| 28 May 1926 coup d'état | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Military procession of GeneralGomes da Costa and his troops after the 28 May 1926 Revolution | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Bernardino MachadoAntónio Maria da Silva General Peres David Rodrigues |  Mendes CabeçadasGomes da CostaSinel de Cordes Filomeno da Câmara Passos e Sousa Raul Esteves | ||||||
The28 May 1926 coup d'état, sometimes called28 May Revolution or, during the period of thecorporatistEstado Novo (English:New State), theNational Revolution (Portuguese:Revolução Nacional), was amilitary coup of anationalist origin, that put an end to the unstablePortuguese First Republic and initiated 48 years of corporatist and nationalist rule within Portugal. The regime that immediately resulted from the coup, theDitadura Nacional (National Dictatorship), would be later refashioned into theEstado Novo, which in turn would last until theCarnation Revolution in 1974.
The chronic political instability and government's neglect of the army created opportunities for military plots.[citation needed] Historians have considered that the coup had wide support, including all political parties at the time except for theDemocratic Party,Portuguese Communist Party, thePortuguese Socialist Party, theSeara Nova group,General Confederation of Labour, and theDemocratic Leftwing Republican Party.[1]
In 1925 there were three failed coup attempts: on 5 March (led by Filomeno da Câmara); 18 April (inspired bySinel de Cordes and led by Raul Esteves and Filomeno da Câmara); and 19 July (led byMendes Cabeçadas).[2] The plotters were mostly acquitted by a military court.[2][3]Óscar Carmona, acting as military prosecutor of the 18 April plot, asked that the plotters be absolved.[2] During the trial, Óscar Carmona famously asked:[3]
"Why do these men sit in the defendant bench? Because their homeland is sick and orders its best sons to be judged and tried."
The leaders of the 18 April plot were sent to theNossa Senhora da Graça Fort, where they recruited the fort's commander, Passos e Sousa, to the rebel forces.[3] The officers decided on GeneralManuel de Oliveira Gomes da Costa to lead the movement, who agreed to join the plotters on 25 May.[4]
On 27 May, General Manuel de Oliveira Gomes da Costa arrived atBraga to launch acoup d'état. The First Portuguese Republic and Prime MinisterAntónio Maria da Silva, aware of the planned coup, tried to organize resistance.
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The revolution started inBraga, commanded by General Manuel Gomes da Costa, followed immediately inPorto,Lisbon,Évora,Coimbra andSantarém.[citation needed] GeneralsSinel de Cordes, Filomeno da Câmara, Passos e Sousa, and Raul Esteves also took part in the coup, leading the provincial military forces.[2] Initially believing he failed, Gomes da Costa announced his surrender.[citation needed]
On 30 May, PresidentBernardino Machado appointedJosé Mendes Cabeçadas as head of government and minister of every ministry and on the following day transferred his powers, as president, to Cabeçadas.[2]
On 6 June, General Gomes da Costa marched onLisbon'sAvenida da Liberdade along with 15,000 men, being acclaimed by the people of the city.[2][5] Five days later, on 11 June, Cabeçadas' units in Santarém demobilized.[2] On 17 June, Gomes da Costa mobilized his units and demanded Cabeçadas' resignation.[2] Cabeçadas resigned and transferred his powers to Gomes da Costa.[2] Gomes da Costa then tried to get the ministers associated withSinel de Cordes to resign.[2] Yet, on 8 June a group of generals and colonels tried to get Gomes da Costa to accept a formal position of President, but he declined and was imprisoned on the following day.[2] Two days later he was deported to theAzores.[2] GeneralÓscar Carmona was appointed head of government and theDitadura Nacional began.[2]
