With the exception of Jack Cade's rising in 1450 and the Peasants' Revolt 70 years earlier (a large-scale popular uprising with genuinely revolutionary social and economic aims), medieval rebellions were often more about preserving the status quo rather than challenging it.

ECONOMIST: Political rebels in England

The deal is likely to be scrutinised closely by Cade, Brazil's antitrust authority, which is becoming stricter about the creation of giants with pricing power.

ECONOMIST: Supermarkets in Brazil

Last month CADE threatened to undo the 2009 merger that formed Brasil Foods, the leading firm in Brazil's processed-food market.

ECONOMIST: Competition policy in Brazil