Ever wish you could ask a 19th-century scholar, "Hey, what are the absolute key moments in Brazilian history?" This book is essentially the answer. Published in 1864, it's exactly what the title promises: a chronological index of the most notable facts. Author Agostinho Perdigão Malheiro, a respected jurist and politician, meticulously listed events year-by-year, starting with Pedro Álvares Cabral's arrival in 1500 and running right up to the contemporary events of the Brazilian Empire under Dom Pedro II.

The Story

There's no traditional narrative with characters and dialogue. The 'plot' is the relentless march of time itself. Each entry is a concise note—a battle won, a treaty signed, a city founded, a rebellion quelled. You see the Portuguese colony take shape, struggle through conflicts with European rivals and indigenous peoples, and finally transform into an independent empire. The real story is in the selection: what Malheiro chose to include (and omit) reveals what a learned man of his era believed defined a nation's journey.

Why You Should Read It

This isn't for learning detailed analysis. It's for feeling the rhythm of history. Flipping through the pages, you get a powerful sense of scale and momentum. You see patterns of exploration, conflict, and state-building repeat across centuries. It’s strangely gripping to follow this bare-bones timeline and let your imagination fill in the dramatic gaps between each terse, factual entry. It makes history feel immediate and tangible.

Final Verdict

Perfect for history buffs who already know the basics and want a primary-source perspective, or for anyone curious about how history was recorded and understood in the 1800s. It's a reference book, but a profoundly thought-provoking one. If you enjoy connecting dots and pondering what makes an event 'notable,' this century-and-a-half-old index will give you plenty to think about.