David’s Reviews > Empire Adrift: The Portuguese Court in Rio de Janeiro, 1808-1821 > Status Update

What an unsympathetic cast of characters are the Portuguese royals!

"This had been no new beginning, but an extended pause -- a moment of delusion in an era of protracted imperial decline."

Masters sent their slaves to say Ave Marias for them. Why not? Cariocas had slaves performing every other chore.

How can you tell the Portuguese from the Brazilians? The Portuguese never wash themselves; the Brazilians are fastidious.

Surprisingly, the ice skates exported to Brazil by the British found no market -- but eventually the blades saw use as curious door handles.

Dom João ate 3 chickens/meal. When you're king there's no one gonna tell you how many chickens you cans or canst eats.

Dona Carlota almost hit the jackpot but missed out on the chance to go from neglected Portuguese princess to Spanish queen. Monarchy is crazy!

Literally a crazy form of government: in England, mad George III, in Portugal, mad Maria I. In the US, thanks to democracy, we have assholes in power more often than idiots.

Power is so much a matter of theater, and now in the Brazilian city of Salvador arrive the legendary royals of the mother country -- out of the blue -- destitute, in filthy clothes, literally lousy. "Something of the mystery of colonial power was destroyed forever on that day," says the author.

Off with their wigs! And their hair: even royal heads were shaved to combat the plague of lice.