Epileptic events in the XIX century as reported by the Brazilian Royal Family

Members of the Brazilian Royal Family carry a rich medical history of epileptic seizures and alike. To present the medical knowledge about epilepsy by the time of the Brazilian Empire, as reported by the royal family. Narrative review of historical facts about D. Pedro I's family health. The Royal Family, since D. João VI's generation is full of members with epilepsy or acute symptomatic seizures of different etiologies. The reported cases suggest that Dom Pedro I's family presented epilepsy with tonic-clonic generalized seizures, besides psychogenic, organic non epileptic events and acute symptomatic seizures. As a whole, this familial epilepsy could fit the diagnosis of generalized epilepsy with febrile convulsion plus.