D. Pedro V

Picture 1- D. Pedro V

He was born in Lisbon, in the royal palace of the Necessidades (palace that became residence of the kings since D. Maria II, his mother) 16 of September of 1837, oldest son of the queen of Portugal D. Maria II and of its husband D. Fernando II

Picture 2- Palace of Necessidades in Lisbon 

Picture 3- Parents of D. Pedro V

There will also be the Prince D. Pedro V, who on a visit to England, surprised by the novelty of the steam engine, will ally himself with Minister Fontes Pereira de Melo, to introduce the Train in Portugal, thus marking the beginning of modernity in the Portugal.
The works of Construction of the railroad begin in 1853 in the reign of its mother the queen D. Maria II.
During the construction of the railroad, D. Pedro V intervened directly in the works and railway operations.
However the inauguration of the first section of the railroad from Lisbon to Carregado, will happen in his reign in 1856

D. Pedro V rises to the throne on the death of his mother on November 15, 1853, however because he is still a minor, his father, D. Fernando II takes over the regency

D. Pedro V was acclaimed King on September 16, 1855, he was then 18 years old.
In the same year in 1855, he was responsible for the introduction of the Telegraph in Portugal, we were one of the pioneer countries in the installation of telegraphy

From 1853 to 1856 cholera (a disease that occurs in the infection of the small intestine caused by bacteria, that leads to the patient to have diarrhea that can lead to dehydration, cramp and vomiting) and from 1856 to 1857 (in the first year of its reign) appeared yellow fever (it is an acute disease because it leads to the death of the patient in less than 3 months, the symptoms are: fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, headache and muscle pain mainly in the back)
During these epidemics, D. Pedro V, instead of taking refuge, went to hospitals and stayed at the head of the sick, which brought him great popularity and was considered The Holy King

D. Pedro V worried about the country's governance

In 1858 Dom Pedro V married the Princess Stefania of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, the eldest daughter of Dom Carlos António, prince of Hohensollern-Sigmaringen and prime minister of Prussia and Princess Josefina of Baden.

Picture 4- Princess Stefania of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen

Princess Estefânia arrives in Lisbon on May 17, 1858, the next day they celebrate a royal wedding on May 18, 1858, in the Church of Santo Domingo de Benfica, both young couples were 21 years of age

They lived in a marriage in which the love was reciprocated by both, in which the motto was affirmed: that they were made for each other, remarkable was the love of D. Pedro V by D. Estefânia

However Queen D. Estefânia died on July 17, 1859, at the age of 22, a diphtheria sufferer (it is an infectious disease that causes inflammation and injury to the airways and sometimes to the skin), after 14 months of being married

Before the death of Queen D. Estefânia, she sighs in Portuguese "Console my Pedro", but this was never possible and the king lived sad and inconsolable.

The death of D. Estefania left D. Pedro V quite sad, as well as the Portuguese people who already had for Estefânia a lot of affection and affection, since the princess was also dedicated to social and charitable works

It is at his expense that D. Pedro V, ordered to build the Hospital of Dona Estefânia in 1860, being a Pediatric hospital, the king dedicates this Hospital in Homage to his wife, nevertheless neither of them sees finalized the construction of the Hospital that is inaugurated officially on July 17, 1877 (in the 18th year of Queen D. Estefania's death)

In order to know in detail the impact of the policies followed, he created a green box where anyone could file complaints of government actions, and whose key he kept, so that his people could speak frankly

This high notion of royal responsibility has resulted in great sympathy and love with his people

The diplomas presented to him are examined by the king and sometimes amended by him

D. Pedro V was responsible for combating the reform of education , as well as the causes of prisons, hospitals, asylums and missions

He was always active and supportive, even in the worst moments

He worried about the abolition of slavery in connection with the slave trade.

Creates the Directorate-General for Education

In 1860, he created the Escola Normal

It also ends with the knee flexion and the kissing hand, when the subjects complimented the king, D. Pedro V said that kneeling was only before God and kissing the hand kisses only the hand of the father or the mother. , D. Pedro V said that he was not the father of the Portuguese, but brother, and the brothers greet each other with a handshake.

Death of Don Pedro V

The stability and hopes of regeneration suffered a heavy blow with the unexpected death of King Dom Pedro V.

The king and the infants his brothers contracted a serious illness soon after the return of a hunt in Vila Viçosa. He passed away his brother Fernando, an end that consumed the spirit of the young monarch, who was already plagued by so many other misfortunes, such as the epidemics in Lisbon (cholera and yellow fever), famines, unexpected deaths of his mother and his beloved wife

Not wanting to leave the capital, D. Pedro did not resist the disease, and died on November 11, 1861, at age 25, according to historical theories, a victim of typhoid fever (it is an infectious-contagious disease caused by the ingestion of the bacterium Salmonella enterica Sorovar tiphy-, in contaminated food or water) other theses claim that he died of an unknown disease and other historians further argue that the king was poisoned when he was in Vila Viçosa

The longing for the king was felt above all by the popular strata, to which D. Pedro V always appeared as a dedicated and just king

With his death and for having had no descendants, he rises to the throne, his brother D. Luís

D. Pedro V reigned only six years, was a king endowed with an exceptional preparation and much more appreciated by the population than by the politicians.

He feared to reign without ruling

D. Pedro V and D. Estefânia lie in the Church of S. Vicente de Fora, the couple did not have children

Picture 5- Church of S. Vicente de Fora, in Lisbon