Portuguese dynasty
The
Most Serene House of Braganza
(
Portuguese
:
Serenissima Casa de Braganca
), also known as the
Brigantine dynasty
(
dinastia Brigantina
), is a
dynasty
of emperors, kings, princes, and dukes of
Portuguese
origin which reigned in
Europe
and the
Americas
.
The house was founded by
Afonso I, 1st Duke of Braganza
, illegitimate son of King
John I of Portugal
of the
House of Aviz
, and would eventually grow into one of the wealthiest and most powerful noble houses of
Iberia
during the
Renaissance
period.
The Braganzas came to rule the
Kingdom of Portugal
and
the Algarves
after successfully deposing the
Philippine Dynasty
in the
Restoration War
, resulting in the
Duke of Braganza
becoming King
John IV of Portugal
, in 1640.
The Braganzas ruled Portugal and the
Portuguese Empire
from 1640 and with the creation of the
United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves
, in 1815, and the subsequent independence of the
Empire of Brazil
, in 1822, the Braganzas came to rule as the
monarchs of Brazil
.
The House of Braganza produced 15
Portuguese monarchs
and all four
Brazilian monarchs
, numerous consorts to various European kingdoms, such as
Catherine of Braganza
(wife of
Charles II of England
who introduced
tea
to Britain) and
Maria Isabel of Braganza
(wife of
Ferdinand VII of Spain
who founded the
El Prado Museum
), as well as sometime candidates for the thrones of Poland and Greece,
Infante Manuel, Count of Ourem
and
Pedro, Duke of Braganza
, respectively, and numerous other notable figures in the histories of Europe and the Americas. The Braganzas were deposed from their thrones in
Europe
and the
Americas
at the turn of the 19th?20th centuries, when
Emperor Pedro II
was
deposed in Brazil
, in 1889,
and when
King Manuel II
was
deposed in Portugal
, in 1910.
Feudal establishment
[
edit
]
The House of Braganza originated with
Afonso I
, an illegitimate son of King
John I of Portugal
, founder of the
House of Aviz
, and Ines Pires.
[a]
Though Afonso was illegitimate, his father valued and cared for him a great deal, demonstrated by his arrangement of Afonso's marriage to
Beatriz Pereira de Alvim
, daughter of
Nuno Alvares Pereira
,
Portugal's most important general and a personal friend of King John I.
As well as increasing his social status by his marriage into a well-established house, Afonso was also ceded the title of
Count of Barcelos
.
With his newly consolidated place in the
nobility of Portugal
, Afonso commenced what would be a highly successful political and social career. In 1415 he took part in the
Conquest of Ceuta
, alongside his father, his brothers, and the leading members of the nobility and military. By the time of his father's death in 1433, Afonso had won favour with his brother, King
Duarte I
and the rest of high Portuguese society. With his brother's premature death in 1438, a regency was established for Afonso's nephew, the 6 year old King
Afonso V
, under the leadership of the king's mother,
Leonor of Aragon
, and later Afonso's brother,
Infante Pedro, Duke of Coimbra
. The Duke of Coimbra's regency, however, soon proved unpopular and Afonso quickly became the King's preferred advisor. On 30 December 1442, the Duke of Coimbra, still the King's regent and thus acting in his name, created Afonso as the
Duke of Braganza
,
as a gesture of good will and reconciliation between the two brothers. Afonso's elevation to the dukedom, the highest level of nobility, marked the foundation of the House of Braganza, which was to become a key family in Portuguese history.
As a result of the hard work and success of Afonso I, his children all secured successful positions and lived privileged lives. Afonso I's first son,
Afonso of Braganza
, was a prominent member of the nobility, having been ceded, by his grandfather, Nuno Alvares Pereira, the lucrative and powerful title of
Count of Ourem
, in 1422. He was an accomplished diplomat, and served as the king's representative at the
Council of Basel
in 1436, and the
Council of Florence
in 1439. In 1451, the Count of Ourem was made
Marquis of Valenca
and escorted
Infanta Leonor of Portugal
to her husband
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
. Later, in 1458, he participated in the capture and conquest of
Alcacer-Ceguer
. The Marquis of Valenca, however, died in 1460, one year before his father and therefore did not succeed him. Afonso I's first daughter,
Isabel of Braganza
, married
Infante Joao, Lord of Reguengos de Monsaraz
, thus relinking the House of Braganza to the Royal House of Portugal.
Isabel's strategic marriage proved successful, and produced four children, whose descendants would be some of the most important in Iberian history. Afonso I's last child and successor,
Fernando I, Duke of Braganza
, continued his legacy of prominence in the military and society.
When Fernando I was born, in 1403, his grandfather, Nuno Alvares Pereira, ceded him the title of
Count of Arraiolos
. Fernando became an accomplished military man, participating in various
Portuguese imperial campaigns
. Though Fernando I was a popular and powerful member of the nobility, he did not always find himself in the favour of the king, most notably exemplified when Fernando I openly declaimed King Duarte I, at the
Portuguese Cortes
, on the topic of the rescue and recovery of the King's brother,
Infante Fernando, Lord of Salvaterra de Magos
from the Moors. However, Fernando I became a favourite of both the royal and imperial government and of King Afonso V, earning him the position of Governor of Ceuta and the titles of
Marquis of Vila Vicosa
and
Count of Neiva
.
Fernando I's children, by his wife, Joana de Castro, Lady of Cadaval, continued to enlarge the influence of the House of Braganza. Of his nine children, all six who survived to adulthood established themselves either through positions or marriages, though the actions of King
Joao II
would seek to weaken their influence. Fernando I's first son and successor,
Fernando II
, was initially a bright and popular nobleman, but his conflict with King Joao II would see his and the House's downfall. His second son,
Joao of Braganza, 1st Marquis of Montemor-o-Novo
, was an accomplished military man and was made
Constable of Portugal
. Fernando's third son, Afonso of Braganza, became a popular nobleman of society and was made 1st
Count of Faro
. The Duke's fourth son,
Alvaro of Braganza
, inherited the fiefs of his mother, becoming the 5th Lord of Ferreira, 4th Lord of Cadaval, and 1st Lord of Tentugal. Fernando's eldest surviving daughter, Beatriz of Braganza, married Pedro de Meneses, 1st
Marquis of Vila Real
. Fernando's last surviving child, Guiomar of Braganza, married Henrique de Meneses, 4th
Count of Viana do Alentejo
. Ultimately, however, Fernando I's children and grandchildren would suffer great difficulty under the reign of King Joao II.
By the tenure of the third duke,
Fernando II
, the House of Braganza was undoubtedly one of the greatest noble houses of Portugal and Iberia as a whole.
Fernando II continued the House's legacy of acquisition and gained the title of
Duke of Guimaraes
.
To the Duke and the House's downfall, however, King Joao II's reign concerned itself with the royal consolidation of power and the diminishment of the nobility.
Fernando II, having been a prominent and powerful nobleman, was accused of treason and executed by King Joao II in 1483;
the House's titles and properties were merged into the crown and its members exiled to Castile.
Due to their father's misfortunes, Fernando II's children, from his marriage to
Isabel of Viseu
, daughter of
Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu and Beja
, initially had a tumultuous childhood; but King Joao II's successor, King
Manuel I
, who had previously himself been the
Duke of Beja
, chose to forgive the House and re-grant them all their properties in exchange for their loyalty. Fernando II's oldest surviving son and successor,
Jaime I
, returned to Portugal and reestablished himself at
Vila Vicosa
,
the former seat of the Dukes. Fernando II's only other surviving son,
Dinis of Braganza
, married Beatriz de Castro Osorio, Countess of Lemos, and had four children with her.
Portuguese Renaissance
[
edit
]
Jaime I's tenure as Duke of Braganza was one of restoration and grandness. Upon his return to Portugal from exile, Jaime took possession of the House's formerly confiscated properties. In order to establish a new image for the House, he ordered the construction of a new seat for the House, which would become one of the largest palaces in Iberia, the
Ducal Palace of Vila Vicosa
.
Jaime I's restoration also continued with the House's relations with the King, Jaime I having becoming a favourite of King Manuel I and even once his temporary heir. The Duke also had his share of scandal, having funded the conquest of the city of
Azamor
, for the royal crown as, as punishment for his ordering the murder of his first wife, Leonor Perez de Guzman, daughter of
Juan Alfonso Perez de Guzman, 3rd Duke of Medina Sidonia
.
The children of Jaime I, both the two first children by his first wife, Leonor of Perez de Guzman, and the later eight children by his second wife, Joana of Mendoca, all saw successful lives under the restored House of Braganza. Jaime I's first daughter,
Isabel of Braganza
, married
Infante Duarte, Duke of Guimaraes
, and had three children, while his first son and successor,
Teodosio I
, was a successful prince of the
Portuguese Renaissance
. Five of Jaime I's children, Jaime, Maria, Fulgencio, Teotonio, and Vicencia, all entered into religious orders. The Duke's second daughter, Joana of Braganza, married Bernardino de Cardenas, 3rd Marquis of Elche, and his third daughter, Eugenia of Braganza, married Francisco de Melo, 2nd
Marquis of Ferreira
. Jaime I's only other son, other than Teodosio I, to not enter into the church,
Constantino of Braganza
, married Maria de Melo, daughter of D. Rodrigo de Melo, 1st
Marquis of Ferreira
, but had no children. Constantino was famed as a great officer of the
Portuguese Empire
, having served as the
Viceroy of Portuguese India
and
Captain of Ribeira Grande
, among other positions.
The fifth Duke,
Teodosio I
, is remembered for being the personification of the
Portuguese Renaissance
. A patron of the arts and scholarly noble, Teodosio I maintained the prestige of the House of Braganza, although not leaving a significant mark on the House's history. The Duke notably ceded the Dukedom of Guimaraes to
Infante Duarte of Portugal
as the dowry of his sister,
Isabel of Braganza
.
Teodosio I's second son, Jaime of Braganza, died fighting alongside King
Sebastiao I
at the
Battle of Alcacer Quibir
. The Duke's only daughter, Isabel of Braganza, married Miguel Luis de Meneses, 1st
Duke of Caminha
, though their union had no issue. Teodosio I's first child and successor,
Joao I
, lived a very different life from Teodosio I's calm and relatively peaceful tenure, having been involved in the controversies of the
Portuguese succession crisis of 1580
and the subsequent
War of the Portuguese Succession
.
Joao I
's tenure as Duke was one intertwined with controversy and intrigue. Having been married to
Infanta Catarina
, daughter of
Infante Duarte, Duke of Guimaraes
, and thus a grandchild of King Manuel I, during the succession crisis of 1580, the couple pressed their claims to the Portuguese throne. Though Infanta Catarina was a popular claimant, her
Habsburg
cousin was eventually crowned
Philip I of Portugal
and the
Iberian Union
was established. In an attempt at reconciliation with the Brigantine House, King Philip I renewed the title of Constable of Portugal, which Joao I had held previously, to the Duke's first son,
Teodosio II
, alongside other title and land grants to the Duke and the House.
Joao I's daughters, Maria, Serefina, Querubina, and Angelica, were some of the most eligible ladies of Portugal and all Iberia, though the only one to marry was Serefina of Braganza, who married Castilian
Juan Fernandez Pacheco, 5th Duke of Escalona
. The Duke's oldest son and successor, Teodosio II, famously fought in the Battle of Alcacer Quibir at the age of ten and later became an accomplished general. Joao I's second son, Duarte of Braganza, was made 1st Marquis of Frechilla, and the Duke's third son, Alexandre of Braganza, became
Archbishop of Evora
, both receiving their titles and many concessions from King Philip I when the monarch was making amends with the House of Braganza. Unlike his other sons, Joao I's last son, Filipe of Braganza, died without marriage, children, or titles.
The seventh Duke, Teodosio II, became famous at a young age, having been made page to King
Sebastiao I
and having marched into the Battle of Alcacer Quibir,
alongside the King and his uncle, Jaime of Braganza, at the age of ten. Teodosio II later pledged his allegiance and became a faithful countryman to the Philippine Dynasty, having even defended
Lisbon
against King Philip I's rival claimant to the throne,
Antonio, Prior of Crato
, who had been acclaimed, by his supporters, as King Antonio I of Portugal. In recognition for his military prowess, Teodosio II was made Constable of Portugal. The Duke's support and service to the Philippine Dynasty, earned the Braganzas more lands and titles and, by 1640, the House had amassed around 80,000 vassals, alongside numerous churches, orders, and institutions under its patronage.
In 1603, Teodosio II married
Ana de Velasco y Giron
, daughter of Castilian
Juan Fernandez de Velasco, 5th Duke of Frias
, and had four children with her. The Duke's first son and successor,
Joao II
, raise the House of Braganza to new heights of power, having launched the
Portuguese Restoration War
and been acclaimed King Joao IV of Portugal, thus installing the House as the ruling dynasty of Portugal. Teodosio II's second son, Duarte of Braganza, was made Lord of Vila do Conde and became a diplomat, serving at the court of
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
, but later died a prisoner as a cost of the Restoration War. Teodosio II's two other children, Alexandre and Catarina, both died without children, titles, or marriage.
Throne of Portugal
[
edit
]
By 1640 the wise policies of D. Philip I in respect of Portugal were long past. The country was overtaxed, Portuguese colonies were left unprotected, and the King
Philip III of Portugal
no longer had the trust or support of most
Portuguese nobility
. He was especially loathed by the powerful Portuguese guild of merchants. Portugal, like the rest of Philip's kingdoms, was on the verge of rebellion.
The eighth Duke of Braganza, D.
Joao II of Braganza
, had inherited the claim of his grandmother, Infanta Catarina of Portugal, and the remoter claim through of his grandfather Joao I of Braganza. Because of his claims, the discontent Portuguese nobility asked Joao II to lead their restoration as their king.
According to court historians, D. Joao II was a modest man without particular ambitions to the crown. Legend says that his wife, Dona
Luisa de Guzman
, daughter of the duke of Medina-Sidonia, urged him to accept the offer, saying "I'd rather be queen for one day than duchess for a lifetime." He accepted the leadership of the rebellion, which was successful, and was acclaimed Joao IV of Portugal on 1 December 1640.
After the accession of the Braganzas to the throne, the duchy was linked to the Crown. "Duke of Braganza" became the traditional title of the heir to the throne, together with
Prince of Brazil
and, later,
Prince Royal of Portugal
.
Joao's accession resulted in the
Portuguese Restoration War
with Spain. The sovereignty of Portugal's new dynasty would not be recognized until 1668 during the reign of Joao's son, Afonso VI.
The zenith of the Braganza dynasty came with the long reign of D.
Joao V
(1706?1750), who ruled with grandeur and piety.
The reign of D.
Jose I
, son of D. Joao V, was marked by the
great earthquake
, which struck
Lisbon
in 1755.
The political genius of his reign was the
1st Marquis of Pombal
.
The end of the 18th century was characterized by stability, under the rule of Dona
Maria I
(1777?1816), who discharged Pombal at her accession.
Because Maria's recurrent mental illness rendered her incapable of governing, her son
Joao
assumed the role of head of government in 1792.
Realm in Brazil
[
edit
]
In 1807, faced with impending
Napoleonic invasion
, the Braganzas
transferred their royal court
to the
State of Brazil
, Portugal's largest colony.
Some time after they had crossed the Atlantic, a royal decree changed the status of Brazil from a Portuguese
colony
into kingdom alongside Portugal,
and the
United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves
was formed. In 1821, D.
Joao VI
, who succeeded in 1816, returned to Portugal.
D.
Pedro, Prince Royal of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves
, the eldest son of D. Joao VI and also regent in Brazil, sided with the Brazilian rebels in January 1822.
He
was acclaimed
Emperor D. Pedro I
of an independent Brazil in 1822, founding the
Empire of Brazil
. D. Pedro I ruled Brazil until 1831, when he abdicated in favor of his young son D.
Pedro II
, and returned to Portugal to aid his daughter D. Maria II (see below).
D. Pedro II, being only 6 years old at the time of his coronation, had a regency established. The regency would rule until 1840, when the Emperor turned 14 years old.
His reign would last until 1889, when the Brazilian monarchy was abolished. His reign would see the
abolition of slavery
in Brazil, economic growth, and very long periods of tranquility and development in his empire.
Warring branches
[
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]
In Portugal, D. Pedro I of Brazil became King as D. Pedro IV (1826), but no one wanted to re-establish the union of Portugal and Brazil. Pedro abdicated the Portuguese throne in favor of his daughter Princess
Maria da Gloria
, then seven years old. D. Pedro's brother D.
Miguel
was to act as Regent, and to marry Maria when she came of age.
In 1828, Miguel instead proclaimed himself King of Portugal and repudiated the liberal constitution granted by D. Joao VI, trying to establish an
absolute monarchy
.
In 1828, Maria II was forced into exile by her uncle, the new King Miguel I. Her father D. Pedro IV of Portugal returned from Brazil, launched a successful military campaign, from the
Azores
, against Miguel I.
He finally defeated and exiled Miguel I in 1834.
Though exiled, Miguel would not give up his claim to the throne and would establish the
Miguelist branch
of the House of Braganza.
The strategic marriages of his children to the various royal houses of Europe would earn him the nickname the "Grandfather of Europe" (
see
Descendants of Miguel I of Portugal
).
First Reign of Brazil
[
edit
]
On 7 September 1822,
Dom Pedro of Braganza, Prince Royal of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves
, member of the House of Braganza, heir apparent to the Portuguese throne and Regent of the
Kingdom of Brazil
, declared the country's independence from the
United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves
and was acclaimed
Emperor of Brazil
. On 12 October, the prince was acclaimed Pedro I, first Emperor of the newly created Empire of Brazil, a constitutional monarchy. In 1825, signing the
treaty of Rio de Janeiro
of this date, his father, King Dom
Joao VI
, recognized the independence of the new state, the former Portuguese dominion, now
Empire of Brazil
.
Pedro I encountered a number of crises during his reign. A secessionist rebellion in the
Cisplatine Province
in early 1825 and the subsequent attempt by the
United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata
(later
Argentina
) to annex Cisplatina led the Empire into the failed
Cisplatine War
. In March 1826, Joao VI died and Pedro I inherited the Portuguese crown, briefly becoming King Pedro IV of Portugal before abdicating in favor of his eldest daughter,
Maria II
. The situation worsened in 1828 when the war in the south ended with Brazil's loss of Cisplatina, which would become the independent republic of
Uruguay
. During the same year in Lisbon, Maria II's throne was usurped by
Prince Miguel
, Pedro I's younger brother.
Other difficulties arose when the Empire's parliament opened in 1826. Pedro I, along with a significant percentage of the legislature, argued for an independent judiciary, a popularly elected legislature and a government which would be led by the emperor who held broad executive powers and prerogatives. Others in parliament argued for a similar structure, only with a less influential role for the monarch and the legislative branch being dominant in policy and governance.
The struggle over whether the government would be dominated by the emperor or by the parliament was carried over into debates from 1826 to 1831 on the establishment of the governmental and political structure. Unable to deal with the problems in both Brazil and Portugal simultaneously, the Emperor abdicated on behalf of his son,
Pedro II
, on 7 April 1831 and immediately sailed for Europe to
restore his daughter to her throne
.
Second Reign of Brazil
[
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]
Pedro I's successor in Brazil was his five-year-old son, Pedro II. As the latter was still a minor, a weak regency was created. The power vacuum resulting from the absence of a ruling monarch as the ultimate arbiter in political disputes led to regional civil wars between local factions. Having inherited an empire on the verge of disintegration, Pedro II, once he was declared of age in 1840, at 14 years old, managed to bring peace and stability to the country, which eventually became an emerging international power. Brazil was victorious in three international conflicts (the
Platine War
, the
Uruguayan War
and the
Paraguayan War
) under Pedro II's rule, and the Empire prevailed in several other international disputes and outbreaks of domestic strife. With prosperity and economic development came an influx of European immigration, including Protestants and Jews, although Brazil remained mostly Catholic. Slavery, which had initially been widespread, was restricted by successive legislation until its final abolition in 1888 by
Princess Isabel
.
Even though the last four decades of Pedro II's reign were marked by continuous internal peace and economic prosperity, he had no desire to see the monarchy survive beyond his lifetime and made no effort to maintain support for the institution. The next in line to the throne was his daughter Isabel, but neither Pedro II nor the ruling classes considered a female monarch acceptable.
[
citation needed
]
Lacking any viable heir, the Empire's political leaders saw no reason to defend the monarchy. Although there was no desire among the majority of Brazilians to change the country's form of government, republicans began pressuring army officers to overthrow the monarchy. After a 58-year reign, on 15 November 1889 the Emperor was overthrown in a sudden
coup d'etat
led by a clique of military leaders whose goal was the formation of a republic headed by a dictator, forming the
First Brazilian Republic
. Throughout the coup Pedro II dismissed all suggestions put forward by politicians and military leaders for quelling the rebellion. The Emperor and his family were exiled to the Portuguese kingdom and France. Although there was significant monarchist reaction after the fall of the Empire,
[
citation needed
]
this was thoroughly suppressed, and neither Pedro II nor his daughter and heiress supported a forced restoration.
Constitutional Kings
[
edit
]
In 1836, Queen Maria II of Portugal married Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, later King
Ferdinand II of Portugal
.
Despite the tradition of following the custom of patrilineal descent of royal houses, common throughout Europe, Article 5 of the Portuguese constitution of 1826 stated that "
The Reigning Dynasty of the Most Serene House of Braganza Shall Continue in the Person of Lady Princess Maria da Gloria, by the Abdication and Cession of Her August Father Lord Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil, Legitimate Heir and Successor of Lord Joao VI.
".
[37]
Maria II was succeeded in 1853 by her son D.
Pedro V
, a hard-working reformer who died prematurely in 1861 due to typhoid fever.
D. Pedro V was succeeded by his brother D.
Luis
, as D. Pedro V had no children.
D. Luis I was succeeded in 1889 by his son D.
Carlos I
. Carlos I's popularity dramatically declined after the
British Ultimatum of 1890
, whereby the
Portuguese Empire
ceded its claim to territories (known as the
Pink Map
) between
Portuguese West Africa
and
Portuguese East Africa
to the
British
.
The unpopularity of the Ultimatum combined with the
deposition of the Emperor Pedro II of Brazil
resulted in a rise of Republican sentiment in Portugal.
King Carlos I was
assassinated in 1908 together with his eldest son
, D.
Luis Filipe, Prince Royal of Portugal and Duke of Braganza
, by republicans.
His younger son, D.
Manuel, Duke of Beja
, survived the attack on his father and elder brother and became king as Manuel II,
but was toppled two years later in the
1910 republican revolution
.
After the revolution, Manuel sought refuge in
Great Britain
and showed little inclination towards pursuing a restoration.
Modern Braganzas
[
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]
Portuguese Braganzas
[
edit
]
After the revolution of 1910, King Manuel II settled in England until his death in 1932. He was childless, and descendants of Miguel of Braganza (the usurper of 1826) claimed the throne.
In 1922, the two (of the now four) branches of the House of Braganza allegedly negotiated an pact under which Manuel II named as his heir
Duarte Nuno of Braganza
, grandson of Miguel.
In 1942, Duarte Nuno, now Duke of Braganza, married a great-granddaughter of Emperor
Pedro II of Brazil
, uniting the two lines of the House.
He remained the Braganza pretender until his death in 1976.
In 1950 Portugal repealed the law of exile against the Braganzas,
[49]
and D. Duarte Nuno moved to the country in 1952.
Duarte Nuno was succeeded as pretender by his son,
Duarte Pio of Braganza
(born 1945). Duarte Pio served in the
Portuguese Armed Forces
and took the customary oath of allegiance to the Republic, but Portuguese monarchists recognize him as the pretender to the Portuguese throne. In 1995 he married
Isabel de Heredia
, a Portuguese businesswoman and descendant of
Francisco Correia de Heredia
, Viscount of
Ribeira Brava
[50]
(a
Vitalicio
title,
[50]
meaning Life peerage). He worked actively in support of the independence of
East Timor
from
Indonesia
.
Duarte Pio and Isabel have three children. Duarte Pio's oldest son is
Afonso de Santa Maria
, who bears the traditional titles of
Prince of Beira
(as heir apparent to the Portuguese pretender) and
Duke of Barcelos
(as heir apparent to the Duke of Braganza).
[
citation needed
]
He has a brother Dinis, Duke of Porto, and a sister, Infanta Maria Francisca.
Maria Pia of Saxe-Coburg and Braganza
, who claimed she was an illegitimate daughter of King Carlos I of Portugal, began asserting that she was the heir to the throne from 1957. Allegedly, she adopted the Italian Rosario Poidimani, transferring her claimed rights to the Portuguese throne to him.
Brazilian Braganzas
[
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]
After the military coup of 1889, Emperor Dom Pedro II settled in France until his death in 1891.
His eldest daughter and family went to live in the
Chateau d'Eu
in French
Normandy
. She was recognized by Brazilian monarchists as Empress-in-Exile as
Dona Isabel I of Brazil
until her death in 1921.
She was succeeded by her grandson,
Prince Pedro Henrique of Orleans-Braganza
, as
Head of the Imperial House of Brazil
, and he by his son and current Head,
Prince Luiz of Orleans-Braganza
.
With the end of the banishment of the Imperial Family in 1920, some princes returned to live in Brazil, while another remained in Europe. After the end of
World War II
, Prince Pedro Henrique, then Head of the Imperial House and married to
Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria
, returned to Brazil with his family.
The Imperial House of Brazil divided into rival branches because of the renunciation of
Pedro de Alcantara, Prince of Grao-Para
in 1908 and the subsequent repudiation of that act by his descendants.
[52]
While some members of the two branches of the family subsequently lived in the
Grao-Para Palace
, some married royalty or nobles and have lived in Europe, and others elsewhere in Brazil.
[52]
A 1993 referendum on restoration of the monarchy was defeated, garnering 13.2 percent of the vote against 66 percent for the republic.
[53]
Members of both the so-called Petropolis branch of Braganzas (Princes
Pedro Gastao
and his nephew,
Joazinho of Orleans-Braganza
) and the more broadly recognised Vassouras line of the Imperial Family led by
Prince Luiz Gastao of Orleans-Braganza
, participated in the restoration effort,
[52]
and the Head of the Vassouras branch continues to lead a growing movement to restore the monarchy.
[
citation needed
]
Braganza dukes and monarchs
[
edit
]
Dukes of Braganza (before ascension to the throne)
[
edit
]
Monarchs of Portugal
[
edit
]
Monarchs of Brazil
[
edit
]
Symbols
[
edit
]
Wyvern
[
edit
]
The traditional symbol and
crest
of the House of Braganza is a green
wyvern
, commonly taken to be a
dragon
,
[54]
[55]
[56]
representing
Saint George
,
patron saint of Portugal.
This symbol can be found in many different monuments in Portugal and Brazil, such as the
Monument to the Independence of Brazil
in
Sao Paulo
and in the palaces of the Imperial family in
Rio de Janeiro
and
Petropolis
. It is famously found atop the Portuguese Crown Sceptre, the
Sceptre of the Dragon
and the Sceptre of the Emperor of Brazil.
The wyvern is also sometimes used as a
supporter
in the coat of arms of both the Brazilian and Portuguese branches of the family.
Because of its use in heraldry by the Braganza as the ruling house, and given Pedro IV's link with
Porto
, a dragon was added to the old coat of arms of the municipality of Porto
[54]
and is still a part of
FC Porto
's coat of arms, who are nicknamed "The Dragons".
Curse of the Braganzas
[
edit
]
Since the 17th century, the House of Braganza has allegedly suffered from the Curse of the Braganzas (
Portuguese
:
Maldicao dos Bragancas
). For supposedly mistreating a
Franciscan
friar, a curse was purportedly placed on King
Joao IV of Portugal
, stating that never again would a first-born male of the Braganza Dynasty live long enough to succeed to the throne.
[
citation needed
]
Since the reign of King Joao IV, all first-born Braganza males, with only three exceptions, have died before they had the opportunity to reign as monarch, either in Portugal or Brazil.
Supposed victims of the Curse of the Braganzas:
Estates and properties
[
edit
]
Armorial
[
edit
]
Genealogy
[
edit
]
Ducal line: Afonso I to Teodosio II (1377?1630)
[
edit
]
Genealogical tree of the House of Braganza, during its ducal period, from origins of its founder,
Afonso I, Duke of Braganza
, to the issue of its last noble duke,
Teodosio II, Duke of Braganza
:
| | | | | | | | King Pedro I
King of Portugal and the Algarve
(1320?1367)
Member of the
Portuguese House of Burgundy
| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | King Joao I
King of Portugal and the Algarve
(1357?1433)
Founder of the
House of Aviz
| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Afonso I
1st
Duke of Braganza
, 8th
Count of Barcelos
(1377?1461)
Founder of the House of Braganza
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Afonso of Braganza
1st
Marquis of Valenca
(1400?1460)
| | | | | | Fernando I
2nd
Duke of Braganza
, 1st
Marquis of Vila Vicosa
(1403?1478)
| | Isabel of Braganza
Infanta of Portugal
(1402?1466)
| | | | | | Infante Joao
Constable of Portugal
(1400?1442)
| |
| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
From his issue
descend the lines of the
Counts of Vimioso
and
the
Marquises of Valenca
| | Joao of Braganza
1st Marquis of Montemor-o-Novo
(1430?1484)
| | Fernando II
3rd
Duke of Braganza
, 1st
Duke of Guimaraes
(1430?1483)
| | Alvaro of Braganza
Lord of Cadaval
(1440?1504)
| | Afonso of Braganza
1st
Count of Faro
(1435?1483)
| | Infanta Beatriz
Duchess of Viseu
(1430?1506)
| | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | Dinis of Braganza
6th Count of Lemos
(1481?1516)
| | Jaime I
4th
Duke of Braganza
, 2nd
Duke of Guimaraes
(1479?1532)
| | From his issue
descend the lines of
the
Dukes of Aveiro
and
the
House of Cadaval
| | From his issue
descend the lines of
the
Counts of Faro
and
the
Counts of Odemira
| | King Manuel I
King of Portugal and the Algarves
(1469?1521)
| | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
From his issue
descend the lines of
the Counts of Lemos, the
Dukes of Berwick
,
and the
Dukes of Veragua
in Spain and
the Counts of Santa Cruz, the Marquesses of Gouvea
and the
Marquesses of Lavradio
in Portugal.
| | Isabel of Lencastre
Duchess of Braganza
(1513?1558)
| | Teodosio I
5th
Duke of Braganza
, 3rd
Duke of Guimaraes
(1510?1563)
| | Constantino of Braganza
Viceroy of India
(1528?1575)
| | Isabel of Braganza
Duchess of Guimaraes
(1514?1576)
| | Infante Duarte
4th
Duke of Guimaraes
(1515?1540)
|
| | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Joao I
6th
Duke of Braganza
, 1st
Duke of Barcelos
(1543?1583)
| | | | | | Infanta Catarina
Duchess of Braganza
(1540?1614)
|
| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Teodosio II
7th
Duke of Braganza
, 2nd
Duke of Barcelos
(1568?1630)
| | Duarte of Braganza
1st Marquis of Frechilla
(1569?1627)
| | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | Duarte of Braganza
Lord of Vila do Conde
(1605?1649)
| | King Joao IV
King of Portugal and the Algarves
8th
Duke of Braganza
, 6th
Duke of Guimaraes
(1604?1656)
| | From him descend
the lines of the
Dukes
of Frias
and
Escalona
and
the Marquises of Jarandilla
and Villar de Grajanejos.
| | | |
Royal line: Joao IV to Joao VI (1604?1826)
[
edit
]
Genealogical tree of the House of Braganza, from its first monarch,
Joao IV, King of Portugal
, to the fracture of the house into its three main branches, in the issue of
Joao VI, King of United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves
:
Constitutional line: Maria II to Manuel II (1819?1932)
[
edit
]
Imperial line: Pedro I to Pedro II (1798?1891)
[
edit
]
Genealogical tree of the Brazilian branch House of Braganza, from its first monarch,
Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil
, to the issue of
Pedro II
, the last
Emperor of Brazil
.
Orleans-Braganza line: Isabel to Luiz & Pedro Carlos (1846?Present)
[
edit
]
Genealogical tree of the
House of Orleans-Braganza
, from its origin to the current claimants:
Vassouras line
:
The descendants of Prince Luis of Orleans-Braganza
Petropolis line
:
The descendants of Pedro de Alcantara, Prince of Grao-Para
Miguelist line: Miguel I to Duarte Pio (1802?Present)
[
edit
]
Agnatic descendants of John IV
[
edit
]
Non-agnatic branches
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
Endnotes
[
edit
]
- ^
There is some controversy regarding the ancestry of Ines Pires (born in
Borba
, c. 1350). She was the daughter of
Pedro Esteves
(for that she is sometimes called
Ines Pires Esteves
) and
Maria Anes
("Grande Enciclopedia Portuguesa e Brasileira", Editorial Enciclopedia, Lisboa, vol. 4, pp. 172; Antonio Caetano de Sousa, "Historia Genealogica da Casa Real Portuguesa", Atlantida Ed., Coimbra, 1946, vol. 2, pp. 25). Some historians and genealogist claim that her father was a
converso
? a Jew converted to Catholicism (Augusto Soares d' Azevedo Barbosa de Pinho Leal, "Portugal Antigo e Moderno", Cota d' Armas, Lisboa, 1990; Isabel Violante Pereira, "De Mendo da Guarda a D. Manuel I", Livros Horizonte, Lisboa, 2001), while the majority of sources give her a long and well attested noble Christian ancestry (Felgueiras Gayo, "Nobiliario das Familias de Portugal", Carvalhos de Basto, Braga, 1989).
- ^
a
b
Title currently held by
Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza
- ^
Title currently held by
Afonso, Prince of Beira
- ^
Titles currently held by
Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza
and
Afonso, Prince of Beira
- ^
Title currently held Infante Dinis, Duke of Porto
- ^
Title currently held by Infante Miguel, Duke of Viseu
- ^
Title currently held by Infante Maria Francisca, Duchess of Coimbra
References
[
edit
]
Sources
[
edit
]
- Barbosa, Ignacio de Vilhena (1860).
As cidades e villas da Monarchia portugueza que teem brasao d'armas: Volume I
. Lisboa: Typographia do Panorama.
- Berry, William (1828).
Encyclopaedia Heraldica or Complete Dictionary of Heraldry: Volume I
. London: Sherwood, Gilbert and Piper.
- Brazil (1890).
Colleccao das leis do Brazil de 1812
. Rio de Janeiro: Imprensa Nacional.
- Leal, Augusto Soares de Azevedo Barbosa de Pinho (1882).
Portugal Antigo e Moderno; Diccionario: Volume X
. Lisboa: Mattos Moreira.
- Marques, Antonio Henrique R. de Oliveira (1976).
History of Portugal
.
- McMurdo, Edward (1889a).
History of Portugal
. Vol. II. London: S. Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington.
- McMurdo, Edward (1889b).
History of Portugal
. Vol. III. London: S. Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington.
- Newitt, Malyn (2019).
The Braganzas: The Rise and Fall of the Ruling Dynasties of Portugal and Brazil, 1640?1910
. Reaktion Books.
ISBN
978-1-78914-165-8
.
- Nicolas, Sir Nicholas Harris (1841).
History of the orders of knighthood of the British Empire; of the order of the Guelphs of Hanover; and of the medals, clasps and crosses, conferred for naval and military services; Volume I
. London: Pickering, Rodwell.
- Sousa, D. Antonio Caetano de (1736).
Historia Genealogica da Casa Real Portugueza: Tomo II
. Lisboa: Joseph Antonio da Sylva.
- Stephens, H. Morse
(1891).
The Story of Portugal
. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons
. Retrieved
14 March
2024
.
- Zuquete, Afonso Eduardo Martins, ed. (1989).
Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil
(in Portuguese). Vol. III (2nd ed.). Lisboa: Editorial Enciclopedia.
External links
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edit
]
|
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Members of the Ducal House
|
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| 1st generation
| |
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2nd generation
| |
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3rd generation
|
- Roderigo, 1st Marquis of Ferreira
- Jorge Alberto, 1st Count of Gelves
- Beatriz, Duchess of Coimbra
- Joana, Countess of Vimioso
- Maria, Countess of Portalegre
- Filipe
- Jaime I
- Dinis, Count of Lemos
- Margarida
|
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4th generation
| |
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5th generation
|
- John I
- Jaime
- Isabel, Duchess of Caminha
|
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6th generation
|
- Maria
- Serefina
- Teodosio II
- Duarte, 1st Marquise of Frechilla
- Alexandre, Archbishop of Evora
- Querubina
- Angelica
- Maria
- Isabel
- Filipe
|
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7th generation
|
- John II
- Duarte, 1st Lord of Vila do Conde
- Catarina
- Alexandre
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2nd generation
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3rd generation
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4th generation
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7th generation
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8th generation
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9th generation
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10th generation
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Members of the Imperial house
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2nd generation
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3rd generation
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Members of the Miguelist House
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2nd generation
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3rd generation
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4th generation
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Major events
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Royal houses
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Royal
residences
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Miscellaneous
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