House of Braganza him the nickname the "Grandfather of Europe" ("see Descendants of Miguel I of Portugal"). On 7 September 1822, Dom Pedro of Braganza, Prince Royal of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves, member of the House of Braganza, heir apparent to the Portuguese throne and Regent of the Kingdom of Brazil, declared the country's independence from the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves and was acclaimed Emperor of Brazil. On 12 October, the prince was acclaimed Pedro I, first Emperor of the newly created Empire of Brazil, a constitutional monarchy. In 1825, signing the treaty of Rio de Janeiro of
Princess Pia Maria of Orléans-Braganza Princess Pia Maria of Orléans-Braganza Princess Pia Maria of Orléans-Braganza (; 4 March 191324 October 2000) was a Princess and member of the House of Orléans-Braganza and the Brazilian Imperial Family. With the premature death of her father, Prince Luís of Orléans-Bragzna, in 1920, and the following year, the death of her grandmother, Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil, in 1921, Pia Maria's older brother Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza claimed the title Prince Imperial of Brazil in 1920, and the position of head of the Imperial House of Brazil in 1921. At the time of the latter claim, Prince Pedro