July 27, 2013 <Back to Index>
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António José de Almeida, GCTE, GCA, GCC, GCSE, (Penacova, São Pedro de Alva, July 27, 1866 - Lisbon, October 31, 1929), son of José António de Almeida and wife Maria Rita das Neves, was a Portuguese political figure. He served as the sixth President of Portugal from 1919 until 1923. He studied medicine at the University of Coimbra becoming a medical doctor and during his term as Minister for the Interior, he was the founder of both the University of Lisbon and the University of Porto in 1911. He was one of the most eloquent republican tribunes, and, after the Republic proclamation, as interior minister he led the moderate wing of the Portuguese Republican Party, that opposed Afonso Costa. The moderates elected Manuel de Arriaga for first elected President, in 24 August 1911, defeating Afonso Costa's candidate, Bernardino Machado. António José de Almeida founded his own party, the Republican Evolutionist Party, that was in the opposition. On June 12, 1916 he became the 6th Minister for Finance and also the 96th Prime Minister of Portugal. Later, both the Republican Evolutionist Party and the Republican Union, Manuel de Brito Camacho's party, joined to form the new Republican Liberal Party, in 1919, that went on to win the legislative elections. In 6 August 1919, António José de Almeida was elected the 6th President of the Republic, and was the only President of the 1st Republic, that completed the full four years mandate. He faced the greatest political instability of the regime and almost resigned. He was also remembered for his voyage to Brazil, in 1922, during the country's 100 years independence birthday, where he was noted as a brilliant speaker. He married on December 14, 1910 to Maria Joana de Morais Perdigão Queiroga, daughter with her younger sisters Antónia and Catarina of Joaquim José Perdigão Queiroga (b. Évora) and first wife Maria Cândida de Morais and half - sister of Perdigão Queiroga, and on December 27, 1911 they had an only daughter Maria Teresa Queiroga de Almeida, married to medical doctor Júlio Gomes da Cunha de Abreu and had issue. |