Manuel Teixeira Gomes
GCSE | |
---|---|
President of Portugal | |
In office 5 October 1923 – 11 December 1925 | |
Prime Minister | António Maria da Silva António Ginestal Machado Álvaro de Castro Alfredo Rodrigues Gaspar José Domingues dos Santos Vitorino Guimarães Domingos Pereira |
Preceded by | António José de Almeida |
Succeeded by | Bernardino Machado |
Ambassador of Portugal to the United Kingdom | |
In office 19 May 1919 – 4 October 1923 | |
Nominated by | João do Canto e Castro |
Preceded by | Augusto de Vasconcelos |
Succeeded by | Augusto de Castro |
In office 8 April 1911 – 25 January 1918 | |
Nominated by | Provisional Government |
Preceded by | Marquis of Soveral |
Succeeded by | Augusto de Vasconcelos |
Ambassador of Portugal to Spain | |
In office 15 February 1919 – 24 April 1919 | |
Nominated by | João do Canto e Castro |
Preceded by | António Egas Moniz |
Succeeded by | Francisco Couceiro da Costa |
Personal details | |
Born | Portimão, Portugal | 27 May 1860
Died | 18 October 1941 Bougie, French Algeria | (aged 81)
Political party | Independent |
Domestic partner | Belmira das Neves (1899–1925) |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | University of Coimbra |
Occupation |
|
Signature | |
Manuel Teixeira Gomes,
Personal life
Manuel Teixeira Gomes was born in Vila Nova de Portimão, son of José Líbano Gomes (from Mortágua), and wife Maria da Glória Teixeira, born in Lagoa, Ferragudo. A wealthy landowner, his father was also an important dried fruit trader, a much travelled man, who had been educated in France and witnessed the 1848 revolution, had republican leanings and had been Belgian Consul in the Algarve.
Teixeira Gomes attended the Colégio de São Luís Gonzaga, Portimão, and the
In 1891 his father and other partners had set up a company called "Sindicato de Exportadores de Figos do Algarve" (Algarve Fig Exporters Union), which lasted three years. Manuel was told to find markets in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. He travelled extensively, toured Europe and lingered in Italy. He extended his cultural horizon by wandering through North Africa and Asia Minor.
The company was closed but father and son continued the business on their own. Soon their success meant that they had to enlarge their market to new areas that were familiar to them, North Africa and the Middle East, but meant that Manuel had to travel nine months of the year, returning to Portugal only during the fig picking season.
After 1895 he established new contacts with the literary circles of Lisbon. Through Fialho de Almeida he met
encouraged him to publish his first book, O Inventário de Junho, which came out in 1899.Due to his father's deteriorating health and advanced age, he spent longer periods in Portimão. During this time, he published Cartas sem Moral Nenhuma and Agosto Azul, in 1904, Sabrina Freire in 1905, Desenhos e Anedotas de João de Deus in 1907 and Gente Singular in 1909.
After he resigned his presidency on 11 December 1925, on the pretext of poor health, he went into voluntary exile on 17 December 1925, travelling to Oran, Algeria, and never returned to Portugal. In 1931 he moved to Bougie, where he lived the rest of his life, always opposing the authoritarian Estado Novo regime.
He had two natural daughters by Belmira das Neves (5 August 1886 – 26 January 1967), daughter of fisherman João de Deus and wife Quitéria das Dores, named Ana Rosa, who was born in Portimão and married José Calapez, also born in Portimão, and Maria Manuela, who was born on 7 September 1910 and married José Pearce de Azevedo (born and died Portimão). He intended to marry her but his parents did not allow him to do so.
Politics
A devout republican, he collaborated with the daily newspaper A Lucta, edited by Brito Camacho.
Following the
Teixeira Gomes ingratiated himself thoroughly with the British
Teixeira Gomes returned to Portugal in January 1918 and was put under house arrest during the dictatorship of
During his term Teixeira Gomes made unsuccessful attempts to combat terrorism and suppressed at least four major revolts (1924–1925) organized by radicals and the military. He was constantly harassed by the Nationalist Party and, unable to manage political crises, he resigned on 11 December 1925 on the pretext of poor health. He went into voluntary exile on 17 December 1925 and died in Bougie in 1941.
Literary works
Fiction:
- Gente Singular (1909)
- Novelas Eróticas (1934)
- Regressos (1935)
- Miscelânea (1937)
- Maria Adelaide (1938)
- Carnaval Literário (1939)
Theatre:
- Sabina Freire (1905)
Correspondence:
- Correspondência I e II (1960)
Chronicle / memoirs:
- Inventário de Junho (1899)
- Cartas sem Moral Nenhuma (1903)
- Agosto Azul (1904)
- Cartas a Columbano (1932)
- Londres Maravilhosa (1942)