José I was King of Portugal between 1750 and 1777, the date of his death. His reign stood out particularly because of the politics of his Prime Minister, Marquis of Pombal. The Prime Minister reformed both the Portuguese economy and the society converting Portugal into a more modern country. The construction of the Arch of Triumph of Rua Augusta began after the terrible earthquake that devastated Lisbon in 1755 and was demolished in 1777 (after the dismissal of the Marquis of Pombal). In 1873 there began the construction of the second arch, which was completed in 1875.