This lady nearly became Queen of Argentina!

Impressive set of ancestors, from whom she doubtless inherited her good looks and sweet personality.

The patriots between 1810 ans 1816 were doubting about the character of the new country: a Republic or a Monarchy?

Some of them were concerned to break ties with Spain, as perhaps Spain will recover its power and punish those who pretended to be totally independent. That was called "The mask of Ferdinand VII" because they said that the local government was exercised in the name of the King, currently a prisoner of Napoleon. Carlota Joaquina was a possible option.

However, in July 1816, they dared to declare Independence just in the time when Europe went to the restoration of the Monarchies overrun by Napoleon. They feared that the restorarion policy of Metternich (Tha Austrian Chancellor) would use the Holy Alliance to help the Kings to recover their thrones. That was a valiant move!

Bur they also knew that Spain was too far to retaliate, and many independetist movements were growing in the rest of Latin America. And also Britain will not loose the opportunity to help the Latin American countries to get this independence, for commercial reasons. The Brits assumed that the huge Latin American market was a good opportunity to sell their industrial production, and they were right. What they could not conquer through Mars, they conquered with Mercury, the God of Commerce and trade.