General Assembly (Brazil)
Bicameral parliament of the Empire of Brazil.
The General Assembly was the bicameral parliament of the Empire of Brazil, established by Article 14 of the Imperial Constitution. It consisted of the Chamber of Deputies (lower house) and the Senate (upper house). The first preparatory session of the Chamber of Deputies took place on April 29, 1826, and the opening session of the first legislature—a joint meeting of both chambers—occurred on May 6 of the same year.
- field
- Legislative body
- nationality
- Empire of Brazil
- established_by
- Article 14 of the Imperial Constitution
- first_preparatory_session
- April 29, 1826
- first_opening_session
- May 6, 1826
- houses
- Chamber of Deputies (lower) and Senate (upper)
Quick Facts
- Background Color
- #206B39
- Native Name
- Assembleia Geral do Império do Brasil
- Coa Pic
- Coat of arms of the General Assembly of the Empire of Brazil.png
- Coa Res
- 250px
- House Type
- Bicameral
- Houses
- Senate / Chamber of Deputies
- Foundation
- 1826-05-06
- Succeeded By
- National Congress
- Leader1 Type
- President of the Senate
- Leader1
- Marquess of Santo Amaro (first) / Paulino de Sousa (last)
- Leader2 Type
- President of the Chamber of Deputies
- Leader2
- Pereira da Nóbrega (first) / Baron of Lucena (last)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The General Assembly operated under the Imperial Constitution, which expressly provided for joint meetings of the two chambers. These joint sessions were used for the swearing in of the Emperor and Regents, for the election of a Regent when the monarch was underage or interdicted, for the annual imperial opening and closing sessions attended by the Emperor, and when there was a disagreement over a proposition between the chambers.
Reader's Guide
The General Assembly was the central legislative institution of the Empire of Brazil, embodying the constitutional framework established in 1824. Its bicameral structure—with a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate—reflected a balance between popular representation and imperial authority. Senators held lifetime mandates, chosen by the Emperor from a triple list produced by direct election, while Deputies served three-year terms and were elected indirectly until the electoral reform of 1881 introduced direct elections. The Assembly's joint sessions, particularly the imperial opening and closing sessions, underscored the Emperor's role in the legislative process. Its significance lies in its operation as the primary lawmaking body during the Brazilian Empire, shaping governance through constitutional provisions for joint meetings and electoral mechanisms.
Did You Know?
- The General Assembly was established by Article 14 of the Imperial Constitution.
- The first preparatory session of the Chamber of Deputies took place on April 29, 1826.
- Senators had a lifetime mandate, while Deputies served a three-year term.
- Until 1881, Deputies were elected indirectly; after the reform, they were elected directly.
More in Empire of Brazil 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record