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Prince João Carlos, Prince of Beira

1821–1822

Born
6 Mar 1821, Rio de Janeiro
Country of birth
Portuguese colony of Brazil, today Brazil
Died
4 Feb 1822, Rio de Janeiro
facts
7
sources
1
images and files
0

Facts and their sources

Tap a fact to see where it comes from.

A life in time

  1. Born · Rio de Janeiro

    Birth, Rio de Janeiro

  2. Died · Rio de Janeiro

    Death, Rio de Janeiro

What was it like?

The world around Rio de Janeiro, 1821: who ruled, who else was alive, how people lived. This is general history, not a record about the family, and every item shows where it comes from.

When Prince was born in 1821, Rio de Janeiro belonged to the Portuguese colony of Brazil, ruled by John VI of Portugal.

Who ruled

  • John VI of Portugal

    Monarch of Portugal, 1816–1826 · Portuguese colony of Brazil

  • Pedro I of Brazil

    Emperor of Brazil, 1822–1831 · Empire of Brazil

Then and now

Rio de Janeiro

—
in 1821
6.7M
people in 2025

We don't have a count for Rio de Janeiro from around 1821 yet.

Born the same year

  • Anita Garibaldi

    italo-brazillian revolutionary

  • Lola Montez

    Irish dancer and actress (1821–1861)

  • Giovanni Bottesini

    Italian composer, conductor, and double bass player

  • Fyodor Dostoyevsky

    Russian novelist (1821–1881)

  • Charles Baudelaire

    French poet and critic (1821–1867)

  • Gustave Flaubert

    French novelist (1821–1880)

Fashion
Around 1815–1815

Expensive official uniforms

In 1815, a government official described his official uniform as shameful because it cost nearly 120$000 réis, which was a very high price.

Informal home attire for men

Brazilian men often discarded stiff outer layers at home, wearing only a cotton shirt, knee-length breeches, and clogs. Only a few elite men owned nightgowns, which were used to signal worldliness and status.

Music

Common instruments of the era

The viola was the preferred instrument across Brazil during this period, while the piano remained a rare and expensive luxury item found only in the wealthiest households. Musicians often crafted their own instruments, including flutes, fiddles, tambourines, and scrapers like the reco-reco.

Informal music making in homes

In the early 19th century, people frequently gathered in homes for informal musical sessions, where they sang sentimental modinhas accompanied by the viola. These intimate gatherings were central to daily life and often featured improvised concerts at night.

Getting around
Around 1819–1819

High cost and time for transport

Transporting one arroba (about 14.7 kg) of sugar from Campinas to the port of Santos cost between 340 and 400 réis and took 12 days of travel.

Decorated lead mules guided the way

Lead mules were decorated with ornaments like peacock feathers, shells, and ribbons, and wore a bell to help guide the rest of the herd.

Daily life

Lack of water and sewage infrastructure

Running water and sewage systems were non-existent, so enslaved people transported water from public fountains or rivers in buckets and removed waste using barrels known as tigres. Bathing often occurred in small basins or tubs, sometimes using tin sheets.

Minimal focus on formal schooling

Formal schooling for children was rare among landowners, who often considered it unnecessary, while girls were typically taught domestic skills like sewing rather than reading. Wealthy families generally prioritized investing their income into purchasing more land and enslaved people over education or luxurious home improvements.

Food
Around 1816–1816

Dining out for 800 réis

By 1816, specialized dining houses in Rio de Janeiro offered public table service for 800 réis per person, including wine or liquor.

Dining on the floor

In many homes, especially outside the elite, families did not use tables; they sat on the floor around a mat, eating from bowls and gourds.

Prices and wages

Worker daily earnings in Rio Grande

In Rio Grande during the early 19th century, a worker could earn 40 réis in just an hour, enough to provide food for a day.

Around 1827–1837

Subsistence and earnings in urban Recife

In the city of Recife between 1827 and 1837, the daily cost for the subsistence of an enslaved person was 120 réis, while they could generate a daily net income of 200 to 240 réis in simple occupations.

Family

Parents

Ancestors and children

Open the full tree

Four generations back to the right, the children to the left. The number beside a child counts the generations of descendants known after them.