Brazilian politician and lawyer born in Salvador, BA, pioneer in the defense, in the Senate of the empire, the emancipation of slaves and one of the founders of the Brazilian Bar Association (1843). Son of a Portuguese commander and a black woman, he studied at the University of Coimbra and received a degree in law (1821). During the period of struggle for independence, he adopted the name Francisco Jê Acaiaba Montezuma, surnames of African origin, Tupi and Aztec. Back in Bahia he founded the secret society Jardineiros, defender of the constitutionalist movement. He published the newspaper Diário Constitucional, which preached separation from Portugal.
Elected deputy of the Constituent and Legislative General Assembly (1823), he belonged to the Andradista bloc. When the assembly was dissolved, he was arrested and deported to Europe. Returning to Brazil (1830), he was elected deputy deputy for Bahia, was Minister of Justice (1837), Foreign Minister (1837-1840), returned to the Chamber (1838) and was Plenipotentiary Minister in London (1840). He became honorary president of the OAB (1848), was named member of the Council of State (1850), elected senator (1851) and received the title of Viscount of Jequitinhonha (1854). Considered one of the great orators of his time, he advocated the abolition of slaves without compensation and in the short term. He died in Rio de Janeiro, RJ.
Source: http://www.dec.ufcg.edu.br/biografias/
Order F - Biography - Brazil School
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biografia/francisco-montezuma.htm
