Portugal approves its first Constitution

Background. The Liberal Revolution of 1820 erupted in Porto and spread to Lisbon, demanding the return of the royal court from Brazil and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. Influenced by the Spanish Trienio Liberal, the revolutionaries sought to restore metropolitan dignity. The Constituent Cortes convened in January 1821, initiating a constitutional period that culminated in the ratification of the 1822 Constitution.

Approval and Allegiance. The constitution was approved on 23 September 1822. King John VI, who had returned to Lisbon in April 1821, was required to swear loyalty to the new document. The Cortes concluded its work after the King swore allegiance in October 1822. This event marked the formal transition from absolutism to a constitutional framework, although the constitution's actual enforcement was limited to brief periods.

Legacy and Suspension. The 1822 Constitution was fundamental to the history of democracy in Portugal, despite being in force only for two brief periods. It was suspended during the Vilafrancada uprising in 1823 when John VI never reintroduced it. The document was eventually replaced by the Constitutional Charter of 1826, marking the end of the initial constitutional experiment initiated by the 1820 revolution.