He served as President of the Ministry (Prime Minister), being the second last before the 5 October republican coup d'état that established the Portuguese First Republic.

He was the author of the regulating code for the creation and functioning of commercial societies in Portugal (1888).

On 22 December 1909 he was named President of the Ministry (Prime Minister) by young king Manuel II of Portugal.

However, his government did not last long as it was followed by a political scandal related to the Crédito Predial Bank that implicated several of his ministers.

After the proclamation of the Portuguese Republic on 5 October 1910 he abandoned political life and continued working as a lawyer and attorney.