Tropical Versailles: Empire, Monarchy, and the Portuguese Royal Court in Rio de Janeiro, 1808-1821

This engaging study tells the fascinating story of the only European empire to relocate its capital to the New World.

"This is a beautifully written and brilliantly argued study of one of the most extraordinary moments in the history of the Atlantic world. Schultz deftly traces the many dramatic ramifications of the Portuguese court's geographic and cultural relocation to Brazil. This book should be required reading for anyone working on Brazilian history, the Portuguese empire, Latin American independence or Atlantic history." -- Barbara Weinstein, Professor of History, The University of Maryland-College Park

"The high drama of events which took place during the transfer of the Portuguese court, coupled with a historiography which emphasized an economic explanation for independence rather than seeking out the political circumstances, appears to have stifled critical scholarly attention to the years 1808-1821 in Brazil. No longer. Kirsten Schultz focuses on what the transfer meant to contemporaries, on its aftermath, and on contemporary political culture. A pioneering study!" -- A.J.R. Russell-Wood, Professor of History, The Johns Hopkins University