April Revolt

On 30 April 1824, Infante Miguel, who had been appointed generalissimo of the Portuguese Army, had top civilian and military people of the country arrested and placed in the dungeons of the Castle of São Jorge and the Tower of Belém.

Among them stood out the figures of the Quartermaster-General of Police, Baron Rendufe, Pedro de Sousa Holstein, 1st Duke of Palmela (then in government in coalition with Manuel Inácio Martins Pamplona Corte Real, 1st Count of Subserra) and the Viscount of Santa Marta.

Various military corps were then sent to the former Palace of the Inquisition, (where the D. Maria II National Theatre stands today), in Rossio, Lisbon, then installing its headquarters.

He achieved, thereby, an agreement that brought back the troops to barracks, but that the detainees remain imprisoned, with the exception of Palmela, who took refuge in a British ship, continuing the political and military instability.

In May, diplomats helped King John VI to take refuge on the British ship Windsor Castle, where he took a series of measures: he deposed Prince Miguel from his position as head of the Army, ordered the release of political prisoners and the capture of the supporters of his son, who was summoned to come aboard.