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Eleanor of Viseu

 
Wikipedia: Eleanor of Viseu
Eleanor of Viseu
Queen consort of Portugal
Tenure 28 August 1481 – 25 October 1495
Spouse John II
Issue
Afonso, Prince of Portugal
Father Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu
Mother Beatrice of Portugal
Born 2 May 1458(1458-05-02)
Beja
Died 17 November 1525 (aged 67)
Portuguese royalty
House of Avis
Ordem Avis.svg

John I
Children
   Infante Duarte (future Edward I)
   Infante Pedro, Duke of Coimbra
   Henry the Navigator (Infante Henrique, Duke of Viseu)
   Infanta Isabel, Duchess of Burgundy
   Infante João, Lord of Reguengos
   Infante Fernando, the Saint Prince
   Afonso, Duke of Braganza (illegitimate)
   Beatriz, Countess of Arundel (illegitimate)
Grandchildren include
   Infanta Isabel of Coimbra, Queen of Portugal
Edward
Children
   Afonso, Prince of Portugal (future Afonso V)
   Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu
   Infanta Leonor, Holy Roman Empress
   Infanta Catarina
   Infanta Joana, Queen of Castile
Grandchildren include
   Infante Manuel, Duke of Beja (future Manuel I)
   Infanta Leonor of Viseu, Queen of Portugal
   Infanta Isabella, Duchess of Braganza
Great-Grandchildren include
   Jaime, Duke of Braganza, Prince of Portugal
Afonso V
Children include
   João, Prince of Portugal
   Blessed Joana, Princess of Portugal
   João, Prince of Portugal (future John II)
John II
   Afonso, Prince of Portugal
   Jorge, Duke of Coimbra (illegitimate)

Eleanor of Viseu (2 May 1458, Beja–17 November 1525), Lisbon; Portuguese pronunciation: [liuˈnoɾ dɨ viˈzeu]) was a Portuguese infanta (princess) and later Queen Consort of Portugal. To distinguish her from other infantas of the same name, she is commonly known as Eleanor of Viseu (after her father's title) or Eleanor of Lancaster (Lancaster, a name used by some Portuguese royals after her great-grandmother Queen Philippa). In Portugal she is known universally as Rainha D. Leonor.

Contents

Family

She was a daughter of Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu, and his wife and cousin Beatrice of Portugal. Her maternal grandparents were Infante João of Portugal and his wife and niece Isabella of Braganza.

Isabella was a daughter of Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza and his first wife Beatriz Pereira Alvim. Beatriz was a daughter of Nuno Álvares Pereira and his wife Leonor de Alvim.

She had a sister, Isabella of Viseu who married Fernando II, 3rd Duke of Braganza, who was later accused and executed of treason by King John II (Eleanor's husband).

Leonor's statue in Beja, Portugal

Eleanor's older brother, Diogo, Duke of Viseu, was also involved and was executed by the king himself. Her younger brother, succeeded John II and became King of Portugal as Manuel I.

Marriage and children

She married John, Prince of Portugal in January, 1471, and became the Princess of Portugal. He was the only living son of Afonso V of Portugal and Isabel of Coimbra. John was the heir apparent to the Portuguese throne. The bride was almost thirteen years old and the groom was about sixteen years old. They had two children:

Name Birth Death Notes
Prince Afonso 18 May 1475 13 July 1491 Crown Prince of Portugal. Died in a horse riding accident. Because of the premature death of the prince the throne was inherited by Manuel of Viseu, Duke of Beja, son of Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, who reigned as Manuel I, 14th King of Portugal.
Infante João 1483 1483  

Queen consort

Her father-in-law died on 28 August 1481 and her husband became John II of Portugal. She became the new queen consort. She founded what became the city of Caldas da Rainha, which is named in her honor, rainha meaning "queen" in Portuguese.

Eleanor and John II survived both their sons. John II died on 25 October 1495 and the hypothesis of poisoning was never ruled out.

Widow

After her brother, Manuel I succeeded to the throne in 1495, Queen Eleanor continued to be active. In 1498 she spearheaded the creation of various Santa Casas da Misericórdia in Portugal, as confraternities with humanitarian purposes, especially the care of the poor, the sick, and of abandoned children. The original foundations survive today, and more have since been founded in other towns and cities of Portugal and in the Portuguese colonies.

Portuguese royalty
Preceded by
Joanna, Princess of Asturias
Queen consort of Portugal
28 August 1481 – 25 October 1495
Succeeded by
Isabella, Princess of Asturias



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