THE Sabinada it was one provincial revolt which took place in Salvador, between November 1837 and March 1838. This revolt was led by the middle classes in Salvador, dissatisfied with the government of Rio de Janeiro, mainly due to the weakening of the federalist agenda. It did not have popular or upper class support and was defeated by the National Guard.
Accessalso: Malês Revolt — the biggest slave revolt in Brazilian history
Context of the Sabinada
Sabinada was one of the provincial revolts that happened in Brazil during the Governing Period, the transition period of the First to second reign. This regency phase started when D. Peter Iabdicated the throne so that your son, Peter in Alcantara, could assume.
THE Constitution of 1824, however, stipulated that Pedro de Alcântara must be at least 18 years old to take possession of the throne. So, until that happened, Brazil would be temporarily ruled by regents. In this period of time, there was an intense political dispute between the three major political groups in Brazil and for the demand for autonomy from the provinces.
Due to the absence of a power figure (the emperor), added to the demands for autonomy and the circulation of republican ideals, a series of revolts began to take place in Brazil. These revolts, above all, demonstrated a great dissatisfaction of certain layers of thes societys of some of the provinces with the government of Rio de Janeiro.
Many historians consider the Governing Period as a kind of experience republican in Brazil, in view of the great autonomy that the provinces gained with the Additional Act of 1834 and by the fact that Brazil is governed by elected regents. Through the Additional Act, provincial governors gained powers, and the development of Legislative Power in the provinces was allowed.
The political clashes taking place in the country, however, made some of these freedoms given to the provinces begin to lose strength from 1837 onwards, with what became known as ReturnConservative. We will see that the weakening of the federalist project in the political context of Bahia was not well received.
Read too: Guerra dos Farrapos - one of the revolts that took place in the Regency Period
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Causes of Sabinada
The Sabinada took place in a politically agitated Bahia. Since Bahia Conjuration, in 1798, the political unrest in that province was very great. The last great agitation that Bahia had gone through had been the Malês revolt, Hausa slave revolt. It was the biggest slave revolt in Brazilian history and generated a strong mobilization of Salvadoran society against slaves.
![Father Feijó's resignation was a factor that brought dissatisfaction to Salvador's middle classes in 1837.[1]](/f/9f530e0199f2cf7dc4bf9894e6bebc14.jpg)
In the Bahian context, we can highlight a growing dissatisfaction of the middle classes on account of the problemseconomic that Bahia was facing with the weakening of the sugar economy. The large presence of Portuguese in administrative positions was also a factor of discontent. Bahian merchants wanted to have greater control over local trade.
All this dissatisfaction grew when the centralization of power started to gain space in Brazilian politics from the resignation of Padre Feijó to the regency of Brazil. This act was understood as the failure of the federalist project, which sought to guarantee the autonomy of the Brazilian provinces.
For the Bahian middle class — the group that headed Sabinada — Feijó's resignation was unacceptable. The struggle for autonomy, in addition to the political aspect, was also influenced by economic issues, a since the middle classes in Bahia were dissatisfied with the tax policy practiced by the monarchy.
Finally, there was also the dissatisfaction of the military in Bahia, who wanted to increase their pay, in addition to not agreeing with the summons made to fight in the South against the rags, who rebelled against Rio de Janeiro.
These issues generated great discontent, especially among Salvador's middle classes. THE Sabinada leadership featured figures such as lawyers and merchants, for example. There was also a little popular membership when the revolt started.
Main events
The Sabinada began when some military and civilians headed for the Fort of São Pedro in November 6, 1837. The attack on the fort started a violent confrontation that resulted in its being conquered by the rebels. The next day, the Sabinos, as the rebels were known, headed towards the center of Salvador, taking the Praça do Palácio and expelling the authorities from the city.
The revolt was named after FranciscoSabino, doctor and journalist who was one of the leaders of Sabinada. Another leader of the revolt was João Carneiro da Silva Trench, a lawyer who owned many lands and slaves. João Carneiro was even appointed to be vice president of the republic founded in Bahia.
This happened because, soon after expelling the authorities from Salvador, the Sabinos went to the City Council and declared the separation from Bahia of the central government of Rio de Janeiro, founding a republic. The appointed president was Inocencio da Rocha Galvão, but since he was in the United States, the acting president was João Carneiro. Thus, on November 7, Sabinada leaders demonstrated their separatist vision with the announcement of Bahia's disengagement from the central government.
Sabinada was considered a rebellion withintentionscontradictoryOnly four days later, a new document was issued, announcing that the disengagement of Bahia would remain until the coronation of Pedro de Alcântara as emperor.
The revolt carried out by the Sabinos remained confined to Salvador, since, on the outskirts of the Bahian capital, there were resistance of large landowners. It can be seen, therefore, that the richest group in Bahia did not join the Sabinada, being limited to groups of intellectuals, soldiers and others who were part of the middle class.
significant part of poor population of Salvador also no joined to the revolt and decided to flee, fearing the reprisals that the city might suffer. Even those who stayed tried not to get involved with the movement. The government's reaction was immediate, and the city of Salvador was surrounded by land and sea. As a result, within a few weeks, the local population began to lack food.
Sabinada leaders they did not have an abolition agenda regarding à slavery and, therefore, slave labor would be maintained in Bahia, if they were successful. However, an exception was made for slaves who joined the Sabine cause, who would be rewarded with the guarantee of freedom.
Read too: Slavery in Brazil: forms of resistance
Outcome
The lack of popular support and the direct opposition of the Bahian elites meant that the Sabinada was condemned to failure. As we have seen, the city of Salvador was besieged on all sides, and food soon became scarce. Finally, the attacks made by National guard completed the service and, between 13 and 16 March 1838, the last combats took place.
The clashes between the Sabinos and the troops of the National Guard resulted in about 1800 dead|1|. In just over four months, the authorities in Salvador managed to defeat the Sabinos, who, when they surrendered, asked for mercy, but that didn't happen.
Historians Lília Schwarcz and Heloísa Starling estimate that around 3000 rebels were arrested after Sabinada's defeat|1|. Free Africans who took part in the revolt were exiled to Africa. Other rebels were exiled to places like Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul, and some of the military were forced to fight in the Farrapos War.
Francisco Sabino and João Carneiro were condemned to death, but received amnesty and were forced to exile and sent to Mato Grosso and São Paulo, respectively.
Grades
|1| SCHWARCZ, Lilia Moritz and STARLING, Heloísa Murgel. Brazil: A Biography. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2015, p. 259.
Image credits:
[1] commons
By Daniel Neves Silva
History teacher
