Afonso I, Duke of Braganza

Afonso I
An engraving by Carlos António Leoni
Duke of Braganza
Tenure	30 December 1442 -15 December 1461
Successor	Fernando I
Spouse	Beatriz Pereira de Alvim Constance de Noronha
Issue
Afonso, 1st Marquis of Valença Isabella, Lady of Reguengos Fernando I
House	House of Braganza
Father	João I of Portugal
Mother	Inês Peres
Born	(1377-08-10)10 August 1377 Veiros, Estremoz, Alentejo, Kingdom of Portugal
Died	15 December 1461(1461-12-15) (aged 84) Chaves, Trás-os-Montes, Kingdom of Portugal
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Dom Afonso I 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 Beatriz Pereira de Alvim, daughter of Nuno Álvares Pereira, a general of the kingdom, and heir of the most opulent house of the kingdom.

D. Afonso I; 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 the Queen Mother Eleonor of Aragon (Afonso's sister-in-law). 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 abilities. 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 and the relations between both seemed to return to normality. 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. Influenced by Afonso, the young 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. It was short, because on 20 May 1449, during the Battle of Alfarrobeira, near Alverca, Peter died.

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:

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

See Also

• Duke of Braganza
• List of Dukes of Braganza

Notes

References

• Nobreza de Portugal e Brasil, Vol. II pages 437 to 439. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989.
• Genealogical information on Afonso I of Braganza (in Portuguese)

External links

Media related to Afonso I of Braganza at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Dukes of Braganza Feudal Dukes Afonso I Fernando I Fernando II Jaime I Teodósio I João I Teodósio II João IV of Portugal Heir to the Throne Teodósio Afonso VI João V José I Maria I José João VI Pedro I Miguel I Maria II Pedro V Carlos I Luís Filipe Claimant to the Throne Miguel Duarte Nuno Duarte Pio

v t e House of Braganza   John IV Children Teodósio, Prince of Brazil Joana, Princess of Beira Catarina, Queen of England Afonso VI Peter II   Peter II Children include Isabel Luísa, Princess of Beira John V Francisco, Duke of Beja António Manuel, Count of Ourém Infanta Francisca Luísa, Duchess of Cadaval (natural daughter) José, Archbishop of Braga (natural son)   John V Children Bárbara, Queen of Spain Joseph I Peter III   Joseph I Children include Maria I Mariana Francisca Doroteia Benedita, Princess of Brazil   Maria I and Peter III Children include José, Prince of Brazil John VI Mariana Vitória   John VI Children include Maria Teresa, Princess of Beira Maria Isabel, Queen of Spain Pedro IV of Portugal Maria Francisca Isabel Maria Miguel I Maria da Assunção Infanta Ana de Jesus Maria, Duchess of Loulé   Pedro IV Children include Maria II Januária, Princess Imperial of Brazil Princess Francisca, princess de Joinville Pedro II of Brazil Grandchildren Afonso, Prince Imperial of Brazil Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil Leopoldina Pedro, Prince Imperial of Brazil   Miguel Children Maria das Neves Miguel, Duke of Braganza Maria Teresa, Archduchess of Austria Maria Josepha, Duchess in Bavaria Adelgundes, Duchess of Guimarães, Countess of Bardi Marie Ana, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg Maria Antónia, Duchess of Parma Grandchildren Miguel, Duke of Viseu Francis Jospeh Maria Teresa Isabel Maria Maria Benedita Mafalda Maria Anna Maria Antónia Filippa Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza Maria Adelaide Great grandchildren Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza Miguel, Duke of Viseu Henrique, Duke of Coimbra Great-great grandchildren Afonso, Prince of Beira Maria Francisca Dinis, Duke of Porto   Maria II and Ferdinand II Children Pedro V Luís I Infante João, Duke of Beja Infante Maria Anna Infanta Antónia of Portugal Infante Ferdinand of Portugal Infante Augustus, Duke of Coimbra