Empire of Brazil

State · 1822–1889 CE · at its largest around 1870 CE

Brazil was the only lasting monarchy in the Americas, a stable empire whose scholarly Pedro II championed science, photography and education. Its wealth rested on coffee and slavery, and the abolition of slavery in 1888 helped bring down the monarchy a year later.

On its lands while it lasted

Antonio José de Sucre (1795 CE – 1830 CE): Venezuelan general and Bolívar's closest lieutenant, victor at Pichincha and Ayacucho and president of Bolivia (1825–1828).
Independence of Brazil (1822 CE): Prince Pedro declared Brazil independent from Portugal by the Ipiranga stream in São Paulo and became Emperor Pedro I.
Alegrete (1831 CE): Capital of Riograndense Republic (1836–1845).
Paraná (c. 1834 CE): Capital of Argentine Confederation (1834–1861).
Tacna (c. 1836 CE): Capital of Peru-Bolivian Confederation (1836–1839).
Piratini (c. 1836 CE): Capital of Riograndense Republic (1836–1845).
Caçapava do Sul (c. 1836 CE): Capital of Riograndense Republic (1836–1845).
Ida Pfeiffer’s journey round the world: Vienna to Tahiti (1846–1847 CE): The Viennese traveller Ida Pfeiffer set out alone at 49 on a journey round the world on a small budget, sailing from Hamburg to Brazil, round Cape Horn to Valparaíso and across the Pacific to Tahiti.
Paraguayan War (1864–1870 CE): War between Paraguay and the alliance of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, which devastated Paraguay and killed a large part of its population.
Amazon rubber boom (1879–1912 CE): Demand for natural rubber made Manaus and Belém rich, while indigenous people were subjected to forced labour and violence.
War of the Pacific (1879–1884 CE): Chile fought Bolivia and Peru over the nitrate-rich Atacama Desert, taking Bolivia's coastline and southern Peruvian provinces.
Abolition of slavery in Brazil (1888 CE): Princess Isabel signed the Golden Law, making Brazil the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery.