Configured as central-battery ironclads, they served during the 1864–70 Paraguayan War between Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay against Paraguay.

They were named after Antônio Carlos de Mariz e Barros (1835–1866), son of Joaquim José Inácio, Viscount of Inhaúma, Brazilian military officer and hero of the Paraguayan War.

The Mariz e Barros class had a pair of steam engines, each driving one propeller.

The engines produced a total of 600 indicated horsepower (450 kW) and gave the ships a maximum speed of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph).

They carried 140 tonnes (138 long tons) of coal although nothing is known about their range or endurance.