In 1763 the colonial capital of Brazil was transferred from Salvador da Bahia to Rio de Janeiro. In 1808, as Napoleon's armies began their invasion of Portugal, the decision was made to transfer the Portuguese monarch and his court to Rio de Janeiro, where he would remain until 1821. During this time Brazil was elevated in status from a colony to an United Kingdom with Portugal. With the advent of Independence, Rio became the capital of the new empire. The city prospered economically, and by 1891 it had a population of over 500,000 inhabitants ranking it one of the largest cities in the world at the time. As the city grew in prominence, mountains were removed, bay water reclaimed, and skyscrapers constructed.