The Maria da Fonte Revolt and the Septemberist Uprising (1846–1847) – The Last Liberal Conflict in Portugal

By the mid-19th century, Portugal remained politically unstable, with factions of liberals—moderates (Chartists) and radicals (Setembristas)—continuing to struggle for control. This instability erupted into the Maria da Fonte Revolt (1846) and the subsequent Septemberist Uprising (1846–1847), pushing the country to the brink of another civil war.

The Maria da Fonte Revolt (April–May 1846)

• The Maria da Fonte movement originated in Minho, where women traditionally played a key role in churchyard burials.
• When Prime Minister Costa Cabral imposed new cemetery regulations, restricting traditional Catholic burial practices, rural women and their communities protested against what they saw as an attack on their religious customs.
• The protests grew into an armed rural revolt, spreading throughout the north of Portugal, supported by the rural nobility and clergy.
• Costa Cabral’s government, unable to suppress the revolt, collapsed on May 20, 1846.

The Political Crisis – A Divided Government and the Septemberist Uprising

• The new government, led by the Duke of Palmela, was a fragile coalition of radicals and moderates.
• To calm tensions, the government rescinded the cemetery regulations.
• However, Palmela’s decision to call for new elections in October 1846 to unite the moderates triggered a backlash from the radicals (Septemberists).

The Septemberist Uprising (October 1846 – June 1847)

• The Septemberists, strongest in Porto, revolted against the government, establishing a provisional junta.
• The new Prime Minister, the Duke of Saldanha, attempted to suppress the uprising, but it spread beyond Porto to other regions.
• With Portugal on the verge of another civil war, Queen Maria II turned to the Quadruple Alliance (Britain, France, Spain, and Portugal’s liberal factions) for support.

The Intervention of the Quadruple Alliance (1847) and the End of the Crisis

• The Quadruple Alliance imposed a naval blockade on Portugal and sent troops, forcing the Septemberists to surrender.
• On June 29, 1847, a peace agreement was signed, ending the conflict.
• Saldanha resigned, and Costa Cabral returned to power, marking the end of the Septemberist challenge.

Conclusion – The Last Liberal Civil Conflict in Portugal

The Maria da Fonte Revolt and the Septemberist Uprising were the last major liberal conflicts in Portugal, showing the deep divide between radicals and moderates even after the Liberal Wars. Although Costa Cabral’s return signified a victory for the moderates, political instability and factional struggles would continue to shape Portugal’s political landscape throughout the 19th century.