Visit of the King and Queen of Portugal 1Arrival and reception
Visit of the King and Queen of Portugal
Original title: Visita dos Reis de Portugal
Account of the royal visit of King Carlos and Queen Amélia of Portugal to Madeira from 22 to 25 June 1901, with the ceremonies, festivities and officials involved.
1Arrival and reception
On 22 June 1901 the cruisers D. Carlos and S. Gabriel and the royal yacht D. Amélia anchored in the harbour of Funchal, the first of them carrying King Carlos I and Queen Amélie. The monarchs were accompanied by the Minister of the Kingdom and President of the Council, Hintze Ribeiro; the Minister of the Navy, António Teixeira de Sousa; the Counts of Arnoso, Tarouca and Ribeira Grande; the Marquis of Faial; Vice-Admiral Brito Capelo; Dr Oliveira Feijão; and the queen’s lady-in-waiting, Dona Maria Francisca de Meneses.
The Portuguese sovereigns landed at the quay at the entrance to the city at about two in the afternoon. An imposing procession was at once formed and made its way to the Cathedral (Sé Catedral), where a solemn Te Deum was celebrated. The procession then headed for the Palácio de São Lourenço (St Lawrence Palace), which had been turned into a royal residence, and there the monarchs held a gala reception for the consular corps, the authorities, titled nobility and various official bodies.
Throughout the stay of the king and queen of Portugal on this island there was an unbroken series of festivities and enthusiastic demonstrations in their honour, of which we can give only a brief account. Special mention is due to the gala performance at the Theatre, so brilliantly described by the Count of Arnoso; the solemn session at the town hall (Paços do Concelho); the splendid entertainments given by Luís da Rocha Machado, the Viscount of Cacongo and João Blandy at their quintas (country estates) of Monte, Choupana and Palheiro do Ferreiro; the gala dinner at São Lourenço; the open-air Mass in the Praça Académica; the ball at Quinta Vigia; the industrial and agricultural exhibition, etc.
2Visits, decorations and departure
The monarchs visited the barracks, several charitable institutions and a number of public buildings.
The decorations on the quay, at the entrance to the city, in Praça da Constituição and along various streets and buildings were of unusual splendour. The illuminations were lavish and in the finest taste, and they were among the items on the programme of festivities that most aroused the interest and admiration of our visitors.
The grandeur of the reception given to the Portuguese monarchs, in which every social class enthusiastically joined, was owed above all to the civil governor, José Ribeiro da Cunha, and to the president of the Municipal Council (Câmara Municipal), Dr Manuel José Vieira. Before reaching Madeira, the cruiser D. Carlos stopped in the bay of Porto Santo (‘holy harbour’) to take on board the municipal council and authorities of that island, who went to pay their respects to the monarchs.
The King and Queen of Portugal embarked on 25 June, at about 6 in the evening, and sailed for the Azores, where they arrived on the morning of the 28th.
Anyone wishing for a more detailed account of all the festivities, the speeches delivered and various official documents relating to the royal visit should read the interesting book by Ciriaco de Brito Nobrega, entitled a visita de suas majestades os reis de Portugal ao arquipélago madeirense. It gives a complete description of everything that was done in Madeira to celebrate and solemnise the monarchs’ stay in this archipelago.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 01-
King Carlos and Queen Amélia visited Madeira, arriving at Funchal on 22 June and leaving for the Azores on 25 June; John Blandy entertained them at Quinta do Palheiro, where the king played tennis, and an exhibition was held in the Praça Académica.
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The Portuguese monarchs reached the Azores after their Madeira visit.
Place
Places mentioned · 12
Abroad
- Azores
Portugal. Next destination of the monarchs.
The Azores, an Atlantic archipelago that shares plant species with Madeira. The Elucidário records settlement there by Madeiran families such as the Bettencourts, the 1801 ban on Azorean wines in Madeira, and imports of Azorean tobacco. It also notes that Azorean farmers were brought to Madeira to teach maize-growing methods.
- Choupana
Funchal. Quinta where a fête was given.
Choupana is a locality in Santa Maria Maior parish, Funchal, south of Pico do Infante, where the Levada da Serra do Faial ends. It has the Quintas do Miradouro and da Choupana, where a fête was given during the royal visit, grows Acacia dealbata and eucalyptus, and was hit by a shell in the 1917 bombardment.
- Funchal
Where the royal ships anchored.
The capital of the archipelago and seat of the principal captaincy, where settlement began; it was made a vila c.1451–52. Its bay, the widest in the archipelago, lies between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz and offers sheltered anchorage, though its harbour had never been studied oceanographically. The Elucidário discusses it as a health resort with climate data and records the January 1906 disturbances, the Danish prince's visit in May 1846 and recent volcanic cones in the area.
- Funchal Cathedral (the Sé)
Funchal. Site of the Te Deum on arrival.
The Sé do Funchal is the cathedral of Funchal, in the parish of Sé. It was begun in 1493, became a parish seat in 1508 and a cathedral in 1514. It was the starting point of processions and the place of the vow to São Tiago, and bishops are buried there.
- Monte
Funchal. Location of a quinta where a fête was given.
Parish of Nossa Senhora do Monte above Funchal, at about 600 m, where leafing occurs later than in Funchal. It contains the localities of Jardim Botânico, Igreja and Marmeleiros and the Quinta de Sant'Ana. The Elucidário notes its many plants, such as acacias and Sonchus fruticosus.
- Palheiro Ferreiro
Santa Cruz. Quinta where a fête was given.
A quinta and one of the principal localities of Caniço parish, later Blandy's estate, whose land borders that of the chapel of Nossa Senhora das Neves. The Conde de Carvalhal gave a celebrated festivity there for Infante D. Luís, and a fête was held there during the visit of the King and Queen of Portugal. It was one of the defence posts organised by Travassos Valdês at the time of the Miguelist occupation, and part of the troops were detached to it.
- Porto Santo
Where the cruiser stopped to receive local authorities.
An island of the archipelago, settled alongside Madeira and forming one of the three captaincies. It has always constituted a single parish, dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Piedade, whose church was repeatedly sacked. The Elucidário records the Moorish pirate raid of 1617, its own Misericórdia and a rainwater channel built on this drought-prone island.
- Praça Académica
Funchal. Site of an open-air mass.
The Praça Académica was a former square in Funchal, laid out on municipal ground in 1836; its construction caused the demolition of the Calhau gate. The first magnetic inclination observations were made there in 1839, and fairs were held there from 1850. It also saw an open-air mass during the royal visit. The Forte de São Pedro stood at its eastern end, the Campo das Loucas lay to the east and the steamer Queen was built east of it.
- Praça da Constituição
Funchal. Richly decorated for the visit.
The Praça da Constituição was a former square in Funchal, earlier called Passeio Público, named after the liberal constitution proclaimed there on 28 January 1821. It was called Praça Real under D. Miguel, became Praça da República in 1911, and disappeared in 1914 when the Avenida Oeste was built. It adjoined the Municipal Garden and was a terminus of the tramway.
- Quinta Vigia
Funchal. Site of a ball for the monarchs.
A state-owned estate in São Pedro parish, Funchal, noted for rare exotic trees, which served as a residence for Queen Adelaide, the Empress of Austria (1860–61) and the Prince of Oldenburg. It later became barracks of the Republican Guard, had a casino that issued tokens in 1901, and was hit by a shell in the 1916 bombardment.
- São Lourenço Palace
Funchal. Used as royal palace during the visit.
The Palácio de São Lourenço, the governors' palace-fortress in Funchal, was the scene of beija-mão ceremonies, receptions, balls and dinners, and of the 1861 exhibition. The Elucidário records a great fire there in 1699, a natural history museum in 1850, and an attempt by soldiers to enter it in 1829. The Teatro Grande stood opposite it.
People
People mentioned · 15-
Navy minister in the royal party of 1901.
- Carlos Id. 1922
King of Portugal who visited Madeira in June 1901.
- Ciríaco de Brito e Nóbregab. 1856
Author of the book describing the 1901 royal visit to the archipelago.
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Courtier in the royal party who described the gala performance at the theatre.
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Queen of Portugal who accompanied King Carlos on the 1901 visit.
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Minister of the realm and president of the council who accompanied the monarchs in 1901.
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Vice-admiral in the royal party of 1901.
- João Blandyd. 1912
Host of a festivity for the monarchs, at the Palheiro do Ferreiro quinta according to the list.
- José Ribeiro da Cunhad. 1915
Civil governor of Funchal credited with organising the grand reception of 1901.
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Host of festivities for the monarchs at his quinta in 1901.
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- Manuel José Vieira1836–1912
President of the Funchal council credited with the reception of 1901.
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The queen's lady-in-waiting on the 1901 visit.
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Nobleman accompanying the monarchs in 1901.
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Member of the royal retinue in 1901.
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Host of festivities for the monarchs at his quinta in 1901.