“You are writing about Saudade! That is the weakness in a Lusitanian’s soul, the heavy blood in our veins. In November 1500 as King Manoel looked out from Sintra eagerly awaiting the approach of Cabral, he was filled with Saudade. Cabral had conquered an empire for Lusitania: Brazil. Was Saudade thereby diminished? No, quite the contrary. It grew and infested the country – it became an overwhelming feeling …”

As Queen Maria-Gloria set out for Sintra 350 years later, the words of Antonio Vieira were sounding in her ears. Born in Brazil of half Austrian half Portuguese parentage, she was sent to Portugal in exile as a consequence of her father’s forced abdication.

At the age of 15 she ascended the Portuguese throne and thus became known as the “child-queen”. Two marriages, eleven pregnancies and one clandestine love affair later, she is drained and spent.

As she rests on the 15th of November, a few hours remain. “In order to find love you’ve got to walk through hell”, and she has walked all the way.

Her hair goes curly again and the ribbons in it are green and yellow – the colours of the jungle and gold.

She draws in the sweetness of the air one last time then turns to face the tropical light, “I am home, home at last!”

On 15th November 1853 Maria-Gloria of Lusitania died uprooted and homesick, an immigrant in Lisbon.

About the author:

Gloria Kaiser was born in 1950. She lives in Graz, Austria and Salvador, Brazil and is a representative for the Austrian/Brazilian cultural exchange.

She has conducted research work at the Library of Congress in Washinton, D.C.

Prior publications: short stories, radio plays and novels which have been translated into English and Portuguese, the most recent being, “Dona Leopoldina – The Habsburg Empress of Brazil” and “Anita Garibaldi”. She is the recipient of numerous awards.

“Few authors create their own language – Gloria Kaiser has done exactly that. Her writing conveys the feeling of being constantly pursued, of never standing still, of perpetual motion. This adds a distinguishing quality and a very personal note to her style.” (Hans Weigel)