Alberto Monsaraz
Encyclopedia
Alberto de Morés Monsaraz (28 February 1889, Lisbon
- 23 January 1959) was a Portuguese
politician and poet. He was one of the central figures in the Integralismo Lusitano
that dominated the far right
of Portuguese politics during the early years of the twentieth century.
, he was the son of the poet António de Macedo Papança, who became the first Conde de Monsaraz in 1910. In 1907 the young Monsarz began studying law whilst also writing for the right-wing journal Pátria Nova. As a result of his involvement in monarchist politics it would be 1915 before he finally graduated.
for his involvement and fell in with other like-minded individuals in the French
capital who had also been expelled from Portugal. He was the founder of Integralismo Lusitano
in 1914 along with José Hipólito Raposo
, José Adriano Pequito Rebelo
and António Sardinha
. Independently wealthy due to coming from a leading family, Monsaraz was involved in funding a number of journals associated with the new movement, inclduing Nação Portuguesa, Ideia Nacional and A Monarquista.
Monsaraz took part in Paiva Couceiro's second rebellion of 1919 but was wounded in this conflict and lost a kidney, a fact that impaired his health for the rest of his life. Nonetheless he continued his involvement in Integralism and sat on the Junta Central of the movement. He would become closely associated with Luís de Almeida Braga
in their support for Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza
. The issue of succession proved a divisive one, with different elements within the movement supporting different candidates for the throne, and in 1925 Monsaraz resigned from the Junta Central as part of these problems.
and his disciple Georges Valois
and soon became converted to national syndicalism
as a result. He went on to become a leading figure in the Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista, becoming Secretary-General of the blue-shirted movement in 1933. However Monsaraz was exiled to Spain
along with Francisco Rolão Preto
in 1935 when António de Oliveira Salazar
stepped up his persecution of the National Syndicalists.
, declaring Adolf Hitler
to be his political idol. However this fervour did not last long and by 1936, when he returned to Portugal, Monsaraz had come full circle and was once again advocating Integralism. He remained a strong critic of Salazar, refusing to even mention his name and instead referring to him as "the orator of Sala do Risco", although by this time Monsaraz's political influence had all but ended.
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
- 23 January 1959) was a Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
politician and poet. He was one of the central figures in the Integralismo Lusitano
Integralismo Lusitano
Integralismo Lusitano was a Portuguese integralist political movement, founded in Coimbra in 1914, that advocated traditionalism but not conservatism. It was against parliamentarism; instead, it favored decentralization, national syndicalism, the Roman Catholic Church, and the monarchy...
that dominated the far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
of Portuguese politics during the early years of the twentieth century.
Early years
Born in LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, he was the son of the poet António de Macedo Papança, who became the first Conde de Monsaraz in 1910. In 1907 the young Monsarz began studying law whilst also writing for the right-wing journal Pátria Nova. As a result of his involvement in monarchist politics it would be 1915 before he finally graduated.
Integralism
Like many young monarchists at the time Monsaraz fell in behind Henrique Mitchell de Paiva Couceiro and took part in his monarchist incursion in 1911. He was exiled to ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
for his involvement and fell in with other like-minded individuals in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
capital who had also been expelled from Portugal. He was the founder of Integralismo Lusitano
Integralismo Lusitano
Integralismo Lusitano was a Portuguese integralist political movement, founded in Coimbra in 1914, that advocated traditionalism but not conservatism. It was against parliamentarism; instead, it favored decentralization, national syndicalism, the Roman Catholic Church, and the monarchy...
in 1914 along with José Hipólito Raposo
José Hipólito Raposo
José Hipólito Raposo was a Portuguese politician, writer, lawyer and historian.-Integralism:He was educated at the University of Coimbra before taking up practice as a lawyer...
, José Adriano Pequito Rebelo
José Adriano Pequito Rebelo
José Adriano Pequito Rebelo was a Portuguese writer, politician and aviator.-Early life:...
and António Sardinha
António Sardinha
António Sardinha was a Portuguese writer and the main intellectual behind the Integralismo Lusitano movement. He espoused as a strongly conservative world view which has been characterised as an early fascism.-Early politics:Sardinha graduated in law from the University of Coimbra in 1911...
. Independently wealthy due to coming from a leading family, Monsaraz was involved in funding a number of journals associated with the new movement, inclduing Nação Portuguesa, Ideia Nacional and A Monarquista.
Monsaraz took part in Paiva Couceiro's second rebellion of 1919 but was wounded in this conflict and lost a kidney, a fact that impaired his health for the rest of his life. Nonetheless he continued his involvement in Integralism and sat on the Junta Central of the movement. He would become closely associated with Luís de Almeida Braga
Luís de Almeida Braga
Luís Carlos de Lima de Almeida Braga was a Portuguese writer and politician who has one of the leading figures within the Integralismo Lusitano movement.-Early years:...
in their support for Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza
Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza
Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza was a claimant to the throne of Portugal from 1920 until his death.-Birth:...
. The issue of succession proved a divisive one, with different elements within the movement supporting different candidates for the throne, and in 1925 Monsaraz resigned from the Junta Central as part of these problems.
National Syndicalism
Following his resignation Monsaraz began to read the works of Georges SorelGeorges Sorel
Georges Eugène Sorel was a French philosopher and theorist of revolutionary syndicalism. His notion of the power of myth in people's lives inspired Marxists and Fascists. It is, together with his defense of violence, the contribution for which he is most often remembered. Oron J...
and his disciple Georges Valois
Georges Valois
Georges Valois was a French journalist and politician.-Life and career:Born in a working-class and peasant family, Georges Valois went to Singapore at the age of 17, returning to Paris in 1898. In his early years he was an Anarcho-syndicalist...
and soon became converted to national syndicalism
National syndicalism
National syndicalism is a nationalist variant of syndicalism.- Founding of national syndicalism in France :National syndicalism was founded in France by the fusion of Maurrassian integral nationalism with Sorelian syndicalism. Interest in Sorelian thought arose in the French political right,...
as a result. He went on to become a leading figure in the Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista, becoming Secretary-General of the blue-shirted movement in 1933. However Monsaraz was exiled to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
along with Francisco Rolão Preto
Francisco Rolão Preto
Francisco de Barcelos Rolão Preto, GCIH was a Portuguese politician, journalist, and leader of the Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista .-The national syndicalists:...
in 1935 when António de Oliveira Salazar
António de Oliveira Salazar
António de Oliveira Salazar, GColIH, GCTE, GCSE served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1932 to 1968. He also served as acting President of the Republic briefly in 1951. He founded and led the Estado Novo , the authoritarian, right-wing government that presided over and controlled Portugal...
stepped up his persecution of the National Syndicalists.
Later years
Monsaraz initially became even stronger in his national syndicalism and for a brief spell looked to NazismNazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, declaring Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
to be his political idol. However this fervour did not last long and by 1936, when he returned to Portugal, Monsaraz had come full circle and was once again advocating Integralism. He remained a strong critic of Salazar, refusing to even mention his name and instead referring to him as "the orator of Sala do Risco", although by this time Monsaraz's political influence had all but ended.