Havlancan War of Independence
| Havlancan War of Independence | |||||||||
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 Charge of the Cavalry by Guilherme Litran depicting the charge of Confederation Army gaúcho cavalrymen at the Battle of Ponta Grossa | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Gaúcho Rebellion (1835-36) Baixa Havlanca (1836-39) Alta Havlanca (1839)After 1839:  Havlancan ConfederationSupported By:  Colorados Unitarians |
 Empire of Brazil | ||||||||
The Havlancan War of Independence also known as the Ragamuffin War was a war between Havlanca and the Empire of Brazil. Initially a republican revolution sparked by gaúcho rebels in protest of the Empire's harsh tax policies on its wealthy southern provinces after its defeat in the Cisplatine War, Brazil's general instability and economic mismanagement further incentivized rebels. The abolition of slavery was one of the demands of the main demands of the movement with many slaves mobilizing as the war escalated, organizing units such as the Black Lancer Regiment of Death. The revolution gained widespread popular support across classes over time and acquired a separatist character as Brazil cracked down.
In 1836 Baixa Havlanca declared its independence from Brazil and its intention to unify with Upper Havlanca (Santa Catarina and Paraná as a federal state. After overcoming the intial shock of the rebellion, Brazil launched several bloodyoffensives against Baixa Havlanca throughout 1837 and 1838 but failed to achieve any notable gains. Cruicially, Brazil could not cut off the flow of equipment, ammunition, and volunteers arriving from the Argentina Confederation and Uruguay. In 1839 Brazilian lines in Baixa Havlanca collapsed amidst an uprising in Santa Catarina with Alta Havlanca proclaiming its independence. The Brazilian Army retreated north Paraná, successfully putting down a rebellion there and consolidating their position.