Prince Miguel of Braganza
Encyclopedia
Prince Miguel of Braganza, Duke of Viseu was a member of the exiled branch of the House of Braganza
. The eldest son of the Miguelist pretender to the throne of Portugal he married an American heiress in 1909 and in 1920 renounced his rights to the throne. His full given name
s were Miguel Maximiliano Sebastão Maria.
, Austria-Hungary
the eldest son and heir
of the Miguelist pretender
to the Portuguese throne Miguel, Duke of Braganza and his first wife Princess Elisabeth of Thurn and Taxis
. Prince Miguel's father was the head of the non reigning branch of the Portuguese Royal House that had been exiled from Portugal. The exile was the result of the Portuguese law of banishment of 1834 and the constitution of 1838 which was brought about because in 1828 his grandfather Miguel
usurped the throne of Portugal from his niece Queen Maria II. His grandfather reigned as king until 1834 when Maria II was restored.
Like his father Miguel pursued a career in the Army and served in a Saxon
cavalry
regiment. On 16 September 1900 Miguel was riding back into town in a Phaeton
after having attended a dinner at a country house, when he caught his wheels in the carriage of Prince Albert of Saxony the son of Prince George
, and nephew of the reigning king Albert
. The collision was so great the Prince Albert's carriage overturned into a ditch, with Prince Albert dying a few hours after. Because it could not be determined whether it was an accident or intentional Miguel escaped a court martial but he was forced to give up his commission in the Army and leave the country.
A year later he caused more controversy when it was discovered that while King Carlos I of Portugal
was visiting the United Kingdom
Miguel had entered Portugal with the aim of assisting an uprising against the king. After this was discovered he effectively became a social outcast.
was announced in London
. Stewart was the daughter of William Rhinelander Stewart and Annie Armstrong. After her parents divorced in August 1906, her mother married the millionaire James Henry Smith.
Miguel and Anita Stewart were married at Tulloch Castle
near Dingwall
in Scotland on 15 September 1909. This was the first royal wedding in Scotland since the days of the Stuarts
. Shortly before the wedding Stewart was created Princess of Braganza by the Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph. Upon his marriage Miguel was able to keep his place in the line of succession as morganatic marriages did not exist in Portuguese law.
From their marriage Miguel and his wife had three children; Nadejda, John and Miguel. The children were styled Prince and Princess until 1920 when Prince Miguel's marriage was declared non dynastic.
by his father, though the reigning Portuguese King Manuel II
did not recognise this and claimed the title for himself. Shortly after his marriage, Miguel faced legal action from a syndicate
who had lent him money a few years before his marriage when he was in financial difficulties. After promising to pay the syndicate one-fifth of any dowry
he received as a result of contracting a marriage he later tried to pay back only what he had originally borrowed. Although he paid off the majority of his creditors after his wedding some were unhappy and seized his furniture and other items and took them to an Auction house.
In 1911-1912 Miguel took part in the monarchist uprisings in Portugal led by Henrique Mitchell de Paiva Couceiro, in an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the First Portuguese Republic. He was also active in raising money to fund the uprisings.
Miguel later found work in London where he was employed as a Broker
's clerk for the city firm Basil Montgomery, Fitzgerald and co. After originally being forced to resign from the Army, he returned to serve in the German automobile corps during the First World War reaching the rank of Captain.
After the war on 21 July 1920 Miguel renounced for himself and his descendants, his rights of succession to the Portuguese throne. His father also renounced his rights ten days later which resulted in the Miguelist claim passing to his younger half brother Duarte Nuno
.
Prince Miguel later moved to New York
where he sold life insurance
before dying of pneumonia
following an influenza
attack.
House of Braganza
The Most Serene House of Braganza , an important Portuguese noble family, ruled the Kingdom of Portugal and its colonial Empire, from 1640 to 1910...
. The eldest son of the Miguelist pretender to the throne of Portugal he married an American heiress in 1909 and in 1920 renounced his rights to the throne. His full given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
s were Miguel Maximiliano Sebastão Maria.
Early life
Miguel was born in Reichenau an der RaxReichenau an der Rax
Reichenau an der Rax is a market town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, situated at the foot of the Rax mountain range on the Schwarza river, a headstream of the Leitha.-History:Reichenau castle was first mentioned in a 1256 deed...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
the eldest son and heir
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
of the Miguelist pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
to the Portuguese throne Miguel, Duke of Braganza and his first wife Princess Elisabeth of Thurn and Taxis
Princess Elisabeth of Thurn and Taxis
Princess Elisabeth of Thurn and Taxis -Life:...
. Prince Miguel's father was the head of the non reigning branch of the Portuguese Royal House that had been exiled from Portugal. The exile was the result of the Portuguese law of banishment of 1834 and the constitution of 1838 which was brought about because in 1828 his grandfather Miguel
Miguel of Portugal
Dom Miguel I, sometimes Michael , was the King of Portugal between 1828 and 1834, the seventh child and second son of King John VI and his queen, Charlotte of Spain....
usurped the throne of Portugal from his niece Queen Maria II. His grandfather reigned as king until 1834 when Maria II was restored.
Like his father Miguel pursued a career in the Army and served in a Saxon
Kingdom of Saxony
The Kingdom of Saxony , lasting between 1806 and 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany. From 1871 it was part of the German Empire. It became a Free state in the era of Weimar Republic in 1918 after the end of World War...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
regiment. On 16 September 1900 Miguel was riding back into town in a Phaeton
Phaeton (carriage)
Phaeton is the early 19th-century term for a sporty open carriage drawn by a single horse or a pair, typically with four extravagantly large wheels, very lightly sprung, with a minimal body, fast and dangerous. It usually had no sidepieces in front of the seats...
after having attended a dinner at a country house, when he caught his wheels in the carriage of Prince Albert of Saxony the son of Prince George
George of Saxony
-Life:George was born in the Saxon capital Dresden. He was the second son of King John of Saxony and his wife Princess Amelia of Bavaria , daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria ....
, and nephew of the reigning king Albert
Albert of Saxony
Albert of Saxony may refer to:* Albert of Saxony * Albert I, Duke of Saxony * Albert, Duke of Saxony * Prince Albert of Saxony, Duke of Teschen * Albert of Saxony...
. The collision was so great the Prince Albert's carriage overturned into a ditch, with Prince Albert dying a few hours after. Because it could not be determined whether it was an accident or intentional Miguel escaped a court martial but he was forced to give up his commission in the Army and leave the country.
A year later he caused more controversy when it was discovered that while King Carlos I of Portugal
Carlos I of Portugal
-Assassination:On 1 February 1908 the royal family returned from the palace of Vila Viçosa to Lisbon. They travelled by train to Barreiro and, from there, they took a steamer to cross the Tagus River and disembarked at Cais do Sodré in central Lisbon. On their way to the royal palace, the open...
was visiting the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Miguel had entered Portugal with the aim of assisting an uprising against the king. After this was discovered he effectively became a social outcast.
Marriage
On 9 July 1909 Miguel's engagement to the American heiress, Anita StewartAnita de Braganza
Anita Stewart Morris , also known as Princess Miguel of Braganza, was an American socialite and heiress who married Dom Miguel of Braganza, Infante of Portugal, Duke of Viseu, granddson of Dom Miguel I, King of Portugal, and the eldest son of Dom Miguel, Duke of Braganza, at that time the first in...
was announced in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Stewart was the daughter of William Rhinelander Stewart and Annie Armstrong. After her parents divorced in August 1906, her mother married the millionaire James Henry Smith.
Miguel and Anita Stewart were married at Tulloch Castle
Tulloch Castle
Tulloch Castle is located in the town of Dingwall in the Highlands of Scotland. It dates from the 12th century, when it is thought to have been built by Norsemen. Over the years, it has served as a family home for members of the Bayne and Davidson clans, as a hospital after the evacuation of...
near Dingwall
Dingwall
Dingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It was formerly an east-coast harbor but now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts...
in Scotland on 15 September 1909. This was the first royal wedding in Scotland since the days of the Stuarts
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
. Shortly before the wedding Stewart was created Princess of Braganza by the Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph. Upon his marriage Miguel was able to keep his place in the line of succession as morganatic marriages did not exist in Portuguese law.
From their marriage Miguel and his wife had three children; Nadejda, John and Miguel. The children were styled Prince and Princess until 1920 when Prince Miguel's marriage was declared non dynastic.
Later life
After his marriage Miguel was granted the title Duke of ViseuDuke of Viseu
Duke of Viseu was a Portuguese Royal Dukedom created in 1415 by King John I of Portugal for his third male child, Prince Henry the Navigator, following the conquest of Ceuta....
by his father, though the reigning Portuguese King Manuel II
Manuel II of Portugal
Manuel II , named Manuel Maria Filipe Carlos Amélio Luís Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Francisco de Assis Eugénio de Bragança Orleães Sabóia e Saxe-Coburgo-Gotha — , was the last King of Portugal from 1908 to 1910, ascending the throne after the assassination of his father and elder brother Manuel...
did not recognise this and claimed the title for himself. Shortly after his marriage, Miguel faced legal action from a syndicate
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies or entities formed to transact some specific business, or to promote a common interest or in the case of criminals, to engage in organized crime...
who had lent him money a few years before his marriage when he was in financial difficulties. After promising to pay the syndicate one-fifth of any dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
he received as a result of contracting a marriage he later tried to pay back only what he had originally borrowed. Although he paid off the majority of his creditors after his wedding some were unhappy and seized his furniture and other items and took them to an Auction house.
In 1911-1912 Miguel took part in the monarchist uprisings in Portugal led by Henrique Mitchell de Paiva Couceiro, in an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the First Portuguese Republic. He was also active in raising money to fund the uprisings.
Miguel later found work in London where he was employed as a Broker
Broker
A broker is a party that arranges transactions between a buyer and a seller, and gets a commission when the deal is executed. A broker who also acts as a seller or as a buyer becomes a principal party to the deal...
's clerk for the city firm Basil Montgomery, Fitzgerald and co. After originally being forced to resign from the Army, he returned to serve in the German automobile corps during the First World War reaching the rank of Captain.
After the war on 21 July 1920 Miguel renounced for himself and his descendants, his rights of succession to the Portuguese throne. His father also renounced his rights ten days later which resulted in the Miguelist claim passing to his younger half brother Duarte Nuno
Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza
Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza was a claimant to the throne of Portugal from 1920 until his death.-Birth:...
.
Prince Miguel later moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
where he sold life insurance
Life insurance
Life insurance is a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the death of the insured person. Depending on the contract, other events such as terminal illness or critical illness may also trigger...
before dying of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
following an influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
attack.
Issue
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nadejda de Bragança | 28 June 1910 | 13 June 1946 | She was married firstly in 1930 to Wlodzimierz Dorozynski with whom she had one son before divorcing in 1932. She was married for a second time in London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... on 29 January 1942 to René Millet. She died after fall which was later ruled to be suicide. |
| John de Bragança | 7 September 1912 | 12 March 1991 | A Harvard graduate he served in the US Navy during World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... , later becoming vice president and treasurer of the Rhinelander Real Estate Company and an investment banker. He was married firstly in New York New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... on 21 May 1948 to Winifred Dodge Seyburn (granddaughter of Detroit Auto Pioneer John Dodge) with whom he had one son before divorcing in 1953. He was married secondly on 15 May 1971 to Katherine King. |
| Miguel de Bragança | 8 February 1915 | 7 February 1996 | He worked as a civil airlines pilot and was married in Miami on 18 November 1946 to Anne Hughson with whom he had two daughters. |
Titles and styles
- His Royal Highness Prince Miguel of Braganza, Infante of Portugal
- His Royal Highness The Duke of Viseu