Brazil’s Royals’ Etiquette and Jewels

The last Empress of Brazil, Thereza Christina (1822-89) was the daughter of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and Maria Isabella of Spain. She and Pedro were married in 1842, for 46 years. She died in 1889. — Public domain photo of Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies 1888

Brazil’s Splendid Crown Jewels

I wonder what has become of the Crown Jewels of Brazil? They were in a large measure derived from Portugal, of which for hundreds of years, the Crown had the exclusive right to own Brazilian diamonds. Those which it did not wish to keep were sold, and their proceeds were paid into the Treasury. A great quantity were given to the churches and looted by the French when they invaded Portugal. I never saw more intensely brilliant diamonds than those of the ex-Empress, Theresa Maria and the Princess de Joinville, who is sister of the ex-Emperor, writes the Paris correspondent London Truth.

Marie de Gloria was the eldest of the four children of Pedro I, and was given a share of the regalia. Pedro I is a great-uncle of the present King of Portugal and would be Monarch of that country, if his father had not made Brazil a separate empire and settled it upon him. The first Emperor was a clever man, but had the manners of a buffoon. He was fond all his life of playing blindman’s bluff. It was hard, he thought, for a King hemmed in by etiquette, to enjoy himself unless he broke loose in a game of romps. Miguel, his brother, had the advantage of him in a handsome face, an elegant, slender figure and gentle, plausible manners. He had the grace of a feline. 

I never saw a plainer set of women than the ladies of the Empress of Brazil. Her Majesty herself was far from pretty in youth. But she improved wonderfully as she advanced in years, when her face ceased to be the shape of a long wedge, and was set round with white hair, which appeared to light it up. It grew to be a kindly and rather intelligent face. The eyes, perhaps, are too searching. They visibly seek to take the measure of those who are presented to her. She has a fine Italian voice when she speaks freely, which is not often, a guard being placed by a diplomatic Italian temper upon her lips.— Blue Lake Advocate, 1890

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