Today is a national holiday, Tiradentes day. Joaquim José da Silva Xavier was hung and quartered on April 21st, 1792. His sobriquet,Tiradentes means tooth-puller as amongst other things he was an amateur dentist. He was part of a group who tried to rebel and overthrow the colonial rule of Portugal in Brazil. They planned to kill the governor of the state of Minas Gerais and declare a republic.
Their uprising, partly inspired by the American revolution, was unsuccessful and all the plotters were captured. Their trial lasted for three years and the members of the group were eventually pardoned or exiled except for Tiradentes who was made an example of by being condemned to death. At the time he was considered a criminal and largely forgotten about but when Brazil eventually became a republic he was considered a hero and a holiday named in his honour.
If the others were pardoned or exiled, Tiradentes should not have been singled out and condemned to death. Sad!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thanks to him, the Brazilians have a holiday.
The others recanted, hence the different sentences.
DeleteHe was made an example of all right, hung and quartered. Shiver. Interesting history. Enjoy your holiday
ReplyDeleteBrutal times. Thank you, I had a nice day.
Delete