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Manuel Jose de ArriagaPortuguese politician, lawyer, writer
Date of Birth: 08.07.1840
Country:  Portugal |
Content:
Manuel de Arriaga
Manuel de Arriaga (1840-1917), a distinguished Portuguese politician, lawyer, and writer, holds the honor of being the first president of the Portuguese Republic.
Early Life and Education
Arriaga was born into an aristocratic family in Horta, Azores. He pursued his legal studies at the University of Coimbra from 1860 to 1865, where he became deeply influenced by positivism and republicanism, actively participating in philosophical and political debates.
Professional Career
Upon completing his studies, Arriaga worked as an English teacher from 1866. Subsequently, he established a private law practice. A decade later, he became a member of the Commission for the Reform of Secondary Education.
Political Involvement
As a staunch republican and a skilled orator, Arriaga was elected as a deputy for Madeira four times. In 1891, he joined the leadership of the Portuguese Republican Party. Notably, he maintained amicable relations with the Roman Catholic Church, setting him apart from many other republicans.
Presidency
Following the 1910 revolution, Arriaga served as rector of the University of Coimbra and as Portugal's Attorney General. In 1911, he secured victory in the presidential elections. During his presidency, he implemented various bourgeois-democratic reforms and advocated for Portugal's neutrality in World War I.
