| Isabel of Brazil | |
|---|---|
| |
| Empress of Brazil | |
| Reign | 5 December 1891 – 14 November 1921 |
| Coronation | 7 January 1892 |
| Predecessor | Pedro II |
| Successor | Pedro III |
| Born | 29 July 1846 Palace of São Cristóvão Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Died | 14 November 1921 (aged 75) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Full name | |
| Isabel Cristina Leopoldina Augusta Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga | |
| House | Bragança |
| Father | Pedro II of Brazil |
| Mother | Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Dona Isabel or Elizabeth (29 July 1846 – 14 November 1921) was the Empress of Brazil from 1891 to 1921 and the country's third monarch since the establishment of the Empire.
Isabel ascended the throne during an era of instability caused by republican movements across Brazil, and initially had low popularity for being a woman. Having been well oriented by her father in his last years, however, Isabel proved capable of dealing with those difficulties by quelling the rebellions and maintaining the country's prosperity.
After the end of the Republican Insurrection in 1895, she became a respected monarch and was responsible for modernising the country by introducing several innovations.
During the 1900s and 1910s, Isabel was an active promoter of women's rights. The feminine suffrage was introduced during her reign in 1910. Many historians believe that the Isabellan era marked a change in the Brazilian society from the 19th-century sexist views towards a more socially progressive country.
Isabel was against Brazil's participation in the Great War (1914–18), but eventually ceded to international pressure and authorised the involvement of the Imperial Armed Forces in some battles.
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