author
Manuel de Arriaga
1840–1917
A leading voice of Portuguese republicanism, he became the first elected president of the Portuguese Republic after the monarchy fell. Trained as a lawyer and known as a strong public speaker, he was also a writer and political thinker during a turbulent moment in Portugal's history.
1 Audiobook
Cantos Sagrados
by Manuel de Arriaga
About the author
Born in Horta in the Azores on July 8, 1840, Manuel de Arriaga studied law at the University of Coimbra and went on to build a career as a lawyer, professor, writer, and politician. While he came from a family with monarchist roots, he became an important advocate for republican ideas and emerged as one of the notable figures of the Portuguese Republican Party.
Arriaga played a visible role in the transition from monarchy to republic in Portugal. After the revolution of 1910 and the end of the reign of Manuel II, he became the first constitutionally elected president of the Portuguese Republic, serving from 1911 to 1915. His presidency unfolded during a period of deep political instability, when the new regime was still trying to define itself.
Remembered as an eloquent speaker and a major early republican statesman, Arriaga remains closely tied to the founding years of modern Portugal's republic. He died in Lisbon on March 5, 1917.