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Araújo Lima, Pedro de

Pedro de Araújo Lima

b. 22 Dec 1793, Antas (or Serinhaém), Pernambuco
d. 6 Jun 1870, Rio de Janeiro

Title: Regente Interino (Interim Regent)
Term: 19 Sep 1837 - 7 Oct 1838
Chronology: 19 Sep 1837, following the resignation of Regent Feijó, his functions devolved on Minister of the Interior according to the Article 30 of the Additional Act of 12 Aug 1834 amending the Constitution of 1824
  27 Sep 1837, oath of office taken before the General Assembly, held at the seat of the Senate, Rio de Janeiro
Title: Regente (Regent)
Term: 7 Oct 1838 - 23 Jul 1840
Chronology: 22 Apr 1838, elected by the electors [1]; counting of votes was finalized by the General Assembly (the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies meeting jointly), held at the seat of the Senate, Rio de Janeiro, 6 Oct 1838
  7 Oct 1838, oath of office taken before the General Assembly, held at the seat of the Senate, Rio de Janeiro
  23 Jul 1840, Emperor Pedro II declared of age by a resolution of the General Assembly (the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies meeting jointly), held at the seat of the Senate, Rio de Janeiro
Names/titles: Visconde de Olinda (viscount of Olinda) [from 18 Jul 1841]; marquês de Olinda (marquis of Olinda) [from 2 Dec 1854]
Biography:

Originating from the Province of Pernambuco, Brazil, Pedro de Araújo Lima studied in Portugal, where he graduated as lawyer from the University of Coimbra (1819). He returned to Brazil in 1820, but after serving as a local judge he had to return to Portugal as he was elected deputy in the Portuguese Cortes (1821-1822). After the declaration of independence of Brazil, he sailed back to Brazil and was elected deputy in the Constituent Assembly (1823). After the dissolution of the Assembly he briefly headed the government as minister of the interior (14 Nov 1823 - 17 Nov 1823). In 1826 Lima was elected to the general assembly, in which body he served till 1837, several times occupying the presidential chair (1827-1828, 1829-1830; 1835-1838). In 1832 he was minister for justice and foreign relations. On 5 Sep 1837, Lima was elected senator. Appointed by Regent Diogo Antonio Feijó to the post of minister of the interior (18 Sep 1837), Lima succeeded as interim regent upon Feijó's resignation (19 Sep 1837) according to the constitutional provisions. In 1838 he was elected permanent regent by the electors. His regency was marked by republican revolts in Bahia and Maranhão suppressed by energetic measures. In view of intense anti-Regent agitation, resulting in the proposal that Emperor Pedro II be declared to be of age, Lima adjourned both chambers (22 Jul 1840). The agitation intensified and the rebellious legislators obtained from Pedro II a veiled declaration of acceptance. Under great pressure Lima rescinded the decree of adjournment and summoned the General Assembly for a session on 23 Jul 1840. The Assembly declared that the emperor was of age and terminated the functions of Regent. Lima continued to occupy important positions in Brazilian politics and four times headed the government as President of the Council of Ministers (29 Sep 1848 - 8 Oct 1849, 4 May 1857 - 12 Dec 1858, 30 May 1862 - 15 Jan 1864, 12 May 1865 - 3 Aug 1866). [2]

Elections:

Candidate Electoral vote (22 Apr 1838) [3]
Pedro de Araújo Lima 4,308
Antonio Francisco de Paula Holanda Cavalcânti de Albuquerque 1,981
Antonio Carlos Ribeiro de Andrada Machado e Silva 597
José da Costa Carvalho 581
Francisco de Lima e Silva 443
Romualdo Antônio de Seixas, arcebispo da Bahia 432
Diogo Antonio Feijó 414
Bernardo Pereira de Vasconcelos 298
Rafael Tobias de Aguiar 180
José Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva 164
others 1 or more

[1] Under the Constitution of 1824 and the Additional Act, citizens in each province voted for electors who then elected provincial legislators and members of the Chamber of Deputies. In the elections of Regent, the same electors voted for two candidates each, not both from the elector's province.
[2] "A Political History of the Brazilian Regency 1831-1840", by Helen Katherine Reinhart (Thesis, University of Illinois, Urbana, 1960).
[3] Dicionário do voto (2000)