Because, among those who rebelled against Portuguese rule, in 1779, Tiradentes was the lowest class (but he wasn’t poor. He had 43 deposits of gold). Furthermore, he was the only one who had openly promoted the movement.
His job as a dentist (a manual job, frowned upon at the time) may also have played a role in the decision. Originally, however, five others had also been sentenced to death for the crime of lèse-majesté (treason to the person of the king). But they were pardoned by Queen Maria 1st and expelled to Africa.
For Tiradentes, there was no way out: he was hanged on April 21, 1792. His head was cut off and taken to the city of Vila Rica, present-day Ouro Preto. His body, quartered, was scattered along the roads of Minas Gerais. It was the example that remained for those who thought of questioning the power of Portugal”, says history professor Marco Antonio Villa, from the Federal University of São Carlos.
READ TOO:
– What day of the week was the independence of Brazil proclaimed?
– Which Brazilian states have already tried to be independent?
– How did Brazil form its current territory?
– What if the South separated from Brazil?