Brazilian Days 066
March 7
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DAY OF:
Dia do Fuzileiro Naval (Brazilian Marine). This army unit came into action for the first time, for the escort of the arriving ships of the Portuguese Royal Family in Rio de Janeiro. The marines have the nickname “anfíbios” (amphibians) since they may act both on the land and in the water.
BRAZILIAN HISTORY:
1808 Arrival of the Portuguese Royal Family, with king Dom João VI, in Rio de Janeiro. The Royal Family left Portugal when troops of Napoleon already had invaded Spain, and were on their way to Portugal.
1557 Arrival of (Swiss) Calvinists in Guanabara Bay.
In 1555, French Vice Admiral Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon (1510-1571), Knight of the Order of Malta, occupied the bay where is nowadays Rio de Janeiro. He sent a message to Switzerland, met a request to send reformed pastors to Brazil. Two pastors were joined by Huguenot refugees, among others. Not much later, De Villegaignon condemned Protestantism and had the believers executed. They are considered as martyrs of the Presbyterian Church.
1821 Decree by Dom João VI with the announcement of his return to Portugal.
The Portuguese Royal Family returned to Portugal, while his son Dom Pedro would succeed his father in Brazil.
1871 Visconde do Rio Branco accepted the chairmanship of the Council of Ministers
2004 Golden medal for Gymnastics sporter Daiane dos Santos at the World Cup in Cottbus (Germany)
1990 Death of politician Luís Carlos Prestes (1898-1990), prominent member of the Brazilian Communist Party
1995 Approval of a new law that prohibited smoking in closed public spaces, by the Brazilian Senate
By Adriano Antoine Robbesom © 2007, 2015
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