* The Emperor Pedro II (1825–92), was 32 at the time. The Brazilian Empire was a constitutional monarchy, in which, however, the Emperor wielded considerable power. Part of this was symbolic, as this scene demonstrates: in a real sense, he commanded the allegiance of his subjects. Dom Pedro had the reputation of being a patient, studious man, and was a great admirer of modern science and progress—a fact also in evidence in this chapter.