Afonso
posthumous engraving; Carlos António Leoni
Duke of Braganza
Tenure30 December 1442 – 15 December 1461
SuccessorFernando I
Born(1377-08-10)10 August 1377
Veiros, Estremoz, Alentejo, Kingdom of Portugal
Died15 December 1461(1461-12-15) (aged 84)
Chaves, Trás-os-Montes,
Kingdom of Portugal
SpouseBeatriz Pereira de Alvim
Constance de Noronha
IssueAfonso, 1st Marquis of Valença
Isabella, Lady of Reguengos de Monsaraz
Fernando I
HouseHouse of Braganza
FatherJoão I of Portugal
MotherInês Peres
ReligionRoman Catholicism

Dom Afonso of Braganza (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐˈfõsu]; 10 August 1377 – 15 December 1461) was the first Duke of Braganza and the eighth Count of Barcelos. He would start a dynasty, the House of Braganza, that would end up being the most powerful and wealthy in all of Portugal. His descendents would go on to become high-ranking nobles, imperial officials, and even the Kings of Portugal and the Emperors of Brazil.

Early life

Historians believe he was born in Veiros, Estremoz, Alentejo, as a natural son of Portuguese King John I and Inês Peres.[1] He married the heiress Beatriz Pereira de Alvim, daughter of Nuno Álvares Pereira, a general and the wealthiest man in the kingdom.

D. Afonso; Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa.

A traveled and cultivated man, Afonso was present in 1415 when the Portuguese conquered Ceuta. When his half-brother King Edward I of Portugal died in 1438, his son Afonso V (Afonso's nephew) was an infant and the choice for the regency was his sister-in-law, the Queen Mother Eleonor of Aragon.

This choice for the regency was not popular because Eleonor was Aragonese, so in a meeting of the Portuguese Cortes summoned by Afonso's half-brother John, Lord of Reguengos de Monsaraz, the regency was awarded to the Infante Peter, Duke of Coimbra, another half-brother of Afonso and an uncle of the young king. This choice pleased both the people and the fast-growing bourgeoisie.

Aristocratic Complications

Within the Portuguese aristocracy, however, especially those in the circle around Afonso, Eleonor of Aragon was preferred, and there were doubts about Peter's political policies. A contest for the young king's affection began, and within a few years, Afonso managed to become Afonso V's favourite uncle.

In 1443, in a gesture of reconciliation, Peter made Afonso the first Duke of Braganza.[2] But, in 1445, Afonso took offence because Isabella of Coimbra, Peter's daughter, became the choice for Afonso V's wife, and not one of his granddaughters. Indifferent to the intrigues, Peter continued his regency and the country prospered under his rule. It was during this period that the first subsidies for the exploration of the Atlantic Ocean were appropriated under the supervision of Henry the Navigator (another of Afonso's half-brothers).

On 9 June 1448, King Afonso V came of age, and Peter turned over control of the country to the king. An ambitious man, he persuaded the young king to turn against Peter. Influenced by Afonso, the king nullified all of Peter's edicts. The following year, under accusations that years later would prove false, Afonso V declared his uncle Peter a rebel. The situation became unsustainable and a civil war begun. On 20 May 1449, during the Battle of Alfarrobeira, near Alverca, Peter was killed.[2]

After the Battle of Alfarrobeira, Afonso V gave new powers to his uncle Afonso and nine years later when he departed to Africa, the regency was delegated to him.

Marriages and Issue

Afonso married twice. His first marriage was to Beatriz Pereira de Alvim, on 8 November 1401, with whom he had three children:

Name Birth Death Notes
Afonso 1400 9 October 1460 4th Count of Ourém, 1st Marquis of Valença
Isabella October 1402 26 October 1466 Married John, Lord of Reguengos de Monsaraz
Fernando I 1403 1 April 1478 9th Count of Barcelos, 5th Count of Ourém, 3rd Count of Arraiolos, 2nd Duke of Braganza, 1st Marquis of Vila Viçosa, 1st Count of Neiva

Afonso married a second time, to his third cousin, Constance of Noronha, daughter of Alfonso, Count of Gijón and Noronha (a natural son of Henry II of Castile), and of Isabel of Portugal (a natural daughter of Fernando I of Portugal). They had no issue.

Ancestry

Family of Afonso I, Duke of Braganza
16. Denis of Portugal
8. Afonso IV of Portugal
17. Elizabeth of Aragon
4. Peter I of Portugal
18. Sancho IV of Castile
9. Beatrice of Castile
19. María de Molina
2. John I of Portugal
10. Lourenço Martins
5. Teresa Lourenço
11. Sancha Martins
1. Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza
24. Pedro Esteves
12. Estevão Peres
6. Pero Esteves, o Barbadão
13. Leonor Anes
3. Inês Pires
14. Joane Anes Marceiro
7. Maria Anes
15. Constança Garcês

See also

Notes

  1. ^ She is sometimes said to be the daughter of a Jewish cobbler (Isabel Violante Pereira, De Mendo da Guarda a D. Manuel I, Lisboa, 2001, Livros Horizonte), but the Nobiliaries make her born at Borba, sister of Gil Peres and daughter of Pero Esteves, o Barbadão, of an old Portuguese noble family, akin to the Pinheiro family, and wife Maria Anes.
  2. ^ a b Gerli, E. Michael, and Armistead Samuel G., Medieval Iberia, p. 182, Taylor & Francis, 2003 ISBN 9780415939188

References

Media related to Afonso, Duke of Braganza at Wikimedia Commons

Afonso I, Duke of Braganza House of BraganzaCadet branch of the House of AvizBorn: 10 August 1377 Died: 15 December 1461 Portuguese nobility Preceded byNuno Álvares Pereira Count of Barcelos 1401–1461 Succeeded byFernando I Preceded byNew Title Duke of Braganza 1442–1461
Feudal Dukes
Crowned coat of arms of the house of Braganza supported by 2 dragons
Heir to the Throne
Claimant to the Throne
Members of the Ducal House
Generations indicate descent from Afonso, Duke of Braganza, founder of the House of Braganza, until João II, Duke of Braganza, the first Braganza monarch of Portugal; italics indicate a head of the House
1st generation
2nd generation
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
4th generation
5th generation
  • John I
  • Jaime
  • Isabel, Duchess of Caminha
6th generation
  • Maria
  • Serefina
  • Teodósio II
  • Duarte, 1st Marquise of Frechilla
  • Alexandre, Archbishop of Évora
  • Querubina
  • Angélica
  • Maria
  • Isabel
  • Filipe
7th generation
  • John II
  • Duarte, 1st Lord of Vila do Conde
  • Catarina
  • Alexandre
Members of the Royal House
Generations indicate descent from John IV, King of Portugal, formerly John II, Duke of Braganza, the first Braganza monarch of Portugal, until Manuel II, King of Portugal, the last monarch of Portugal, excluding the Miguelist line; italics indicate a head of the House
1st generation
2nd generation
3rd generation
4th generation
5th generation
6th generation
7th generation
8th generation
9th generation
10th generation
Members of the Imperial house
Generations indicate descent from Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil, also Pedro IV, King of Portugal, founder of the Empire of Brazil, until Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil, the last monarch of Brazil; italics indicates a head of the House
1st generation
2nd generation
3rd generation
Members of the Miguelist House
Generations indicate descent from Miguel I, King of Portugal, founder of the Miguelist House, until Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza, the current head of the House of Braganza; italics indicates a head of the House
1st generation
2nd generation
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