Princes of Brazil
Prince of Brazil (Portuguese: Príncipe do Brasil) was a title used in the Kingdom of Portugal, conferred on the heir of the royal House of Braganza.
The title was created by King John IV of Portugal on 27 October 1645 in favor of his eldest son and heir Prince Teodósio, soon after Portugal had got rid of its Spanish rulers. During the 1645–1822, the Prince of Brazil was always conferred to the heir apparent of the throne, who also received the title of Duke of Braganza. Also, in 1750 when the hitherto Prince of Brazil ascended as Joseph I, he granted the title Princess of Brazil (but not the Dukedom of Braganza) to his eldest daughter, the future Maria I of Portugal, as the king believed to remain without sons (and, truly, his wife and he produced no further issue after 1746, as we know with hindsight). When Maria, in 1760 married, Infante Pedro, he also became styled Prince of Brazil as her consort.
The fashion how the title was held is quite identical with that of the Duchy of Cornwall and of Rothesay in the United Kingdom. The male heir apparent received it when the relevant parent ascended the throne, or if the title was vacant, at birth. The heir of the Prince of Brazil was styled Prince of Beira and Duke of Barcelos.
When Brazil ascended to the position of kingdom inside the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves, the title was changed to Prince Royal of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves. When Brazil proclaimed its independence in 1822, the title was reused by the Imperial House of Brazil being conferred to all of Emperor Pedro I's children.
Brazil's independence forced Portugal to change the heir apparent's title once again, this time to Prince Royal of Portugal.
Princes of Brazil: title of the Portuguese heir to the throne
- Note: Lighter shade of blue means that the person was not titled Prince of Brazil, being only the first in the line of succession.
| Name | Started | Ended | Alternative names | Observations | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teodósio |  |
1645 | 1653 | Theodosius (English) | Braganza | John IV's first son. We was from 1640 to 1645 the Prince of Portugal, before the title changed to Prince of Brazil. |
| Afonso |  |
1653 | 1656 | Alphonzo (English), Alphonse (English), or Affonso (Old Portuguese) |
Braganza | John IV's third son. Future Afonso VI. He was the heir to the throne since 1653, but was only titled Prince of Brazil since his last year as heir (1656). |
| Pedro |  |
1656 | 1683 | Peter (English) | Braganza | Afonso VI's younger brother. Future Peter II. |
| Isabel Luísa | 1683 | 1688 | Elizabeth Louise (English) or Isabella Louise (English alternative) |
Braganza | Peter II's first daughter. Also known as Isabel Luísa, Princess of Beira. | |
| João | 1688 | 1688 | John (English) | Braganza | Peter II's first son. | |
| Isabel Luísa | 1688 | 1689 | Elizabeth Louise (English) or Isabella Louise (English alternative) |
Braganza | Peter II's first daughter. Also known as Isabel Luísa, Princess of Beira. | |
| João |  |
1689 | 1706 | John (English) | Braganza | Peter II's second son. Future John V. He was the heir to the throne since 1689, but was only titled Prince of Brazil since 1697. |
| Francisco |  |
1706 | 1711 | Francis (English) | Braganza | John V's younger brother. Also known as Infante Francsico, Duke of Beja. |
| Bárbara |  |
1711 | 1712 | Barbara (English) | Braganza | John V's first daughter. |
| Pedro | 1712 | 1714 | Peter (English) | Braganza | John V's first son. | |
| José |  |
1714 | 1750 | Joseph (English) | Braganza | John V's second son. Future Joseph I. |
| Maria Francisca |  |
1750 | 1777 | Mary Frances (English alternative) | Braganza | Joseph I's first daughter. Since 1760, her consort, Pedro, was also styled Prince of Brazil. |
| José |  |
1777 | 1788 | Joseph (English alternative) | Braganza | Maria I's first son. His widow, Infanta Maria Francisca Benedita (1746-1829) was Dowager Princess of Brazil for the rest of her considerably long life. |
| João |  |
1788 | 1815 | John (English alternative) | Braganza | Maria I's second son. Future John VI of Portugal. From 1815 the title was changed to Prince Royal due to the ascencion of Brazil to the status of kingdom inside the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves. John was heir to the throne until 1816. |
See also
Prince of Brazil: independent Brazilian Empire
- the future Maria II of Portugal (1819-53) was heiress presumptive 1822-25, and she was in 1822 created Princess of Brazil and Princess of Grao Para. She ascended the Portuguese throne in 1826, and was no longer regarded as direct heiress to Brazil
- (1) the future Pedro II was imperial heir from 1825 until his accession in 1831 and in 1825 was created Prince of Brazil and Prince of Grao Para
- (2) Januaria of Braganza (1822-1901), Princess Imperial 1831-45 and held the substantive title Princess of Brazil, married in 1844 Louis de Bourbon (of Bourbon-Sicily branch), count of Aquila - theoretically, Louis held the consort title to Brazil in 1844-45
- (3) Alfonso of Braganza, Prince Imperial of Brazil (1845-47), Prince of Grao Para, eldest son of Emperor Pedro II
- (4) Pedro of Braganza, Prince Imperial of Brazil (1848-50), Prince of Grao Para, the other, and then only surviving, son of Pedro II
- (5) Isabella, Princess Imperial of Brazil (born 1846), from 1850 onwards (apparently never held Grao Para); consort Gaston (1842-1922) from 1864.
Apparently the title has belonged to the heir of the deposed imperial dynasty of Brazil since 1888.
Pedro II's both (shortlived) sons received also the title Prince of Grao Para, as had Maria da Gloria and Pedro II himself. However, when Pedro's heiress presumptive, and proclaimed official heiress, princess Isabella gave birth to her firstborn son in 1875, that boy was created Prince Pedro of Brazil, Prince of Grao Para. The intention of the imperial grandfather was that henceforward, Grao Para will be the title of the heir apparent of the crown prince/crown princess.
Claimants
Isabella never ascended the throne, because it was overthrown by revolution. She accordingly held the Prince of Brazil until her death in 1921. Would she be deemed to have ascended (the monarchist view), her heir-apparent would have held the Prince of Brazil from 1891 onwards
- 1921-81 Prince Pedro Henrique of Orleans-Braganza (1909-81), grandson
- 1981-present Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza (born 1938), son
- heir: Prince Bertrand of Orléans-Braganza (born 1941), next unrenounced brother
rival line, morganatic, Isabella's eldest, but renounced and non-dynastically married son, and his descent:
- 1921-40 Prince Pedro de Alcantara of Orléans-Braganza (1875-1940), Prince of Grao Para (his renunciation in 1908 presumably included this title deposed too)
- 1940-present Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza (born
1913) - no records to show whether he uses or not the Grao Para title
- heir: Prince Pedro Carlos of Orléans-Braganza (born 1945)
Grao Para: were the Grao Para title to pass as intended by Pedro II, the legitimate line heirs-apparent were, from the date of the elder Pedro's morganatic marriage in 1908:
- 1908-20 Louis (1878-1920), Isabella's second son
- 1920-21 Peter Henry, son
- 1921-31 heir presumptive: Louis Gaston the elder (1911-31), brother
- 1931-38 heiress presumptive: infanta Pia Maria (born 1913), sister
- 1938-81 Louis Gaston the younger (born 1938), nephew
- 1981-present heir presumptive: Bertram (born 1941), brother
Had they been on the throne all this time, the third in line was:
- 1891-1908 Louis (1878-1920)
- 1908-09 Antonio (1881-1918), brother
- 1909-20 Peter Henry, nephew - he would have held Grao Para, since he was heir-apparent of the heir
- 1920-21 Louis Gaston the elder, brother
- 1921-31 Pia Maria, sister
- 1931-34 Peter of Coburg-Kohary (1866-1934), father's cousin
- 1934-38 Rainer of Coburg-Kohary (1900-c 1945), nephew
- 1938-39 Pia Maria, again
- 1939-66 Eudes (born 1939), nephew, renounced
- 1966-81 Bertram, brother
- 1981-present Prince Antonio of Orléans-Braganza (born 1950), brother
Thus, Grao Para would have been left quite much unused, as there has not existed a jackpot of three heirs-apparent simultaneously except in 1909-20
 |
|
Forefathers - John VI of Portugal - Queen Carlota Joaquina First generation - Pedro I - Empress Leopoldina - Princess Amélie of
Leuchtenberg The Vassouras Branch (dynastic)
Fourth generation - Prince Luiz of Orleans-Braganza - Princess
Maria Pia The Petrópolis Branch (non-dynastic)
Fourth generation - Prince Pedro de Alcantara of
Orléans-Braganza - Countess Elisabeth Dobrzensky |
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