Tiradentes

Brazilian revolutionary leader who became a symbol of independence against Portuguese colonial rule

Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes (1746–1792), was a Brazilian dentist and militia officer whose leadership in the Inconfidência Mineira conspiracy made him a martyr for independence. Though executed by the Portuguese crown before Brazil's actual independence, his trial and public execution on April 21, 1792 became a rallying point for later independence movements. His writings advocating for a republic instead of monarchy were smuggled into circulation through underground networks, influencing Dom Pedro I's eventual declaration of independence in 1822. The Brazilian government honored him by naming its highest civilian honor - the Order of Tiradentes - after him, and his statue stands in Rio de Janeiro's Cinelândia Square. His life story is dramatized in the 2016 historical drama 《Tiradentes: O Último Idealista》, while his philosophical essays are collected in 《Pensamentos de Tiradentes》. Historian Boris Fausto argues in his 1999 book 《A Concise History of Brazil》 that Tiradentes' martyrdom 'accelerated the erosion of colonial authority by 30 years.' His legacy is annually celebrated on April 24 as National Sovereignty Day, with educational programs at the Tiradentes Museum in Vila Rica (now Ouro Preto) highlighting his role in early republican thought.