In 1855, the Countess of Barral consolidated her ties with the imperial family, particularly with Dona Francisca, the sister of Dom Pedro II.

• Handwritten letter from the Countess of Barral addressed to an unknown recipient.
• A sheet of paper, a handwritten page.
• In Portuguese.
• 13.2 cm x 20.2 cm.
• Bahia, August 18, 1855.
• In good condition.
• Unique piece.

Transcription

Dear Sir

I have the honor of greeting you today.
Your Excellency, and to ask you to continue with a
the favor that his predecessor did for me every day
months, and it will be forwarding my letters to
Our Princess and Lady Francisca, and
I also share some with my friends. I take advantage of this opportunity.
On this occasion, we would like to offer Your Excellency our small gifts.
services in this province, and the lengths
different from my husband.

I am Your Excellency's

Countess of Barral
Bahia, August 18, 1855

The relationship between the Countess of Barral (1816–1891) and the Brazilian royal family was remarkable: she was tutor to the children of Dom Pedro II and a close friend of Princess Isabel, whom she significantly influenced in her personal life and upbringing. Furthermore, she established a relationship of trust with Dom Pedro II, which generated rumors at the time about a possible more intimate relationship between the two, although this was never proven.

The Countess brought modern European ideas about behavior and education to the Brazilian court, contributing to the intellectual and moral formation of the members of the imperial family. Although she did not directly engage in politics, her close relationship with Princess Isabel suggests that she participated in discussions about abolitionism and social issues, becoming an important influence on the progressive changes that occurred in imperial Brazil. In the last years of her life, the Countess of Barral retired to France, where she lived until her death in 1891 (the same year as the death of Dom Pedro II).

Although the recipient of this letter remains unknown, the mention of Dona Francisca, sister of Dom Pedro II, testifies to the close ties between the author and the imperial family. Francisca Carolina moved to France after her marriage to the Prince of Joinville, but maintained close relations with Brazil. The Countess of Barral, with her strong connection to the court and her European education, likely acted as a communication channel to facilitate the exchange of information between Francisca and her family in Brazil. Letters from the Countess of Barral are rare and coveted, making this document a precious testimony to the history of imperial Brazil.