In 1855, the Countess of Barral consolidated her ties with the imperial family, in particular with D. Francisca, the sister of Dom Pedro II.

• Handwritten letter from the Countess of Barral addressed to an unknown recipient.
• A sheet, 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 come today to have the honor of greeting
to Your Excellency and to ask you to continue a
gift that his predecessor did me every
months, and will forward my letters to
Our Princess and Lady D. Francisca, and
also some to my friends. I take advantage
this occasion to offer Your Excellency our little
services in this province, and the lengths
distinct from my husband.

I am Your Excellency's

Countess of Barral
Bahia, August 18, 1855

The relationship of the Countess of Barral (1816–1891) with the Brazilian royal family was remarkable: she was the tutor of the children of Dom Pedro II and a close friend of Princess Isabel, whose personal life and education she significantly influenced. In addition, she established a relationship of trust with Dom Pedro II, which gave rise to rumors at the time about a possible closer 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 development of the members of the imperial family. Although she was not directly involved in politics, her closeness to 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 Dom Pedro II's death).

Although the recipient of this letter remains unknown, the mention of D. 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 ties to the court and her European education, probably acted as a channel of communication 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.