Afonso Augusto da Costa

Afonso Costa was a Portuguese lawyer, professor and republican politician who played a prominent role in the establishment and consolidation of the Portuguese First Republic. He was born in Seia, Portugal, on 6 March 1871, as a son of unknown parents. He was given up at birth as a foundling at the baby hatch of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia, a charitable institution. He was registered as Afonso Maria de Ligório and adopted by Manuel José Mendes and Maria do Rosário de Almeida, a poor couple who lived in the same town. Ten years later, his biological parents, Sebastião Fernandes da Costa and Ana Augusta Pereira, recognized him and his brother and sister, who were also abandoned at birth. They married and readopted the children. Afonso re-assumed his birth name in order to conceal the circumstances of his birth. Afonso Costa showed great intellectual abilities from an early age. He attended the Liceu Nacional in Coimbra, where he distinguished himself as a student. He then enrolled in the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra, where he graduated with honors in 1890. He became a professor of law at the same faculty in 1892. He also practiced law in Lisbon and Guarda. He was a member of freemasonry and a militant republican. He joined the Portuguese Republican Party in 1891 and became one of its leaders. He was elected as a deputy to the Chamber of Deputies several times during the last years of the monarchy. He was a fierce critic of the royal government and advocated for a democratic republic based on universal suffrage, civil liberties and social justice. After the 5 October 1910 revolution that overthrew King Manuel II and proclaimed the republic, Afonso Costa was appointed as Minister for Justice in the provisional government led by Teófilo Braga. He was responsible for drafting and signing the controversial laws that expelled the Jesuits from Portugal, abolished all religious orders, nationalized their properties and established the separation of church and state. These measures provoked strong opposition from the Catholic Church and conservative sectors of society. Costa also introduced many progressive reforms, such as those concerning divorce, family relations, civil registry of marriage, leases of property, judicial reorganization, industrial accidents and censorship of the press. Afonso Costa served as Prime Minister of Portugal three times during the First Republic. The first time, he was called by President Manuel de Arriaga to form a government, as the leader of the Republican Democratic Party, a faction that split from the original Republican Party. This term of office lasted from 9 January 1913 to 9 February 1914. He combined this role with that of Finance Minister. He faced several challenges, such as social unrest, economic difficulties, political instability and foreign threats. He tried to implement fiscal reforms, reduce public spending, improve public services and defend national interests abroad. He also promoted public education, social welfare and cultural initiatives. He returned to power as Prime Minister and Finance Minister from 29 November 1915 to 16 March 1916. He formed a coalition government with other republican parties after a period of turmoil caused by the intervention of President Teófilo Braga in the previous government. He had to deal with the outbreak of World War I and the pressure from the Allies to join them against the Central Powers. He initially adopted a policy of neutrality, but after a series of provocations from Germany, he decided to declare war on Germany on 9 March 1916. He hoped that this would strengthen Portugal's position in the international arena and secure its colonial possessions in Africa. Following more political instability, Costa was yet again Prime Minister from 25 April 1917 to 8 December 1917, in a national-unity government nicknamed the Sacred Union, to support Portugal's participation in World War I. He also held the portfolios of Foreign Affairs and War. He faced a difficult situation, as the war effort drained the country's resources and morale, while social discontent and political opposition grew. He tried to mobilize the nation for the war, organize the military expedition to France, secure financial and diplomatic support from the Allies and negotiate peace terms. He also continued his reformist agenda, introducing measures such as income tax, compulsory military service, women's suffrage and workers' rights. After a military coup d'état led by Sidónio Pais in December 1917, Costa went into exile in Paris. He remained there until his death, although he occasionally returned briefly to Portugal. He never again held political office, but he remained active in the opposition to the dictatorship of Sidónio Pais and later to the military regime that followed his assassination in 1918. He also led the Portuguese delegation to the Paris Peace Conference from 12 March 1919 and he signed the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919 on behalf of Portugal. He was one of the main advocates of the principle of national self-determination and supported the claims of several peoples under colonial rule, such as Ireland, India and Egypt. Afonso Costa died in Paris on 11 May 1937, at the age of 66, due to a cerebral hemorrhage. He was buried at the Monastery of Santa María de la Santa Espina in Castromonte, Valladolid, Spain, where his wife and their only son were also buried later. He was survived by his wife Alzira Coelho de Campos de Barros de Abreu, whom he married in Coimbra in 1892, and their three daughters: Maria Teresa da Costa (1893-?), Maria Emília da Costa (1894-?) and Maria Luísa da Costa (1896-?). Their son Afonso Lopes Vieira da Costa (1901-1976) was a diplomat and writer. Costa also had a great-great-granddaughter, Catarina Wallenstein, who is a Portuguese actress. Afonso Costa was one of the most influential and controversial figures of the Portuguese First Republic. He was admired by many for his intelligence, eloquence, courage and dedication to the republican cause. He was also criticized by others for his authoritarianism, sectarianism, anticlericalism and warmongering. He left a lasting legacy in Portuguese politics, law and culture.