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Alvaro of Braganza
(
c.
1440 ? 1504, Toledo) was the 4th son of
Ferdinand I, 2nd Duke of Braganza
and his wife,
Dona
Joana de Castro.
Biography
[
edit
]
He played an important role during the reign of King
Afonso V of Portugal
, when he was appointed
Chancellor
of the Kingdom. He took part in the king's expeditions against
Castile
(
War of the Castilian Succession
) and in the king's voyage to France. On his return to Portugal, he married
Dona
Filipa de Melo (c. 1460?1516), the rich daughter and heiress of
Rodrigo Afonso de Melo, 1st Count of Olivenca
. They had two sons and four daughters:
- Rodrigo de Melo (1468?1545), made 1st
Count of Tentugal
(by royal decree of King
Manuel I of Portugal
, dated from 1504) and 1st
Marquis of Ferreira
(by royal decree of King
John III of Portugal
, dated from 1533). He was the origin of the
House of Cadaval
;
- Jorge Alberto de Portugal y Melo (1470- ? ), made 1st Count of Gelves (in Spain) by King
Charles I of Spain
(emperor Charles V), married Guiomar, the daughter of the Conde de Bedigueyra, and had no succession with her, he also married Isabel Colon de Toledo, daughter of Diego Colon (who was son of Christopher Columbus), I Duque de Veragua, I Marques of Jamaica and dona Maria de Toledo y Roxas, and had children;
- Isabel de Castro, married the Spanish Alonso de Sotomaior, 4th Count of Belalcazar;
- Beatriz de Vilhena, married the Portuguese
Infante
George, Duke of Coimbra
;
- Joana de Vilhena, married the Portuguese Francisco de Portugal, 1st
Count of Vimioso
;
- Maria de Menezes, married the Portuguese Joao da Silva, 1st
Count of Portalegre
.
When King
John II of Portugal
succeeded on the throne of Portugal and started his fight against the high aristocracy, namely the
Braganzas
,
Dom
Alvaro tried an approach with the King, but he was unsuccessful; his older brother,
Ferdinand II, 3rd Duke of Braganza
was executed, the family estates were confiscated, and the remaining family (Alvaro included) exiled to
Castile
.
Queen
Isabella I
granted
Dom
Alvaro important estates in
Gelves
, and he was appointed Mayor of
Seville
and
Andujar
. He also took part in the conquest of the
Kingdom of Granada
led by the
Catholic Monarchs
.
When King John II died, Alvaro of Braganza returned to Portugal, where the new king,
Manuel I
, appointed him as special ambassador to
Castile
to negotiate the King's marriage to princess
Isabella, Princess of Asturias (1470-1498)
. Later he also negotiated the King's second marriage.
Alvaro of Braganza died in
Toledo
and his body was later transferred to the Convent of St. John Evangelist, in
Evora
.
Gallery
[
edit
]
-
Coat of Arms of Alvaro of Braganza after his marriage with Philippa of Melo, mixing the
Braganzas
coat of arms with the Melo family's.
-
The Coat of Arms of the
Dukes of Cadaval
, descendants of
Dom
Alvaro.
Ancestry
[
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]
Ancestors of Alvaro de Braganca
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See also
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]
Bibliography
[
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]
- "Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil" ? Vol. II, pages 439?440. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989.