Joaquim António de Aguiar

Joaquim António de Aguiar (Coimbra, 24 August 1792 – Lisbon, 26 May 1884) was a Portuguese politician. He held several relevant political posts during the Portuguese constitutional monarchy, namely as leader of the Cartists and later of the Partido Regenerador (English: Regenerator Party). He was three times prime minister of Portugal: between 1841 and 1842, in 1860 and finally from 1865 to 1868, when he entered a coalition with the Partido Progressista (English: Progressist Party), in what became known as the Governo de Fusão (English: Fusion Government).

Joaquim António de Aguiar
Prime Minister of Portugal
In office 9 June 1841 – 7 February 1842
Monarch	Maria II and Fernando II
Preceded by	José Travassos Valdez
Succeeded by	Pedro de Sousa Holstein
In office 1 May 1860 – 4 July 1860
Monarch	Pedro V
Preceded by	António Severim de Noronha
Succeeded by	Nuno José de Moura Barreto
In office 4 September 1865 – 4 January 1868
Monarch	Luís I
Preceded by	Bernardo de Sá Nogueira de Figueiredo
Succeeded by	António José de Ávila
Personal details
Born	(1792-08-24)24 August 1792 Coimbra, Kingdom of Portugal
Died	26 May 1884(1884-05-26) (aged 91) Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal
Political party	Regenerator Party Progressist

He also served as minister of justice during the regency of Peter IV and in that capacity issued the 30 May 1834 law which extinguished "all convents, monasteries, colleges, hospices and any other houses of the regular religious orders". Their vast patrimony was taken over by the Portuguese State and incorporated into the Fazenda Nacional (the National Exchequer). This law and its anti-ecclesiastical spirit earned Joaquim António de Aguiar the nickname "O Mata-Frades" (English: "The Friar-Killer").