Álvaro of Braganza
Encyclopedia
Álvaro of Braganza was the 4th son of Ferdinand I, 2nd Duke of Braganza
and his wife, Dona Joana de Castro.
, 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 heir of Rodrigo Afonso of Melo, 1st Count of Olivença. They had two sons and four daughters:
When King John II of Portugal
succeeded on the throne of Portugal
and started his fight against the high aristocracy, namely the Braganzas
, Dom Álvaro 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 (Álvaro included) exiled to Castile
.
Queen Isabella I granted Dom Álvaro 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, Álvaro 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.
Álvaro of Braganza died in Toledo
and his body was later transferred to the Convent of St. John Evangelist, in Évora
.
Fernando I, Duke of Braganza
Ferdinand was the second son of Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza and of his wife, Beatriz Pereira de Alvim .-Life:...
and his wife, Dona Joana de Castro.
Biography
He played an important role during the reign of King Afonso V of PortugalAfonso V of Portugal
Afonso V KG , called the African , was the twelfth King of Portugal and the Algarves. His sobriquet refers to his conquests in Northern Africa.-Early life:...
, when he was appointed Chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of the Kingdom. He took part in the king’s expeditions against Castile
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
(War of the Castilian Succession
War of the Castilian Succession
The War of the Castilian Succession was the military conflict contested from 1475 to 1479 for the succession of the Crown of Castile fought between the supporters of Juana la Beltraneja, daughter of the late monarch Henry IV of Castile, and those of Henry's half sister, Isabella, who was ultimately...
) and in the king’s voyage to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. On his return to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, he married Dona Filipa de Melo (c. 1460 - 1516), the rich daughter and heir of Rodrigo Afonso of Melo, 1st Count of Olivença. They had two sons and four daughters:
- Rodrigo de Melo (1468-1545), made 1st Count of TentúgalCount of TentúgalCount of Tentúgal was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from January 1, 1504, by King Manuel I of Portugal, and granted to Dom Rodrigo de Melo, son of Álvaro of Braganza and Philippa of Melo .Twenty nine years later, in 1533, King John III of Portugal granted him...
(by royal decree of King Manuel I of PortugalManuel I of PortugalManuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
, dated from 1504) and 1st Marquis of Ferreira (by royal decree of King John III of PortugalJohn III of PortugalJohn III , nicknamed o Piedoso , was the fifteenth King of Portugal and the Algarves. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the third daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile...
, 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 SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) by King Charles I of Spain (emperor Charles V); - Isabel de Castro, married the Spanish Alonso de Sotomaior, 4th Count of Belalcazar;
- Beatriz de Vilhena, married the Portuguese Infante George, Duke of CoimbraGeorge, Duke of CoimbraJorge de Lencastre was a Portuguese Prince, illegitimate son of King John II of Portugal and Ana de Mendonça, a maid of Joanna la Beltraneja. He became the second Duke of Coimbra in 1509...
; - Joana de Vilhena, married the Portuguese Francisco de Portugal, 1st Count of VimiosoCount of VimiosoCount of Vimioso is a Portuguese title of nobility which have their origins in Alphonse, Bishop of Évora, the natural son of Alphonse, 4th Count of Ourém and 1st Marquis of Valença...
; - Maria de Menezes, married the Portuguese João da Silva, 1st Count of PortalegreCount of PortalegreCount of Portalegre was a Portuguese title of nobility created by royal decree dated from February 6, 1498, by King Manuel I of Portugal, and granted to Diogo da Silva....
.
When King John II of Portugal
John II of Portugal
John II , the Perfect Prince , was the thirteenth king of Portugal and the Algarves...
succeeded on the throne of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and started his fight against the high aristocracy, namely the Braganzas
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...
, Dom Álvaro tried an approach with the King, but he was unsuccessful; his older brother, Ferdinand II, 3rd Duke of Braganza
Fernando II, Duke of Braganza
Ferdinand II was the older son of Fernando I, 2nd Duke of Braganza and of his wife, Doña Joana de Castro....
was executed, the family estates were confiscated, and the remaining family (Álvaro included) exiled to Castile
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
.
Queen Isabella I granted Dom Álvaro important estates in Gelves
Gelves
Gelves is a city located in the province of Seville, Spain. According to the 2006 census , the city has a population of 8,325 inhabitants.-External links:* - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía...
, and he was appointed Mayor of Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
and Andujar
Andújar
Andújar is a Spanish municipality of 38,539 people in the province of Jaén, in Andalusia. The municipality is divided by the Guadalquivir River. The northern part of the municipality is where the Natural Park of the Sierra de Andújar is situated. To the south are agricultural fields and...
. He also took part in the conquest of the Kingdom of Granada led by the Catholic Monarchs
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
.
When King John II died, Álvaro of Braganza returned to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, where the new king, Manuel I
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
, appointed him as special ambassador to Castile
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
to negotiate the King's marriage to princess Isabella, Princess of Asturias (1470-1498). Later he also negotiated the King’s second marriage.
Álvaro of Braganza died in Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
and his body was later transferred to the Convent of St. John Evangelist, in Évora
Évora
Évora is a municipality in Portugal. It has total area of with a population of 55,619 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Évora District and capital of the Alentejo region. The municipality is composed of 19 civil parishes, and is located in Évora District....
.