In 1821 King João VI returned to Portugal from Brazil after a 14 year absence. When he did so a constitutional government was established and Portuguese as well as Brazilian deputies sat in parliament. However, most Portuguese deputies called for the return of Brazil to the status of a Viceroyalty under the direct control of Portugal. The Brazilians did not stand for this and agitation for independence began to arise in Brazil. The Brazilian deputies walked out and the parliament demaned the return of Crown Prince Pedro from Brazil. He refused and proclaimed Brazilian independence with himself as emperor.
How about instead we have the king have a spine (he was known for his weak personality) or have him die younger and Pedro be on the throne at this time. The king can demand a constitution that gives him more power and use troops from Brazil and the more conservative parts of Portugal to quell any rebellions (most likely around Porto and Lisbon). A consitution is drawn up with Brazil and Portugal being coequal kingdoms with dual capitals. The Kingdom of Portugal includes the overseas provinces of Portugal. Evenutally Brazil begins to be dominant partner as the 19th century progresses.
King Pedro V (Emperor Pedro II of Brazil in OTL) assumes the throne on the death of his father in 1834 and is only 9 years old. Born in Brazil, from his reign forward the court will be seated in Rio de Janeiro with occasional dislocations to Lisbon. This makes the Portuguese angry, but there's not much that they can do. During his reign there is expansion into Angola with settlement occuring in the 1840s in the southern portion of the Province (in OTL this happened with Brazilian settlers but the Portuguese government did not want too many Brazilians in Angola fearing Brazil would annex it). A gradual emancipation of slaves occurs and many are sent to Angola.
Somehow Pedro V manages to abolish slavery around 1876 and a few thousand ex-slaves in Angola and Portuguese Guinea. By the 1880s European powers are gobbling up Africa and Portugal has long considered the hinterland connecting Angola and Mozambique to be Portuguese territory. This time with settlers from Brazil having been pushing the fronteir inland there are already small settlements in modern day Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi by the 1880s. This thwarts Cecil Rhodes plans for contiguous strip of British territory from the Cape to Cairo. In OTL the 1891 British ultimatum for the Portuguese to give up claims to this land was probably the biggest cause of the downfall of the Portuguese monarchy and the birth of Republicanism in Portugal. Instead 1891 is the year that King Pedro V dies and his daughter Isabel assumes the throne as Queen Isabel I.
Queen Isabel I reigns until her death in 1921. She plays the role of the perfect consitutional monarch and does not interfere much in politics. War is declared on Germany in 1916 after incursions into Angola and in 1918 the Kingdom of Portugal and Brazil is in a stronger position to German territory taking over the southern German East Africa (going from Kilwa on the coast to the northern tip of lake Niassa). During the war Brazilian raw materials were in high demand and created a boom in Brazil as well as Angola. Portugal did not fare so well, but this is a federal empire and as such Portugal is basically subsidised and at least Portuguese emigrants are able to go to Brazil in unlimited numbers. In 1921 King Pedro VI assumes the throne and much like his mother will not take a great deal of interest in politics. Throughout the 1920s the empire does well economically and is a great power of the lowest rung, just below Italy.
After 1929 economic depression sets in and the 1930s are tough. Agricultural commodoties aren't doing so well and there is a push towards a more diversified economy with industry taking centre stage. Around 1930 there is an army coup led by conservative officers and the government becomes an autocratic dictatorship suppported by the army, church and aristocracy. Although appearing fascist I suspect it will be more like Salazar in Portugal and for the heck of it I'll call it the Estado Novo. In 1940 King Pedro VI dies and his son King Pedro VII assumes the throne.
The industrialisation has paid off with the economy of both Brazil and Portugal recovering throughout the 1940s with the war. In January of 1942 Japan invades Portuguese Timor and war is declared on Japan with a declaration of war on Japan and Germany shortly thereafter. Fearing a possible German invasion, troops from Brazil and Africa are sent to Portugal as well as the Azores. The King's brother Prince João is sent to Portugal as the leader of the armed forces there and to boost morale (though a secret plan to evacuate him to the Azores and then to Brazil is underway should Portugal be invaded). Although some German bombings occur, Portugal is never invaded and Brazilian and Portuguese troops take part in the allied landings in North Africa and Italy in 1943. In 1945 the United Kingdom of Portugal and Brazil becomes a permanent member of the UN and in 1949 is a founding member of NATO.
In 1950 India begins to demand the withdrawl from Goa, Damão and Dio, the three enclaves that form Portuguese India. The government of Portugal and Brazil firmly states that these are integral parts of the Portuguese nation and therefore are not a subject of negotiation. In OTL the Portuguese government had the same attitude, but this time Brazil and a much stronger Angola is in the equation. Instead of sending a mere 5,000 troops from Mozambique, 30,000 troops are sent from Brazil and Africa. A large part of the navy is sent to the Indian ocean including one aircraft carrier and a fleet is assembled in Northern Mozambique should a seaborne invasion to retake Goa have to occur.
December 18, 1961 the Indian invasion of Portuguese India began. Though unlike in OTL this time the Portuguese can put up a fight. This declaration of war by India arouses great nationalist sentiment all over the empire and young men enlist by the thousands. Having anticipated the invasion, 20,000 additional soldiers had been sent to Goa. Anti-aircraft defences were strengthened and two battleships and an aircraft carrier were sent to be alert just off of the coast of Western India. The Portuguese were able to hold Goa but Damão and Dio fell. Being NATO members the Portuguese have superior weaponry however, especially when it comes to the airforce which includes F-104 Starfighters and F-86 Sabre interceptors based at Dabolim in Goa as well as carrier-based DeHavilland Sea Vixen bombers. The Portuguese decide to occupy the Laccadive Islands and are able to sink India's sole aircraft carrier the INS Vikrant. With the Indians losing Pakistan decides to seize the oppurtunity and invade Kashmir. By mid-1962 India surrenders and Portugal and has to evacuate Damão and Dio in return for the Laccadives.
Although the war to keep the enclaves was costly, it was a great unifying force for the empire as a whole and the 1960s become a time of growing prosperity and optimism with the economy of the empire growing. The settlement of the African territories by Brazilians and Portuguese has made places like Luanda seem more like Bahia with a blend of African and Portuguese cultures.
In 1973 the empire faces a boycott by the OPEC nations since Portugal was the only NATO nation to grant the U.S. the right to use its facilities (bases in the Azores) to help supply Israel during the Yom Kippur War. Oil is being pumped from Cabinda in Angola, but it's not enough causing oil shortages. The economy begins to falter and support for the dictatorhip falters. After widespread protests the army gets involved and with the King dismisses the government. A new constitution is granted and after over 40 years democracy returns. The empire is remodelled as a federation of autonomous provinces.
King Pedro VII (who was born in 1913) is still the King of Portugal and Brazil having been on the throne since 1940. I used the actual lineage of the Portuguese and Brazilian royal houses. So based on primogeniture these are the rulers of the United Kingdom or Portugal, Brazil and Algarve.
João VI 1816-1826
Pedro IV 1826-1834
Pedro V 1834-1891
Isabel I 1891-1921
Pedro VI 1921-1940
Pedro VII 1940-
How about instead we have the king have a spine (he was known for his weak personality) or have him die younger and Pedro be on the throne at this time. The king can demand a constitution that gives him more power and use troops from Brazil and the more conservative parts of Portugal to quell any rebellions (most likely around Porto and Lisbon). A consitution is drawn up with Brazil and Portugal being coequal kingdoms with dual capitals. The Kingdom of Portugal includes the overseas provinces of Portugal. Evenutally Brazil begins to be dominant partner as the 19th century progresses.
King Pedro V (Emperor Pedro II of Brazil in OTL) assumes the throne on the death of his father in 1834 and is only 9 years old. Born in Brazil, from his reign forward the court will be seated in Rio de Janeiro with occasional dislocations to Lisbon. This makes the Portuguese angry, but there's not much that they can do. During his reign there is expansion into Angola with settlement occuring in the 1840s in the southern portion of the Province (in OTL this happened with Brazilian settlers but the Portuguese government did not want too many Brazilians in Angola fearing Brazil would annex it). A gradual emancipation of slaves occurs and many are sent to Angola.
Somehow Pedro V manages to abolish slavery around 1876 and a few thousand ex-slaves in Angola and Portuguese Guinea. By the 1880s European powers are gobbling up Africa and Portugal has long considered the hinterland connecting Angola and Mozambique to be Portuguese territory. This time with settlers from Brazil having been pushing the fronteir inland there are already small settlements in modern day Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi by the 1880s. This thwarts Cecil Rhodes plans for contiguous strip of British territory from the Cape to Cairo. In OTL the 1891 British ultimatum for the Portuguese to give up claims to this land was probably the biggest cause of the downfall of the Portuguese monarchy and the birth of Republicanism in Portugal. Instead 1891 is the year that King Pedro V dies and his daughter Isabel assumes the throne as Queen Isabel I.
Queen Isabel I reigns until her death in 1921. She plays the role of the perfect consitutional monarch and does not interfere much in politics. War is declared on Germany in 1916 after incursions into Angola and in 1918 the Kingdom of Portugal and Brazil is in a stronger position to German territory taking over the southern German East Africa (going from Kilwa on the coast to the northern tip of lake Niassa). During the war Brazilian raw materials were in high demand and created a boom in Brazil as well as Angola. Portugal did not fare so well, but this is a federal empire and as such Portugal is basically subsidised and at least Portuguese emigrants are able to go to Brazil in unlimited numbers. In 1921 King Pedro VI assumes the throne and much like his mother will not take a great deal of interest in politics. Throughout the 1920s the empire does well economically and is a great power of the lowest rung, just below Italy.
After 1929 economic depression sets in and the 1930s are tough. Agricultural commodoties aren't doing so well and there is a push towards a more diversified economy with industry taking centre stage. Around 1930 there is an army coup led by conservative officers and the government becomes an autocratic dictatorship suppported by the army, church and aristocracy. Although appearing fascist I suspect it will be more like Salazar in Portugal and for the heck of it I'll call it the Estado Novo. In 1940 King Pedro VI dies and his son King Pedro VII assumes the throne.
The industrialisation has paid off with the economy of both Brazil and Portugal recovering throughout the 1940s with the war. In January of 1942 Japan invades Portuguese Timor and war is declared on Japan with a declaration of war on Japan and Germany shortly thereafter. Fearing a possible German invasion, troops from Brazil and Africa are sent to Portugal as well as the Azores. The King's brother Prince João is sent to Portugal as the leader of the armed forces there and to boost morale (though a secret plan to evacuate him to the Azores and then to Brazil is underway should Portugal be invaded). Although some German bombings occur, Portugal is never invaded and Brazilian and Portuguese troops take part in the allied landings in North Africa and Italy in 1943. In 1945 the United Kingdom of Portugal and Brazil becomes a permanent member of the UN and in 1949 is a founding member of NATO.
In 1950 India begins to demand the withdrawl from Goa, Damão and Dio, the three enclaves that form Portuguese India. The government of Portugal and Brazil firmly states that these are integral parts of the Portuguese nation and therefore are not a subject of negotiation. In OTL the Portuguese government had the same attitude, but this time Brazil and a much stronger Angola is in the equation. Instead of sending a mere 5,000 troops from Mozambique, 30,000 troops are sent from Brazil and Africa. A large part of the navy is sent to the Indian ocean including one aircraft carrier and a fleet is assembled in Northern Mozambique should a seaborne invasion to retake Goa have to occur.
December 18, 1961 the Indian invasion of Portuguese India began. Though unlike in OTL this time the Portuguese can put up a fight. This declaration of war by India arouses great nationalist sentiment all over the empire and young men enlist by the thousands. Having anticipated the invasion, 20,000 additional soldiers had been sent to Goa. Anti-aircraft defences were strengthened and two battleships and an aircraft carrier were sent to be alert just off of the coast of Western India. The Portuguese were able to hold Goa but Damão and Dio fell. Being NATO members the Portuguese have superior weaponry however, especially when it comes to the airforce which includes F-104 Starfighters and F-86 Sabre interceptors based at Dabolim in Goa as well as carrier-based DeHavilland Sea Vixen bombers. The Portuguese decide to occupy the Laccadive Islands and are able to sink India's sole aircraft carrier the INS Vikrant. With the Indians losing Pakistan decides to seize the oppurtunity and invade Kashmir. By mid-1962 India surrenders and Portugal and has to evacuate Damão and Dio in return for the Laccadives.
Although the war to keep the enclaves was costly, it was a great unifying force for the empire as a whole and the 1960s become a time of growing prosperity and optimism with the economy of the empire growing. The settlement of the African territories by Brazilians and Portuguese has made places like Luanda seem more like Bahia with a blend of African and Portuguese cultures.
In 1973 the empire faces a boycott by the OPEC nations since Portugal was the only NATO nation to grant the U.S. the right to use its facilities (bases in the Azores) to help supply Israel during the Yom Kippur War. Oil is being pumped from Cabinda in Angola, but it's not enough causing oil shortages. The economy begins to falter and support for the dictatorhip falters. After widespread protests the army gets involved and with the King dismisses the government. A new constitution is granted and after over 40 years democracy returns. The empire is remodelled as a federation of autonomous provinces.
King Pedro VII (who was born in 1913) is still the King of Portugal and Brazil having been on the throne since 1940. I used the actual lineage of the Portuguese and Brazilian royal houses. So based on primogeniture these are the rulers of the United Kingdom or Portugal, Brazil and Algarve.
João VI 1816-1826
Pedro IV 1826-1834
Pedro V 1834-1891
Isabel I 1891-1921
Pedro VI 1921-1940
Pedro VII 1940-