Medeiros e Albuquerque


José Joaquim de Campos da Costa de Medeiros e Albuquerque was a Brazilian poet, politician, teacher, journalist, short story writer, civil servant, essayist, orator, novelist and dramatist. He is famous for writing the lyrics of the Brazilian Republic Anthem in 1890.
He founded and occupied the 22nd chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters from 1897 until his death in 1934.
He was also the President of the Academy in 1923.

Life

Albuquerque was born in 1867 in Recife, Pernambuco, the son of Dr. José Joaquim de Campos de Medeiros e Albuquerque. Initially homeschooled by his mother, he studied at the Colégio Pedro II and later in Lisbon. Returning to Brazil, he studied natural history with Émil Goeldi and was tutored by Sílvio Romero. He initially worked as a primary teacher, getting in contact with famous writers such as Francisco de Paula Ney and Pardal Mallet. In 1889 he published his first poetry books: Pecados and Canções da Decadência, of strong Symbolist influence.
In 1888 he worked for the newspaper Novidades alongside Alcindo Guanabara, defending Abolitionist ideals. With the proclamation of the Republic in Brazil, he was nominated a secretary by Aristides Lobo and a minister by Benjamin Constant Botelho de Magalhães. From 1890 onwards he became a teacher for the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes and wrote the lyrics of the Brazilian Republic Anthem.
He was a convicted atheist for most of his life, but he converted to catholicism later in life.
During his last years of life, he would write for many newspapers, using pen names such as Armando Quevedo, Atasius Noll, J. dos Santos, Max and Rifiúfio Singapura.
He died in 1934.

Works

Poetry