Bloody Night
Encyclopedia
'Bloody Night' is the name by which the radical revolt that took place in Lisbon
, on the night of October 19, 1921, became known. During the Bloody Night, amongst others, were murdered then-Head of Government António Granjo
; politician Machado Santos and José Carlos da Maia (both of them were part of the October 5, 1910 coup d'état
that established the Portuguese First Republic
); secretary to the Minister of the Navy, commander Freitas da Silva; and colonel Botelho de Vasconcelos, supporter of Sidónio Pais
.
This insurrection took place on the night of October 19, 1921 (a few days after the eleventh anniversary of the "Proclamation of the Republic"), when a group of armymen uprose against the dismissal of the Government headed by Liberato Damião Ribeiro Pinto, protector of the Guarda Nacional Republicana (Republican National Guard). The upheaval ended up in the Bloody Night, the murder of some of the most influential figures of the Republic. The upheaval was headed by colonel Manuel Maria Coelho
, and he was joined by Camilo de Oliveira and Cortês dos Santos (both G.N.R. officers) and captain Procópio de Freitas.
With no possibility of resistance, the Government headed by António Granjo
presented its resigning to António José de Almeida
(then-President of the Republic
). Granjo hid in Francisco Pinto da Cunha Leal's house, who was close to the revolutionary movement. When the firebrands found him, they took him to the Navy Arsenal (the revolutionary headquarters) and shot him dead. The very same happened to other important Republican figures, such as Machado Santos, José Carlos da Maia and Botelho de Vasconcelos, all kidnapped by a "ghost truck" that drove across Lisbon that night.
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...
, on the night of October 19, 1921, became known. During the Bloody Night, amongst others, were murdered then-Head of Government António Granjo
António Granjo
António Joaquim Granjo was a Portuguese lawyer and politician.He was a republican from his youth, and was a member of the National Constituent Assembly, elected on 28 May 1911...
; politician Machado Santos and José Carlos da Maia (both of them were part of the October 5, 1910 coup d'état
5 October 1910 revolution
The revolution of 1910 was a republican coup d'état that occurred in Portugal on 5 October 1910, which deposed King Manuel II and established the Portuguese First Republic....
that established the Portuguese First Republic
Portuguese First Republic
The Portuguese First Republic spans a complex 16 year period in the history of Portugal, between the end of the period of constitutional monarchy marked by the 5 October 1910 revolution and the 28 May coup d'état of 1926...
); secretary to the Minister of the Navy, commander Freitas da Silva; and colonel Botelho de Vasconcelos, supporter of Sidónio Pais
Sidónio Pais
Sidónio Bernardino Cardoso da Silva Pais was a Portuguese politician and diplomat, the fourth President in 1918. He was known as the President-King.-Family:...
.
This insurrection took place on the night of October 19, 1921 (a few days after the eleventh anniversary of the "Proclamation of the Republic"), when a group of armymen uprose against the dismissal of the Government headed by Liberato Damião Ribeiro Pinto, protector of the Guarda Nacional Republicana (Republican National Guard). The upheaval ended up in the Bloody Night, the murder of some of the most influential figures of the Republic. The upheaval was headed by colonel Manuel Maria Coelho
Manuel Maria Coelho
Manuel Maria Coelho was a Portuguese military officer of the Portuguese Army and politician during the period of the Portuguese First Republic. Among other posts, he served as governor of Angola...
, and he was joined by Camilo de Oliveira and Cortês dos Santos (both G.N.R. officers) and captain Procópio de Freitas.
With no possibility of resistance, the Government headed by António Granjo
António Granjo
António Joaquim Granjo was a Portuguese lawyer and politician.He was a republican from his youth, and was a member of the National Constituent Assembly, elected on 28 May 1911...
presented its resigning to António José de Almeida
António José de Almeida
António José de Almeida, GCTE, GCA, GCC, GCSE, , son of José António de Almeida and wife Maria Rita das Neves, was a Portuguese political figure...
(then-President of the Republic
President of the Republic
The President of the Republic is a title used for heads of government or heads of state in some republics:*President of Argentina, the Presidente de la República Argentina* President of Brazil, the Presidente da República Federativa do Brasil...
). Granjo hid in Francisco Pinto da Cunha Leal's house, who was close to the revolutionary movement. When the firebrands found him, they took him to the Navy Arsenal (the revolutionary headquarters) and shot him dead. The very same happened to other important Republican figures, such as Machado Santos, José Carlos da Maia and Botelho de Vasconcelos, all kidnapped by a "ghost truck" that drove across Lisbon that night.