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Prince Pedro Augusto, 5th Prince of Kohary

1866–1934

Born
19 May 1866, Rio de Janeiro
Country of birth
Empire of Brazil, today Brazil
Died
6 Jul 1934, Tulln an der Donau
facts
7
sources
1
images and files
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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 · Tulln an der Donau

    Death, Tulln an der Donau

What was it like?

The world around Rio de Janeiro, 1866: 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 1866, Rio de Janeiro belonged to the Empire of Brazil, ruled by Pedro II of Brazil.

Who ruled

  • Pedro II of Brazil

    Emperor of Brazil, 1831–1889 · Empire of Brazil

  • Deodoro da Fonseca

    President of Brazil, 1889–1891 · Republic of Brazil

  • Floriano Peixoto

    President of Brazil, 1891–1894 · Republic of Brazil

Then and now

Rio de Janeiro

274,972
people in 1872
6.7M
people in 2025

Rio de Janeiro has about 24× as many people today.

Born around the same time

  • Venceslau Brás

    1868 · President of Brazil (1868-1966)

  • Delfim Moreira

    1868 · 10th president of Brazil (1868-1920)

  • Richard Strauss

    1864 · German composer and orchestra director (1864–1949)

  • Marie Dressler

    1868 · Canadian-American actress (1868-1934)

  • Camille Claudel

    1864 · French sculptor (1864–1943)

  • Pompeu Fabra

    1868 · Catalan linguist (1868–1948)

Fashion

Abundant meals during Holy Week celebrations

During the Holy Week, although red meat was forbidden by religious precept, the banquet was rich and varied, featuring dishes prepared by black cooks such as oyster soup, vatapá, caruru, moquecas, and various desserts like baba de moça. It was a time of abundant and diverse culinary celebration.

New Year's Day tradition of new clothes

On New Year's Day, it was customary for everyone, even the poor, to make sacrifices to wear new clothes, such as a suit of brim, a dress of chita, or a simple skirt of riscado. People mended and washed their old rags, wearing them with joy as if they were received from God, embroidered with the gold of the sun and silver of the moon.

Music

Persistence of batuque and black festivities

Black festivities such as the batuque were widespread and persisted despite church opposition, featuring rhythmic hand-clapping and the use of the viola. These dances, often lasting for hours, were integral to the social lives of the lower classes, who used them to maintain cultural bonds.

Popular ensembles for domestic dancing

Popular social gatherings often featured small ensembles of flute, guitar, and cavaquinho to play dances like polkas, waltzes, and mazurkas. While pianos were status symbols in wealthy homes, these smaller groups provided accessible music for the middle-class family home and social life.

Getting around

Common city transport in Rio

In Rio de Janeiro, public transport included omnibuses drawn by four mules, while private carriages were often pulled by two mules or horses.

Fast travel on the new highway

The União e Indústria highway, completed in 1861, allowed carriages to travel the 144-kilometer route between Petrópolis and Juiz de Fora in 12 hours, achieving speeds of 20 km/h.

Daily life

Lighting in homes

Kerosene lamps were used for lighting, as there was no electricity in homes during this period.

Night schooling for workers

Night schools were established to provide basic literacy to working-class children and adults, often framed as a charitable effort by the elites.

Food

Aluá for the Heat

Aluá, a popular fermented drink made from rice water, was sold by vendors to help people cope with the intense heat of Rio de Janeiro.

Angu: A Staple Food for the Poor

Angu, a staple made by boiling and mashing manioc or maize, was a common, energy-dense meal for poor residents and enslaved people, often eaten without cutlery.

Prices and wages
Around 1862–1862

Food prices in Rio de Janeiro, 1862

In 1862, a kilogram of black beans cost 120 réis, while a kilogram of dried meat cost 159 réis.

Around 1870–1879

Cost of a basic iron bed

While iron beds were basic household items, they were relatively accessible, valued at a maximum of 2,000 réis in inventory records.

During their lifetime

  1. 1867

    Compromise of 1867 creates Dual Monarchy

    The 1867 Compromise established the Dual Monarchy, granting Hungary autonomy and creating a shared government between Austria and Hungary.

  2. 1871

    Law of Free Womb passed in 1871

    The 1871 Rio Branco Law, also known as the Law of the Free Womb, declared that all children born to enslaved women from that date were free.

  3. 1876

    Metric system becomes mandatory in 1876

    In 1876, the metric system became mandatory for all measurements across Austria.

  4. 1884

    Electric street lighting installed in 1884

    In 1884, the first permanent electric street lighting system in the empire was installed in Temesvár.

  5. 1888

    Slavery abolished by Golden Law in 1888

    In 1888, the Golden Law was signed by Princess Isabel, which immediately and fully abolished slavery throughout Brazil without compensation to owners.

  6. 1892

    Gold crown currency introduced in 1892

    In 1892, the gold crown currency was introduced, replacing the old florin system.

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.