In 1808, the Portuguese court, fleeing from Napoleon’s invasion of Portugal during the Peninsular War in a large fleet escorted by the British, moved the government to Brazil ending a 308 year of colonial rule. Rio de Janeiro became the Empire Capital and the Portuguese king ruled his huge empire for 13 years from the Passo Imperial Palace, an old colonial building ocean front in Rio de Janeiro downtown, and there he would have remained for the rest of his life if it were not for the turmoil aroused in Portugal due, among other reasons, to his long stay in Brazil after the end of Napoleon’s reign. Read the full story