Support for the legitimate Queen of Portugal

[Luc]

António José Severim de Noronha,
Duke of Terceira, Captain General of the Azores and Commander-in-chief of the Liberal armies

To the Governments of Europe and beyond,

I, António José Severim de Noronha, come to address the monarchies and nations of Europe to bring to your attention the greatest crime. In 1826, good king D. João VI passed away, leaving a vaccum in the portuguese throne. Originally, his first-born son, D. Pedro IV of Portugal, was supposed to rise to his father's throne upon his death, however, D. Pedro declared the independence of Brazil in September 1822, becoming Emperor Pedro I of Brazil, thus preventing him from inheriting the Portuguese Crown. Due to inheritance law, D. Pedro's daughter, the legitimate Queen Maria, was supposed to inherit the Portuguese throne, however, the treacherous D. Miguel, the brother of Emperor Pedro, usurped the throne, expelled Queen Maria and dissolved the National Assembly, all three unforgivable crimes in the eye of god and the state. Now Queen Maria is safe in London under the protection of the British Government and I, as commander in chief of the legitimate Portuguese army, am stationed in the Azores, waiting for the perfect oportunity to retake the mainland. However, we require the Active and Diplomatic support of the main European nations in order to bring down the Coupist King Miguel, and install the true Queen Maria to her birthright.

God Save Queen Maria! God Save Portugal!

[Smyg]

United Kingdoms
of Sweden and Norway

The United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway support the restoration of the legitimate monarch, the Queen of Portugal and the Algarves. Insurrectionists and revolutionaries cannot be allowed to topple governments as they please.

Although we will not involve ourselves military, the United Kingdoms will not prevent Swedish-Norwegian citizens inclined to defend the Portuguese constitution from seeking service with the Queen's loyalists.

[Hussam_B]

The Spanish government states that it is adamantly opposed to any foreign invasions of Iberia. The Spanish army and militias stand ready to fight and repel any foreigners thinking to repeat Napoleon's mistake!

We also lambast the decision of the Scandinavians to send volunteers to London to participate in a decidedly non-Scandic matter.

[Cephal]

As the British Government is in favor of the legitimate rule of Queen Maria, we will be sending a full compliment of British Warships into the area to prevent unnecessary foreign intervention and to protect British Interests. We would ask that the Spanish Government join with the British Empire in supporting the rightful claimant.

In the name of our ancient alliance with Portugal, we will be returning their Queen, of whom is under the protection of the British Government to her native Portugal and British Troops will protect her.

Should any faction in Portugal or indeed the Kingdom of Spain interfere and oppose us or any of our ships come under fire, it will be considered an act of war against The Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and her empire.

We call for the usurper to stand down, or we shall be directly aiding those forces that serve their legitimate queen.

[Tellos]

While the United States has no horse in this race it does feel it should protest British involement in the affairs of others. President Jackson sends his most vehment displeasure at this sort of blatant Imperialistic action. However the United States as per it's histroical habit cannot intervene on this matter but implores otheres not to let the British impose rulers on others.

[Andre Massena]

The Kingdom of Sardinia believes that King Miguel is the rightful ruler of Portugal based on proper rules of succession.

[Cephal]

We would remind the opposing parties that the pretender to the throne, Dom Miguel, was exiled by his father of whom was the former King of Portugal due to his involvement in a coup to displace the previous King of Portugal and seize his throne. His return to Portugal was on the condition he serve as Regent to Queen Maria. Upon entering Portugal he initiated yet another coup, thus displacing his legitimacy.

The British Government believes that the act of exile against Dom Miguel was by intention to disinherit his claim to the throne, As such, the legitimate heir to the throne of Portugal is the bloodline of the elder brother, Dom Pedro, of whom is himself unable to stand for the throne as he has declared Brazil an independent empire. As Maria is his rightful Heir, she legally may take the throne. The matter stands that Dom Miguel is a pretender who entered Portugal from exile under a false pretense and seized the throne in a bid for power and that this is the second time he has made such an attempt.

As ancient allies of the Kingdom of Portugal, we have answered our ally's call to help settle the matter and as such we believe the United States should refrain from commenting on matters of which they are ill informed, the same being for our Sardinian friends.

The stance of the British Government stands.

Should Dom Pedro wish to denounce his claim over the Empire of Brazil to settle the matter himself, the British Government will respect his decision and back down as that would then make him the rightful heir in a position superior to the other claimants, by the laws of Portugal.

[Hussam_B]

The Spanish government insists that it will not stand idly by while the British government installs a puppet government in Portugal.

While our previous stance has been that of neutrality and mediation in what is essentially an internal Portuguese conflict, we are prepared to be heavily involved to repulse this second blatant land grab by the British.

We remind that King Miguel, despite his faults, is officially recognized by at least Spain, The Holy See, and the United States. While his actions as regent in dissolving the Portuguese National Assembly may be questioned and the actions of the Miguelist regime has been worthy of punitive actions due to its imprudent harrassment of foreign delegates, it is well outside the realms of British authority to invade and support one candidate over the other.

We Iberians have repelled Napoleon when he attempted to do so, the British ought to know better.

[Cephal]

The Spanish government insists that it will not stand idly by while the British government installs a puppet government in Portugal.

While our previous stance has been that of neutrality and mediation in what is essentially an internal Portuguese conflict, we are prepared to be heavily involved to repulse this second blatant land grab by the British.

We remind that King Miguel, despite his faults, is officially recognized by at least Spain, The Holy See, and the United States. While his actions as regent in dissolving the Portuguese National Assembly may be questioned and the actions of the Miguelist regime has been worthy of punitive actions due to its imprudent harrassment of foreign delegates, it is well outside the realms of British authority to invade and support one candidate over the other.

We Iberians have repelled Napoleon when he attempted to do so, the British ought to know better.

We have been allies with the Portugese well before any recognition by Spain. We assisted in their return to independent rule and we have received a plea from the legitimate Portugese Monarch. Don Miguel is an usurper who arose into a coup after reentering into the country by false pretenses.

We would remind the Spanish delegate that we do not fear Spain, and we do not require an invasion of Iberia to check your involvement.

The intention of the British Government is to restore the legitimate government and then have our forces return home. We have no intention to do anything more than is needed to ensure the sovereignty of the legitimate Portuguese Monarch and return our forces home without any further involvement.

Should you seek conflict, you shall have it.

If that is indeed the position of the Kingdom of Spain, then it is to be noted that should Spanish forces engage our forces it will be declared as an act of war.

[Hussam_B]

A treaty of alliance does not give London its choice of Portuguese Monarch.

King Miguel was proclaimed king by a reconvened Cortes in 1928. This followed by a Liberal revolt that was swiftly defeated and its leaders escaped to London. King Miguel was then recognized by many countries. The point is, the British claim of the illegality of Miguel's rule is contestable at best.

So far, we would have been content to mediate in the conflict and bring the bloodshed to an end. But again, a British invasion of Portugal, with vague promises of leaving is not acceptable.

We demand the British to stand down from its invasion plans.

[Cephal]

The British Government has never recognized the ascension of Miguel I to the Portuguese Throne. As we recognize Maria II as the legitimate monarch and as they have asked for our assistance we consider it an invocation of our alliance.

The Kingdom of Spain had no complaints when the British Empire moved in support of the restored monarchy of France at the Battle of Waterloo following the second rising of the Scourge of Europe, Napoleon, who declared himself Emperor a second time and who deposed the French King. Nor did your country provide any complaint when the British Empire moved to assist in the restoration of an independent and sovereign Portuguese Kingdom in the waning years of the Napoleonic Wars when the previous King was alive.

To the British Government, this matter is no different than the previous two events mentioned. An ally has asked for our help and we will provide it.

The British Government stands by our decision and there will be no reversal of British policy.

[Hussam_B]

It is at this point we take the following positions:
-We shall seek to sign a defensive alliance with the Kingdom of Portugal specifically directed against any British infringements on Portuguese sovereginty and we will commit to it by force of arms should it prove to be necessary.
-We are ready and urge Great Power intervention to avoid this conflict from flaring up by working towards a diplomatic settlement between the two sides of the Portuguese civil war that is mutually acceptable rather than ham-fisted intervention by force of arms in favor of one side over the other.

[Cephal]

The Spanish position does not change the British Position.

We will provide force of arms to support the aims of restoring the legitimate Portuguese government, by their own request. Should there be a Spanish attack on any British forces, there will be a prompt military response.

[Serenissima]

As the daughter of our own Emperor, who himself left the throne to his daughter Maria in correct and legal terms, it goes without saying that the legitimate Queen Maria of Portugal has the Emperor's full support. Miguel is a usurper who has carried out a coup, and the 'reconvened Cortes' includes only those members who were not forced to flee the country during this illegal and unjustified seizure of power. We applaud the principled stand taken by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in this matter. Emperor Pedro has, however, renounced his own rights to the throne of Portugal voluntarily in favour of his daughter, as the people of Brazil deserve a monarch wearing only one crown, not two, who can devote their full love and attention to one people. Therefore, any suggestions that Emperor Pedro I of Brazil again wear the crown as Pedro IV of Portugal must be rejected - it is his will that, as is lawful and right, that the throne of Portugal should go to the rightful Queen Maria. Similarly, if Spain considers itself a friend of the Portuguese nation, rather than a friend of a usurper and his own supporters, it should reconsider its position of military intervention in order to defend an illegitimate government from the consequences of its own seizure of power. Brazil itself will be neutral in any conflict, despite the clear and righteous opinions of the Emperor - it is not right for him to spill the blood and spend the money of his own people on a faraway conflict of a personal nature.

To the Kingdom of France, Emperor Pedro urges that they maintain their existing position of support for the rightful monarch Maria.

[Hussam_B]

Lacking diplomatic support from the Great Powers, the Spanish government contents itself with simply protesting the British intervention in the Portuguese Civil War.

Offers of a defensive alliance to the Miguelists are withdrawn and the Spanish no longer actively threaten war over Portugal.