The Rossio Massacre () took place on the evening of 13 March 1838, when forces loyal to the Portuguese government of Prime Minister Sá da Bandeira put down a revolt by radical sections of the National Guard and their supporters, who were gathered in Rossio Square in central Lisbon. Around 100 people were killed, and an unknown number injured. Contemporary accounts agree on the events leading up to the massacre, but differ in their description of how it took place and who the victims were.
Background
The leaders of the National Guard were closely connected with the opposition press and the radical liberal political clubs of Lisbon. The September Revolution had taken place when the National Guard, assembled illegally in Rossio Square, had thrown its support behind the crowds of Lisbon calling for a restoration of the Constitution of 1822. This constitution had provided for a single legislative chamber and direct elections on a relatively broad franchise. The Constitutional Charter of 1826, in force at the time of the September Revolution, involved indirect elections that could easily be manipulated by the government, and an upper chamber, the House of Peers.
The National Guard had also been ready to defend the September Revolution in November 1836, when the Belenzada palace coup had threatened to overthrow the government. In response, Sá da Bandeira had mustered the National Guard at the Campo de Ourique and made ready to march on the royal palace of Belém. While the coup was underway, it was a member of the National Guard who had shot and killed Agostinho José Freire. No one was ever brought to justice for this murder and this impunity was a source of deep unease to many ministers and members of the Constituent Congress.
In March 1838 the Congress was debating the electoral system to be followed under the new draft constitution, which included the question of whether the vote should be taken away from those who had enjoyed it since 1822. As debates wore on, public unrest grew over the slow progress towards a new constitution and the ineffectiveness of the government.
Revolt of the National Guard
Matters eventually came to a head with the resignation of the War Minister, the Baron de Bonfim. The radical clubs and the National Guard feared that this would allow Queen Maria II to appoint a new cabinet that would reimpose the Constitutional Charter of 1826. This, they agreed, would be a betrayal of the September Revolution.
On 4 March 1838 the civil governor of Lisbon and commander of the National Guard, Francisco Soares Caldeira, invited the corps commanders to sign a petition asking the Queen not to appoint any ministers who were not loyal to the values of the September Revolution. Although most refused, the Arsenal battalion led by Ricardo José Rodrigues França agreed. The following day the battalion sent a statement to the Constituent Congress announcing their loyalty to the Queen and their lack of confidence in the government.
On 8 March it became known that on the previous day the Queen had dismissed Soares Caldeira and replaced him as civil Governor of Lisbon with António Bernardo da Costa Cabral. In protest, on the morning of 9 March, the insurrectionary Guard battalions under França occupied the Arsenal building. Government troops under the Baron de Bonfim were ordered from the Largo da Estrela down into the city, where they surrounded the Arsenal. To avoid fighting both sides agreed to talks.
The Convention of Marcos Filipe
Discussions took place between França and the Visconde do Reguengo in a coffee house across the street from the Arsenal named the Marcos Filipe after its late owner. The agreement they reached was therefore known as "the Convention of Marcos Filipe." It contained four points:
the rebels would leave the Arsenal at 3pm. a guard would remain at the door of the Arsenal, chosen from the National Guard as soon as the rebels marched away, the government troops would do the same no action would be taken against those taking part in the day's events.
With this agreement, the National Guard left the Arsenal accompanied by a large number of people cheering França and Caldeira, and marched to Rossio Square, where they dispersed. However that evening Sá da Bandeira dismissed França and abolished the rebellious battalions of the Guard as well. On the morning of 10 March large numbers of angry guardsmen gathered near the Arsenal claiming that the dismissal of França and the dissolution of the Arsenal battalion violated the Convention.