[Marengo]

Pedro I (pronounced [ˈpedɾu] in Brazilian Portuguese and [ˈpeðɾu] in European Portuguese; English: Peter) (full name: Pedro de Alcântara Francisco Antônio João Carlos Xavier de Paula Miguel Rafael Joaquim José Gonzaga Pascoal Cipriano Serafim de Bragança e Bourbon), known as "Dom Pedro Primeiro" (October 12, 1798 – September 24, 1834), proclaimed Brazil independent from Portugal and became Brazil's first Emperor. He also held the Portuguese throne briefly as Pedro IV of Portugal, the Soldier-King (Port. o Rei-Soldado), 28th (or 29th according to some historians) king of Portugal and the Algarves.

Pedro I was born October 12, 1798, at Palace of Queluz, near Lisbon. His father was the prince regent at the time and would later become King John VI of Portugal (João VI); his mother was Charlotte of Spain (Carlota Joaquina), daughter of Charles IV of Spain. Under the full name Pedro de Alcântara Francisco António João Carlos Xavier de Paula Miguel Rafael Joaquim José Gonzaga Pascoal Cipriano Serafim de Machado e Bragança e Bourbon, he was the second son born to the royal couple. When his elder brother the Infante Antonio Francisco died in 1801, Pedro was made Prince of Beira as he was the heir-apparent of the then-Prince of Brazil, his father. In 1807, when Pedro was nine, the royal family left Portugal as an invading French army approached Lisbon. (See Napoleonic Wars.) They arrived in Brazil with a British escort in early 1808. The family would remain in the country for 13 years. Their presence made Rio de Janeiro the de facto capital of the Portuguese Empire, and led to Brazil's elevation to the status of a kingdom co-equal with Portugal.
It is said that Pedro was João's favorite son, although the same could not be said about Carlota, who cherished her second son Miguel. The education of Pedro I was very much neglected. Both Pedro and his brother Miguel were brought up haphazardly. Pedro and Miguel would often run away from their tutors to mingle with stable boys and spent their days running around the streets with uneducated children. This led the boys to pick-up bad habits and lousy jargon. As a result of his familiarity with the street hooligans, Pedro grew up with no respect for the symbols and conventions of his age. Because of this he felt himself to be the son of the people rather than the son of royalty. All his life he would become familiar with individuals in every different aspect of life.

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