The Brazilians and their Emperors

Abstract

In official Brazilian historical memory, Peter I is considered the champion of independence, while Peter II as the guarantor of stability. The geographical distance between the two mausoleums is an indication of this duality. By establishing the imperial mausoleums, Brazilians have created an almost obligatory installation of national memory in Latin America: the Pantheon of the Heroes of Freedom. This study traces the history of these places of worship.