Joaquim Jose da Silva Xavier, Tiradentes, is known as Martyr of Independence, is one of the greatest heroes of Brazilian History.
Tiradentes was born in 1746, in a village then called Sao Jose (today the city is called Tiradentes), state of Minas Gerais; today, the flag of Minas brings the inscription "Libertas quae sera tamem", latin for "Liberty, even if late", which was the motto of the libertarian movement led by Tiradentes.
Born in a poor family, orphan at age 11, Tiradentes was raised by a tutor, who was a surgeon. The little formal education didn't stop him from working in several fields, including dental medicine; Tiradentes means "tooth puller", a pejorative denomination adopted during the trial against him.
Living in a State rich in gold, Tiradentes used the knowledge he acquired about minerals to enter the public service (he achieved the ranks of alferes, low in the hierarchy of the epoch); he was sent to missions in cities along the road between Vila Rica (the capital of Minas Gerais) and Rio de Janeiro; this road was the path followed by most of the gold sent to Portugal.
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