the first floor, but he had taken refuge elsewhere on the palace grounds. Thanks to the quick thinking of an employee of the building, who cut down the flagpole that customarily displayed the royal banner
whenever the monarch was in residence, the Republicans were led to believe that Manuel II had abandoned his home. The king did indeed leave Lisbon a few hours later, and he took refuge in the royal palace at Mafra
, 28 kilometres northwest of the capital.
Many works of art housed in the palace were the private property of Manuel II and followed him to his residence in exile in London.
, a function that continues until the present day. Most of the royal collections, of art, furnishings, and other bric-a-brac
, were transferred to the museum of the Palace of Ajuda.
Just as the word Whitehall
is a convenient way of referring to the British government, today, any use of the word Necessidades is a shorthand way of speaking
of the Portuguese foreign ministry or the foreign policy of Portugal, in general.
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...
. Formerly a convent belonging to the Congregation of the Oratory, it was built in the 18th century, by order of King John V, in gratitude for prayers answered by Our Lady of Needs, whose first devotional chapel stood on this site.
The royal family's official residence
The palace became the residence of the kings of the Braganza dynastyHouse of Braganza
The Most Serene House of Braganza , an important Portuguese noble family, ruled the Kingdom of Portugal and its colonial Empire, from 1640 to 1910...
, beginning in the reign of Maria II, and all subsequent monarchs lived there, except for her son, Luis I
Luís I of Portugal
|-...
, who preferred to use the Palace of Ajuda. Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Ferdinand II of Portugal
Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , named Prince Ferdinand Augustus Francis Anthony of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry, was King of Portugal as husband of Queen Maria II of Portugal from the birth of their son in 1837 to her death in 1853.In keeping with Portuguese law, only after the birth of his son in...
, husband of Maria II, lived in this palace until his death, amassing a large collection of art, which would be dispersed after his death. The palace then underwent several renovations to accommodate the taste of the various monarchs who lived there, the most recent of which was carried out at the beginning of the twentieth century by Carlos I
Carlos I of Portugal
-Assassination:On 1 February 1908 the royal family returned from the palace of Vila Viçosa to Lisbon. They travelled by train to Barreiro and, from there, they took a steamer to cross the Tagus River and disembarked at Cais do Sodré in central Lisbon. On their way to the royal palace, the open...
. He enlarged the state dining room because of the frequency of diplomatic activity
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
undertaken there.
The palace was the scene of memorable events in Portuguese history, some momentous, some tragic, some slightly ridiculous. One famous example: the king, Pedro V, had installed in the front door of the palace a slot through which his subjects could, if they wished to, leave messages and complaints for the attention of the sovereign. The last significant event at the palace, which would also be the epilogue of the monarchy, was the joint funeral of King Carlos and his son, Prince Luís Filipe, on 8 February 1908, after their assassination
Lisbon Regicide
The Lisbon Regicide was the name given for the assassinations of King Carlos I of Portugal and his heir, Luis Filipe, the Prince Royal by assassins sympathetic to republican interests...
by radical republicans
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
.
On 5 October 1910, during the Republican Revolution
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....
, the palace, because it was the official residence
Official residence
An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside...
of the king, Manuel II
Manuel II of Portugal
Manuel II , named Manuel Maria Filipe Carlos Amélio Luís Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Francisco de Assis Eugénio de Bragança Orleães Sabóia e Saxe-Coburgo-Gotha — , was the last King of Portugal from 1908 to 1910, ascending the throne after the assassination of his father and elder brother Manuel...
, was shelled by the cruiser Adamastor
Adamastor (warship)
Adamastor was a cruiser in the Portuguese Navy. It was built in Italy using the revenue of a national subscription made after the British ultimatum to Portugal in 1890. It played an important role in the republican revolution of October 5, 1910, being one of the two rebelling cruisers. In 1917 the...
, one of the ships stationed in the Tagus River. The salvo
Salvo
A salvo is the simultaneous discharge of artillery or firearms including the firing of guns either to hit a target or to perform a salute.Troops armed with muzzleloaders required time in which to refill their arms with gun powder and shot...
es caused some damage to the Palace, and one of the bomblets even reached the king’s private quarters on the first floor, but he had taken refuge elsewhere on the palace grounds. Thanks to the quick thinking of an employee of the building, who cut down the flagpole that customarily displayed the royal banner
Personal Standards of the Kings of Portugal
This is a list of personal standards of the Kings of Portugal....
whenever the monarch was in residence, the Republicans were led to believe that Manuel II had abandoned his home. The king did indeed leave Lisbon a few hours later, and he took refuge in the royal palace at Mafra
Mafra National Palace
The Mafra National Palace is a monumental Baroque and Italianized Neoclassical palace-monastery located in Mafra, Portugal, some 28 kilometres from Lisbon. Its dimensions are so huge that it dwarfs the city...
, 28 kilometres northwest of the capital.
Many works of art housed in the palace were the private property of Manuel II and followed him to his residence in exile in London.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
After the proclamation of the republic on 5 October 1910, the palace remained unoccupied for almost 40 years. In around 1950 it became the headquarters of the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign AffairsMinistry of Foreign Affairs (Portugal)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs , MNE, is a Portuguese government ministry.-External links:*...
, a function that continues until the present day. Most of the royal collections, of art, furnishings, and other bric-a-brac
Bric-a-brac
Bric-à-brac , first used in the Victorian era, refers to collections of curios such as elaborately decorated teacups and small vases, feathers, wax flowers under glass domes, eggshells, statuettes, painted miniatures or photographs, and so on...
, were transferred to the museum of the Palace of Ajuda.
Just as the word Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
is a convenient way of referring to the British government, today, any use of the word Necessidades is a shorthand way of speaking
Metonymy
Metonymy is a figure of speech used in rhetoric in which a thing or concept is not called by its own name, but by the name of something intimately associated with that thing or concept...
of the Portuguese foreign ministry or the foreign policy of Portugal, in general.
See also
Lisbon regicideLisbon Regicide
The Lisbon Regicide was the name given for the assassinations of King Carlos I of Portugal and his heir, Luis Filipe, the Prince Royal by assassins sympathetic to republican interests...