Liberal Wars

Date	1828 to 1834
Location	Portugal
Result	Liberal victory, Concession of Evoramonte: Constitutional monarchy is restored. Dom Miguel renounces all his claims to the throne and goes into exile.

Belligerents
1.Portugal supporting Maria II Supported by: 2.United Kingdom 3.Belgian volunteers 4.France (from 1830) 5.Spain (from 1834)	1.Portugal supporting Miguel I Supported by: 1.Spain (until 1833)

Commanders and leaders
1.Dom Pedro 2.Duke of Terceira 3.Marshal Saldanha 4.Charles Napier	1.Dom Miguel 2.Viscount of Montalegre 3.Viscount of Santa Marta 4.Manuel António Marreiros

Liberal Wars

The Liberal Wars, also known as the Portuguese Civil War, the War of the Two Brothers, or Miguelite War, was a war between progressive constitutionalists and authoritarian absolutists in Portugal over royal succession that lasted from 1828 to 1834. Embroiled parties included Portugal, Portuguese rebels, the United Kingdom, France, the Catholic Church and Spain.

Roots of the conflict

 Great Britain holds the crown of Miguel on his head, who is supported by France while an upset Pedro crosses his arms

The death of King João VI in 1826 created a dispute over royal succession. While Dom Pedro, the Emperor of Brazil, was the king's oldest son, his younger brother Miguel contended that Pedro had forfeited his claim to the throne by declaring Brazilian independence. Pedro briefly assumed the title of Dom Pedro IV of Portugal. Neither the Portuguese nor the Brazilians wanted a unified monarchy; consequently, Pedro abdicated the Portuguese crown in favor of his daughter, Dona Maria da Glória, a child of seven, on the condition that when of age she would marry Miguel. In April 1826, as part of the succession settlement, Pedro revised the constitution granted in 1822, the first constitution of Portugal, and left the throne to Maria, with his sister Isabella Maria as regent.

A new constitution

In the Portuguese Constitutional Charter, Pedro attempted to reconcile absolutists and liberals by allowing both factions a role in the government. Unlike the Constitution of 1822, this new document established four branches of government. The Legislature was divided into two chambers. The upper chamber, the Chamber of Peers, was composed of life and hereditary peers and clergy appointed by the king. The lower chamber, the Chamber of Deputies, was composed of 111 deputies elected to four-year terms by the indirect vote of local assemblies, which in turn were elected by a limited suffrage of male tax-paying property owners. Judicial power was exercised by the courts; executive power by the ministers of the government; and moderative power by the king, who held an absolute veto over all legislation.