José Bonifácio revisitado : o universitário e o militar

Abstract

There is a profusion of studies on Brazil’s Patriarch of Independence, particularly originated in the hemisphere where he was born. His political project and the diversified activities developed following the proclamation of autonomy of the former “Land of Santa Cruz” inspired, namely among his compatriots, numerous studies about his personality and work. However, his brilliant career, both as an academic and a mine technician, as well as senior official to the Prince Regent D. João, and as a patriot in the battle field, after 1808 following the French invasion, has been relegated to a less important place. This paper describes the life of the Coimbra academic, always observant and diligent, the soldier (lieutenant colonel of the General Staff ) and, for ashort period, the police superintendant of Porto.