António José de Almeida
A central figure in Portugal's fragile First Republic, he served as both Prime Minister and the republic's only President to complete a full term.
1866–1929 (age 63)·President of Portugal·Birthday: July 27·The Gilded Age
Biography
António José de Almeida was a physician by training who became a linchpin of Portugal's tumultuous experiment with republicanism in the early 20th century. His political life began with fiery republican activism against the monarchy, which led to exile. After the 1910 revolution, he emerged as a leading parliamentary voice, founding the Evolutionist Party. His tenure as Prime Minister during World War I was marked by the immense strain of Portugal's involvement in the conflict. His greatest historical distinction came in 1919 when he was elected President, inheriting a nation reeling from war, economic crisis, and political violence. Against steep odds, he managed to navigate these treacherous waters and serve out his full four-year mandate—a singular achievement in the short, chaotic history of the First Republic, which would collapse just a few years after he left office.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
António was born in 1866, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When António Was Born
The biggest hits of 1866
António's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1866Born
President: Andrew Johnson
1871Started school
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1879Became a teenager
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1882Could drive
First electrical power plant opens in New York
President: Chester A. Arthur
1884Could vote
President: Chester A. Arthur
1887Turned 21
President: Grover Cleveland
1896Turned 30
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
1906Turned 40
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1916Turned 50
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Turned 60
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1929Died at 63
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
Key Achievements
- Was the only president of the Portuguese First Republic to serve a complete four-year term (1919-1923).
- Served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1916 to 1917, leading the country during World War I.
- Founded and led the Evolutionist Party, a major political faction in the early Portuguese Republic.
Did You Know?
The city of Praia in Cape Verde was originally named 'Praia de António José de Almeida' in his honor.
Before politics, he worked as a doctor and was known for his charitable medical work.
He was imprisoned and exiled to French Angola for his anti-monarchy writings as a young man.
“The Republic must be built on law, not on the whims of men.”
