Cartista

A Cartista was a member of a political movement in Portugal during the first half of the 19th century. The term refers to supporters of the Constitutional Charter of 1826 (Carta Constitucional), granted by King Pedro IV (also Emperor Pedro I of Brazil) to replace the more liberal Constitution of 1822.

The Carta Constitucional established a constitutional monarchy with a balance of power between the crown and a bicameral parliament. It created a Chamber of Deputies, elected by indirect suffrage based on property qualifications, and a Chamber of Peers, composed of hereditary peers and members appointed for life by the king. The monarch held significant powers, including the power to veto legislation and appoint and dismiss ministers.

Cartismo, the political ideology associated with the Cartistas, advocated for a conservative form of constitutionalism, emphasizing royal authority and maintaining a limited franchise. They generally represented the interests of the aristocracy, the high clergy, and the wealthier bourgeoisie. The Cartistas were frequently opposed by the more liberal vintistas, who supported the Constitution of 1822 and advocated for greater popular sovereignty and democratic reforms. The rivalry between Cartistas and vintistas led to periods of political instability and civil war in Portugal during the 19th century. The Carta Constitucional remained in effect, with some periods of suspension and modification, until the establishment of the Portuguese Republic in 1910.