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Deodoro da Fonseca Deodoro da Fonseca (Manuel) Deodoro da Fonseca (August 5, 1827 - August 23, 1892) overthrew Emperor Pedro II to become the first president of a Republic of Brazil. Born in Alagoas, in a town that today bears his name. Fonseca made a military career, putting down the Praieira revolt in Pernambuco, in 1848, which was Brazil's response to the European year of failed liberal revolutions. He saw action in the War of Cisplatina and in Brazil's war with Paraguay (1864 - 1870), attaining a rank of captain, later (1884) raised to field-marshal, then full marshal. His personal courage, military competence and manly style made him a national figure. As Governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Fonseca was courted by republican intellectuals such as Benjamin Constant and Rui Barbosa in the café society of São Paulo. In 1886, alerted that the imperial government was ordering the arrest of prominent republicans, Fonseca went to Rio de Janeiro and assumed leadership of the army faction that was favorable to the abolition of slavery. His prestige placed him at the head of the military coup that deposed the emperor, November 15, 1889, and he was briefly the head of the provisional government that called a Constituent Congress to draft a new constitution for a United States of Brazil. Soon, however, he was in conflict with the civilian republican leaders. His election as president, February 26, 1891, by a narrow plurality, was backed by military pressure on Congress. A few days later he took the oath of office at Quinta de Boa Vista, the imperial palace in Rio de Janeiro, now the Museu Nacional. The Fonseca government, divided by political and personal animosity between the president and vice president Floriano Peixoto, encountered strong opposition within the Congress, which chose a policy of obstruction. Arbitrary presidential decrees, including concession of the port of Torres to a private company, a stroke of corporate nationalism in the style of Napoleon III, strengthened the resistance in Congress, which coalesced round vice-president Peixoto, and soured public opinion. The situation approached a climax when Fonseca dissolved the National Congress and declared a 'state of emergency,' November 3, 1891. A group of deputies opposed this decision and found support among the high-ranked officers of the Navy including Admiral Custódio José de Melo. The marshal found himself on the brink of a civil war. On November 23, 1891 he signed a resignation (to no one in particular) and turned over the presidency to Floriano Peixoto. Deodoro da Fonseca died in Rio de Janeiro on August 23, 1892. See also: List of Presidents of Brazil Timeline External links ans references Capsule political biography. Charles Willis Simmons, Marshal Deodoro and the fall of Dom Pedro II, 1966 Most Popular Articles: Music    Musical Instruments    Guitar    Classical Music    History    Music Definition    Country Music    Rock Music    Pop Music    Hip Hop    Rap    DJ    Video Games    Casino Games    Poker    Blackjack    Casinos    Real Estate    Loan    Auction    eBay    Marketing    Search Engine Optimization    File Sharing    MP3    Music Industry    Kazaa    Internet    Supermodel    Fashion    Fashion Designers    Erotica    Modeling    Clothing    Boots    Shoes    Diamond Engagement Rings    Diamond    Rugs    Gospel Music    Affiliate    E-Commerce    Radio This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html You may copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. You must provide a link to http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html To view or edit this article at Wikipedia go to http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deodoro_da_Fonseca