WI; King Joseph of Portugal was killed in 1758
On September 3rd, 1758 King Joseph I of Portugal was nearly assassinated by three masked men. The men were thought to be part of some sort of coup to lead by the Tavora family to remove Joseph and his leading minster, the Marquis of Pombal, from power. If Joseph died he would have been succeeded by his daughter Maria who was only twenty four at the time. How would his death influence events in Portugal to come? Would the reforms of Joseph’s reign, such as the edict of 1773 that abolished slavery in Portugal, still occur under Maria? Would Pombal remain in his position? Would the rebuilding of the Lisbon from the 1755 earthquake be interrupted? How would Portugal fare when it is invaded by Spain in 1762 just a few years after the assassination?
Source
Rousseau and Revolution by Will Durant