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Portugal
Iberia had long been a part of the
Roman empire when it was
invaded. The western province of Lusitania was named after the Lusitani
people, and formed all of modern Portugal
south of the Douro, as well as the westernmost parts of modern
Spain. In the fifth
century AD the peninsula was successively invaded by the
Vandali, the
Suevi (in the
north), and then the
Visigoths,
who ruled for two centuries. Much of the peninsula fell to the
Islamic
empire's invasion from the south, which saw the collapse of the Visigoth
kingdom, but which also signalled the start of the Reconquista -
the fight by Christians to regain Iberia.
Portugal itself first emerged as a march (or border) county of the kingdom of
Asturias in the ninth century,
one of the few areas not to be fully conquered by the
Umayyad Moors. The northern area
was taken back from them in the mid-ninth century and a march county was
established under Vimarano Perez. It gained a regional capital in the town
called Portucale (modern Porto).
Portugal gained its name from the Callaeci people of Iberia. Their area was
known as Calle, and when the Romans arrived they built a port at the mouth
of the Douro - the southern border - which they called Portus Calle. Portus
became the aforementioned Porto (Oporto) and Portus Calle which, given the
interchange between 'c' and 'g', became Portus Galle. This was later
extended in its meaning to refer to that whole area of Iberia and was
altered by language shift to 'Portucale'. Interestingly enough in medieval
and early Tudor English, a Portuguese citizen was known as a Portingale.
(Additional information from Trish Wilson.) |
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(First) County of Oporto (House of Vimarano Perez)
AD 868 - 1071
The first county of Portugal was established in 868. Alfonso III of
Asturias & Galicia
commissioned
Vimarano Perez to fight the
Umayyad Moors in the west of
Iberia, and he managed to push them south of the River Douro. Then Alfonso granted
him the lands between that and the River Minho (which even
today forms the western 80kms (50 miles) of Portugal's northern border) to
govern in the king's name (Vimarano, or Vimara, came from the name Weimar or
Guimar). In 871 Coimbra, to the south of Portugal, was freed from the Moors
and created a county, and the two became closely aligned. |
868 - 873 |
Vimarano Perez / Vimara Peres |
First count of northern Portugal under
Asturias & Galicia. |
873 - ? |
Lucidio Vimaranes |
Son. |
? - c.924 |
Onega
Lucides |
Dau. Countess. |
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Diogo Fernandes |
Husband and co-ruler. |
910 |
The kingdom
of Asturias & Galicia expands into the kingdom of Leon.
Galicia is divided, along with
Portugal, which is attached to it, but which remains nominally independent.
While overlordship of Portugal falls to Galicia, when that is drawn into
Leon in 924, its kings claim overlordship. |
c.924 - c.950 |
Mumadona Dias |
Dau. Countess. Abdicated. Died 999. |
c.928 |
One
of the richest women in Iberia, Mumadona Dias had been married to Menendo I
Gonçalves before she became countess of Portugal, but he now dies, leaving
her to rule alone, under the overlordship of Ramiro II of
Leon. It is Ramiro who is the
first to claim the title king of Portugal. |
c.924 - c.928 |
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Menendo I
Gonçalves |
Husband. Also known as Hermenegildo Gonçalves Betote. |
c.950 |
Mumadona Dias abdicates her title and divides her vast estates between her
sons.
Gonçalo Menendez inherits Portugal. |
c.950 - 999 |
Gonçalo Menendez |
Son. |
957 - 962 |
Sancho I of Leon removes the
ruling counts of Portugal from power and seeks support from the
Omayyids to protect him
from retaliation. In 962,
Gonçalo Menendez rebels against Sancho and re-establishes his governance of
the county. |
981 |
The county of Coimbra is re-conquered by the
Omayyids. Portugal again
becomes the front line between Moor and Christian in western Iberia. |
987 |
Count
Gonçalo adopts the title grand duke of Portugal and goes to war against his
overlord, Bermudo II of Leon.
Bermudo defeats him.
Gonçalo's death in 999 falls in the same year as the death of Mumadona Dias,
and with the old order gone, a new count accedes to the title. |
999 - 1008 |
Menendo II Gonçalves |
Son? Killed by raiding Vikings in
Galicia. |
1008 |
Toda
Mumadona |
Wife and countess. Governed the county temporarily. |
1008 - 1015 |
Alvito Nunez |
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1017 - 1028 |
Ilduara Mendes |
Dau of Toda. Countess. |
1017 - 1028 |
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Nuno I Alvitiz |
Husband. |
1028 |
Upon the death of Nuno I, the county passes to Menendo III. |
1028 - 1050 |
Menendo III Nunez / Mendes Nunes |
Killed in battle. |
1029 - 1035 |
Overlordship of the county, which still occupies just the northernmost
section of modern Portugal, falls to
Navarre.
With the death of Sancho III of Navarre in 1035,
overlordship of Portugal passes to
Castile. |
1050 - 1071 |
Nuno
II Menendez |
Last count of Portugal. Defeated in battle. |
1071 - 1093 |
Nuno II loses the Battle of Pedroso to Garcia II of Galicia, and Garcia
claims the title king of Galicia
and Portugal (only the second to do so). The
county loses its autonomy under his short-lived rule. Almost immediately he
is defeated by his own brother, Sancho II of
Castile, and in 1072 Alfonso
VI of
Leon takes control of all three
kingdoms, imprisoning Garcia for the rest of his life. |
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(Second) County of Portugal (Pre-House of Burgundy)
AD 1093 - 1139
The county of Portugal became autonomous again under Henry of
Burgundy, the great-grandson of Robert II of
France, removing it from the direct control of the kingdom of
Leon. Henry had been born in
Barcelona to a Catalan princess, and he married Theresa, countess of
Portugal and favourite (but illegitimate) daughter of Alfonso VI of Leon, who had inherited the
county as her feudal property. Therefore, Robert was merely the custodian of the county in his wife's name, but he intended to make it a more
secure place than it had been under its previous regent, Raymond, count of Galicia.
There was an almost constant state of hostility on the southern borders
between the Christians and the
Islamic Moors, and the
county expanded rapidly in this period. |
1093 - 1112 |
Henry
of Burgundy |
Count. Brother
of Odo I of Burgundy. |
1093 - 1128 |
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Theresa |
Wife and regent of the county. Dau of Alfonso VI of
Leon. d.1130. |
1093 |
While Henry and Theresa are vassals under the king of
Leon, Henry attempts to gain more
autonomy for the county and eventual independence, while Theresa styles
herself queen of Portugal. Henry's other main task is to provide military
assistance in the fight against the
Islamic Moors. |
1109 - 1112 |
With the death of Alfonso of
Leon, Henry invades the kingdom,
hoping to annexe it and form a kingdom. His early death in 1112 ends that
plan, but his young widow takes on the job of governing the county. Theresa
defends Coimbra and the other recently liberated territory to the south as
far as the River Mondego (about one third of the way south into modern
Portugal), and is hailed as queen of Portugal by
Pope Paschal II. |
1112 - 1139 |
Afonso I |
Son. Established
the kingdom. |
1116 - 1121 |
In 1116 and 1120, Theresa and her half-sister, Queen Urraca of
Leon, go to war as Theresa
attempts to expand her domains. To that end she exiles her son who opposes
her policies. She also marries the count of Trava, who continues to fight for
her south of the Mondego, expanding Portugal ever further southwards. In 1121,
she is besieged and captured by Urraca at Lanhoso, and a negotiated settlement
sees her acknowledge Leon's overlordship of Portugal. |
1128 - 1129 |
An energetic and resourceful count under his mother's guidance, Afonso pushes the
Islamic
Moors back in
all directions, increasing Portugal's domains. But following his exile and along
with Portugal's nobility, he has become increasingly frustrated with his mother's
policies, and together they rebel and depose Theresa, sending her in exile into
the kingdom of Galicia, near the
Portuguese border (Theresa dies just two years later). Then, in contravention of
his mother's settlement of 1121, he proclaims himself prince of Portugal in 1129,
independent from Leon. Fighting in the
south, on 26 July 1139 he wins the Battle of Ourique and is proclaimed king by his
troops. |
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Kingdom of Portugal (House of Burgundy)
AD 1139 - 1385
Afonso was proclaimed king of
Portugal on 26 July 1139
immediately following a resounding victory over the
Islamic
Moors at the
Battle of Ourique. Wishing to gain recognition from his fellow monarchs, and
from the Pope, he married Maud (or Mafalda)
of Savoy, daughter of
Count Amadeo III. Then he sent ambassadors to
Rome, built many churches in
Portugal, and declared himself the pope's servant, bypassing his direct
overlord in
Leon. Recognition came first not from the pope but from Leon, with the
Treaty of Zamora in 1143 and the kingdom was confirmed. The final piece of
Portugal to be taken was Faro, during the reign of Afonso III. |
1139 - 1185 |
Afonso I |
First king of
Portugal and founder of the nation. |
1143 - 1147 |
Afonso is recognised as king by Alfonso VII of
Leon and
Castile (it takes
Pope Alexander III until 1179 to
do the same). The king goes on to continue his attacks on the
Islamic
Moors, taking
Lisbon and Santarem in 1147.
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The issue of just how to recognise the de facto independence of
Portugal was a tricky one for the papal office, as it could not
be seen to be offending Spanish sensibilities
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1169 - 1174 |
Fighting a minor engagement in Badajoz, Afonso falls from his horse and is
disabled. Troops from Leon capture him and a ransom is demanded; virtually
all the territory Afonso had conquered in
Galicia during warfare between
the Christian kingdoms prior to the signing of the Treaty of Zamora. In
1170, Afonso knights his son, making him his second-in-command and four
years later the young Sancho marries Dulce Berenguer, the younger sister of
Alfonso II of Aragon, thereby
securing an alliance (and recognition) between the two kingdoms. |
1184 |
Marching across the Straits of Gibraltar with an army to besiege Santarem,
Almohad Caliph Yusuf I abu Yaqub is wounded by a crossbow bolt fired by
the forces of Afonso I. He dies soon afterwards, on 29 July 1184. The Christian
victory is a major success, and a major blow for the presence of the Almohads in
Spain. |
1185 - 1212 |
Sancho I
the Populator |
Son. |
1185 - 1191 |
Sancho makes Coimbra his capital, and brings an end the pointless fighting
against his fellow Christian monarchs to secure territory on the border with
Galicia (which is now part of
Castile).
Instead he turns his full attention south towards the remaining
Islamic states, and in
1191 captures Silves on the Algarve. This gives Portugal a southern
coastline and cements the control much of the country's traditional
territory so that Sancho can found several new settlements, populating them
with Flemings and
Burgundians especially
(earning his nickname). |
1191 - 1195 |
Fresh from failure in front of the walls of Tomar, stronghold of the
Portuguese Templars, Yaqub al Mansur of the
Almohads recaptures Paderne Castle and nearby territory around Albufeira,
Portuguese holdings since 1182. This victory and other seizures allow him to
return to North Africa in triumph but as soon as he leaves Iberia, the
Christians resume the offensive. They take several
Islamic
cities, including Beja, Silves, and Vera, necessitating another campaign.
This time Yaqub returns to inflict a further defeat on them, taking hostages
to sell as slaves. Once he leaves Iberia again, the largest Christian army
of the period is assembled. Determined to put a halt to this, Yaqub defeats
the army which is commanded by Alfonso VIII of
Castile,
slaughtering thousands of his men. |
1212 |
Caliph Muhammad suffers a devastating defeat by the Christian Iberians of
Aragon,
Castile,
Navarre, and
Portugal at Los Navos de Tolosa. Humiliated, they are forced to give way,
and their army never fully recovers from the disaster. In the east, the empire
fades as local tribes begin to rebel against
Almohad rule and control over more territory is gradually lost, along
with domination of the western Mediterranean Sea.
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Ongoing battles between the Almohads and the Iberian Christians
would end up in North African defeat at the Battle of Los Navos
de Tolosa in 1212
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1212 - 1223 |
Afonso II |
Son. |
1212 |
Afonso's rule marks a period of entrenchment and a focus on building up
Portugal rather than waging war against the
Islamic Moors or
Castile.
In fact one of his most important acts is to secure peace with Castile. |
1223 - 1247 |
Sancho II |
Son. Secured Portuguese rule of the Algarve. |
1246 - 1247 |
Just like his father, Sancho had quarrelled continuously with the
Pope over his redirection of
church funds to improve the kingdom. The pope issues a Bull declaring that
he should be replaced on the throne, and in 1246 the country's nobles invite Sancho's brother, Alfonso, consort count of Boulogne, to become king. He
immediately marches into Portugal and Sancho is ejected in 1247 and exiled
to Toledo, where he dies the following year. |
1247 - 1279 |
Afonso III |
Brother. Fair and progressive ruler. |
1279 - 1325 |
Denis
/ Diniz |
Son. 'The Farmer King'. |
1325 - 1357 |
Afonso IV
the Brave |
Son. |
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Afonso
Sanches |
Illegitimate half-brother and favourite of Diniz. |
1325 |
Afonso IV and Afonso Sanches have been feuding from early in their lives,
causing several civil wars during their father's reign. Upon his accession,
Afonso IV strips his half-brother of all his lands and titles and exiles him
to
Castile.
From there, Sanches organises several attempts to usurp the king until the
dowager queen, Elizabeth of Aragon, arranges a peace treaty between them. |
1340 |
Sultan
Abu al-Hasan ibn Uthman launches his grand invasion of Iberia from his capital
at Fez.
The Castilian
fleet is instantly destroyed off the coast of Gibraltar. Tarifa is besieged but
Hasan, believing that the Castilians are no longer a threat at sea, lays up
much of his own fleet. Alfonso, though, has sought the help of his uncle,
Alfonso IV of Portugal, and the king of
Aragon. The fleet this produces
cuts the Merinid chain of communications across the straits of Gibraltar. The
Christian army then relieves Tarifa at the Battle of Río Salado (or the Battle
of Tarifa) on 30 October 1340. The Merinids are thoroughly defeated and a North
African ruler never again threatens Iberia.
Granada now fights alone. |
1357 - 1367 |
Peter I
/ Pedro I the Just |
Son. |
1367 - 1383 |
Ferdinand I |
Son. |
1369 - 1382 |
The
death of Pedro of
Castile triggers a fight for the throne. Ferdinand
is among the competitors, as are the kings of
Aragon and
Navarre, and John of Gaunt,
English duke of Lancaster. In the end it is Pedro's illegitimate brother who gains
the throne, and all parties seek peace talks from
Pope Gregory XI. An unsuccessful
war follows in 1373, thanks to the intrigues of Lancaster. Again, in 1382,
upon the death of Henry II in Castile, Lancaster and Ferdinand take to the
field, but Ferdinand reaches a separate agreement by which his daughter will
marry John I of Castile and unify the two crowns. |
1383 - 1385 |
Beatrice |
Dau. Claim denied by her uncle (and by some historians). |
1383 - 1385 |
The
1383-1385 Crisis is triggered when Ferdinand dies without a male heir. The
agreement for eleven year-old Beatrice and her husband, John I of
Castile,
is set aside by Ferdinand's illegitimate brother, John of Avis, who claims
the throne for himself. |
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Kingdom of Portugal (House of Aviz)
AD 1385 - 1580
John I was the illegitimate son of Peter I and master of the military order
of Avis. He triggered a crisis in 1383 by ignoring his niece's prior claim
to the throne and claiming it for himself instead. Beatrice had supporters
of her own, including King John I of
Castile,
so a two year war was triggered - a period known as the Portuguese
Interregnum. Lisbon was besieged by John of Castile, but dwindling supplies
and sickness on both sides saw the siege lifted, and John of Avis was in the
ascendant afterwards, aided by
English troops. John secured his throne and, following the conquest of
the Algarve in southern Iberia during the reign of Sancho II, all future
monarchs claimed the title 'king of Portugal and the Algarve', or a variant
thereof.
(Additional information from The New Islamic Dynasties: A Chronological
and Genealogical Manual, C E Bosworth (2004).) |
1385 - 1433 |
John
/ João I of Avis |
Son of Peter I.
Died of plague. |
1386 - 1387 |
As a result
of
England supplying 600 battle-hardened men to John to help him secure the
throne, the two countries sign the Treaty of Windsor on 9 May, the oldest
alliance in Europe still in force. The following year, on 11 February 1387,
John cements the alliance by marrying Philippa of Lancaster, the daughter of
John of Gaunt. All his descendants are therefore also direct descendants of
Edward III of England.
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The Christian conquest of Iberia was a drawn-out process which
covered several centuries of combat and slow advance, but in its
later days it frequently spilled over into North African
kingdoms which were supporting the 'Moors' in southern Iberia
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1415 |
John seizes
Merinid Ceuta, opposite Gibraltar, marking the beginning of European expansion into Africa,
although his initial intention is simply to control the North African coast.
'Lord of Cueta' is added to the monarch's titles. |
1433 - 1438 |
Edward / Duarte |
Son. Died of plague. |
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Prince Henry the
Navigator |
Brother. Important figure in early exploration by sea. |
1437 - 1438 |
Edward, supported by his brothers, Henry and Fernando, attacks
Merinid Tangiers with a view to improving his trade and exploration base
in North Africa. The attack succeeds but at a cost; Fernando is captured and
dies in prison. Edward himself dies of plague the following year, leaving
his six year-old son to succeed him and the boy's mother to support him as
regent. |
1438 - 1481 |
Afonso V |
Son. m Isabel of Coimbra. Abdicated in favour of his son. |
1438 - 1440 |
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Eleanor of
Aragon |
Mother and regent. Exiled. |
1438 - 1440 |
The Aragonese Eleanor is
unpopular with the nobility, and is inexperienced for her role as regent.
Her brother-in-law, Pedro, is the popular choice of the masses and an
agreement is negotiated over the course of several months which will enable
a power-sharing deal. However, the Cortes (Portugal's council), appoints
Pedro as sole regent and Eleanor is exiled to
Castile in
1440, where she dies five years later. |
1440 - 1448 |
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Pedro, duke of
Coimbra |
Uncle and
regent. Died in battle against Afonso in 1448. |
1440 - 1445 |
The only supporter of Eleanor had been Afonso, count of Barcelos, the
illegitimate half-brother of King Edward. He becomes the young king's
favourite, and is made the first duke of
Braganza in 1442, a
powerful position that later yields the country's kings. He cements his
position by marrying his young daughter to the king in 1445. |
1458 - 1471 |
Afonso decides to expand Portuguese interests along the costal section of
Morocco. His forces conquer Alcacer Ceguer in 1458, Tangiers is
conquered and lost on multiple occasions within a four year period
(1460-1464), while Arzila is taken in 1471. |
1479 |
The Treaty of Alcáçovas, also known as the Peace of Alcáçovas-Toledo, is
signed between the joint kingdom of
Castile
and Aragon on one side and
King Afonso V and Prince John II on the other. It ends the Castillian
War of Succession by recognising Isabella as queen of Castile, renouncing
Spanish claims to the Portuguese throne and, most importantly for
Morocco,
it divides the Atlantic and its coastal territories into zones of
influence. The Portuguese are now unopposed in their attempts to dominate
the kingdom of Fez. |
1481 - 1495 |
John
/ João II |
Son of Afonso V.
King briefly in 1477. Died childless. |
1482 |
Explorer Diogo Cao visits the
Kongo kingdom in Africa, impressing the manikongo
with Portuguese culture. |
1494 |
John
revives the work of his great-uncle, Henry the Navigator, and encourages the
exploration of the western coast of Africa and beyond in an attempt to find
a new source of riches outside the Mediterranean, which is controlled by
Venice. The
Treaty of Tordesillas on 7 June divides the New World between the joint
kingdom of Castile and
Aragon, and Portugal,
giving the latter the opportunity to exploit
Brazil. However, a theory is
that the secretive Portuguese court has contact with Brazil as early as
1480, before Castile's much-trumpeted discovery of the Bahamas, perhaps
through the central Atlantic voyages of Captain Duarte Pacheco Pereira. |
1495 - 1521 |
Manuel I |
Cousin. Tried to halt the exploitation of
Kongo kingdom. |
1498 - 1500 |
Explorer Vasco da Gama discovers a maritime route to
India
via the Horn of Africa, the first European to reach the subcontinent this
way. He makes two subsequent trips, dying on the last. Two years after the
first voyage, Pedro Alvares Cabral officially discovers
Brazil. |
1503 - 1505 |
Portugal adds the island of Zanzibar to its empire at the same time as da
Gama is returning from his second trip to India. In 1505, the first Portuguese
viceroy of
India
is appointed. Portugal is becoming very rich due to all these distant
discoveries. |
1510 - 1517 |
Goa
is made the capital of Portugal's empire in the east in 1510. A Portuguese
embassy is established in the Thai kingdom of
Ayuddhya
in 1511, and further bases are created in Timor in 1515 and
China in 1517. Later exploration is mostly dedicated to the west and
Brazil,
although Portugal possesses much of Africa's western and eastern coastline
by the end of the reign of John III. |
1521 - 1557 |
John
/ João III |
Son. Succeeded aged 19. Died of apoplexy. |
1543 - 1557 |
The
Portuguese arrive in
Japan
in 1543, probably the first Europeans to do so, although
Venice's Marco Polo had known of
the country's existence from his travels. They also have rights to trade in
Macau in
China (gained in 1535), and a permanent settlement is established there
in 1557. |
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Prince John |
Son. A sickly child who died in 1554 aged 17. |
1557 - 1578 |
Sebastian / Sebastiao |
Son. 'The Desired'. Succeeded aged three. |
1557 - 1568 |
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Cardinal Henry |
Great-uncle. Regent. |
1576 - 1578 |
As part of the country's ongoing colonial successes, the
Kongo
kingdom becomes a Portuguese colony. However, just two years later the young
king dies at the Battle of Alcacer-Quibir in
Morocco,
and it is questionable whether his body is ever discovered (although Philip II
of Spain later claims
to find and bury it). Childless, Sebastian's death sparks a succession
crisis, with several claimants for the throne putting themselves forward.
In the meantime, Cardinal Henry assumes control of the country until a
successor can be selected, although he also attempts to persuade the
Pope to release him
from his vows so that he can take a bride and continue the Aviz dynasty,
without success. |
1578 - 1580 |
Cardinal Henry |
Succeeded his nephew. |
1580 |
Cardinal Henry dies without having appointed a regency
council to select his successor. Catherine, duchess of
Braganza, has a
better claim, but there are a number of other claimants to the throne. Anthony of
Portugal, prior of Crato, gains power for twenty days (although some
historians dispute his presence in any official list of kings), but his
claim is considered weak as he is the illegitimate son of Prince Louis (son
of Manuel I). |
1580 |
Anthony of Portugal |
Claimant and briefly king (and in the Azores until 1583). |
1580 - 1583 |
The War of the Portuguese Succession is fought between
Anthony and Philip of Spain.
Anthony is pushed out of the country in 1581 and ends up occupying the
Azores. Defeated in naval battles, his attempt to secure the throne comes to
an end in 1583. Philip gains the throne. |
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Kingdom of Portugal (House of Habsburg)
AD 1580 - 1640
After some political manoeuvring up to 1581, Portugal
was secured and ruled by Spain
under the Iberian Union. Philip II of Spain became Philip I for his Portuguese
subjects, achieving the dominance that generations of
Castilian
kings before him had failed to secure. During this period, Spanish attempts
to prevent the Portuguese colonisation of
Brazil in
the New World were halted, allowing vast new territories there to be occupied
by the Portuguese, many of them far from friendly towards the Spanish. Ultimately,
Spain's control of the country led to the decline of the Portuguese empire of
overseas territories. |
1580 - 1598 |
Philip I |
King Philip II of
Spain. |
1598 - 1621 |
Philip II |
King Philip III of
Spain. |
1621 - 1640 |
Philip III |
King Philip IV of
Spain. |
1640 |
The Portuguese aristocracy, frustrated by Habsburg rule
from Spain, offers
the crown to John of Braganza
and the country reasserts its independence. |
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Kingdom of Portugal (House of Braganza)
AD 1640 - 1910
Catherine, duchess of Braganza (a cadet branch of the House of
Aviz which was created in 1442),
had claimed the Portuguese crown in 1580, only to be disappointed by Philip
II of Spain taking the
throne instead. That event sparked a struggle for the Portuguese throne in
1580-1583, but the Braganzas remained strangely uninterested in taking part.
Nevertheless, their claim was seen by many as a stronger one, and in 1640 the
Portuguese aristocracy expressed their frustration with Habsburg rule by
offering the crown to Catherine's grandson.
The monarch continued to claim the title 'king of Portugal and the
Algarves', except for the period of exile between 1807-1821, when
the title was change to 'King of Portugal,
Brazil,
and the Algarves'. |
1640 - 1656 |
John / João IV
the Restorer |
Grandson of Catherine, duchess of Braganza. |
1640 - 1668 |
The
protracted Portuguese Restoration War (or Acclamation War) is
triggered by John's accession to the throne. It only ends when Portuguese
independence is fully recognised. John still has allies across Europe, however,
and marries his daughter, Catherine of Braganza to
England's
Charles II (in 1662). From this point onwards, the heir to the throne is given
the title of prince of
Brazil. |
1641 - 1665 |
Perhaps
taking advantage of the situation in Portugal, King Garcia II of
Kongo allies himself to the
Dutch in an attempt to control Portuguese
slave traders, but in 1665 a Portuguese force decisively defeats the army
of Kongo at the Battle of Mbwila. The manikongo becomes little more
than a Portuguese vassal. The kingdom disintegrates into a number of small
states, all controlled to varying degrees by the Portuguese.
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Portuguese relations with the Kongo kingdom were usually
dictatorial, and even more so after Portuguese victory at
the Battle of Mbwila in 1665
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Teodosio |
Son. Prince of
Brazil
and heir apparent. Died 1653. |
1656 - 1683 |
Afonso
VI the Victorious |
Son.
Semi-paralysed and mentally unstable. Exiled 1667-1682. |
1656 - 1662 |
|
Luisa of Medina-Sidonia |
Mother and regent. |
1662 - 1667 |
Although his mother has made a very successful regent, the king is
influenced at court by the count of Castelo Melhor, and in 1662 he dismisses
her, sending her to a convent. Alfonso takes control of affairs himself,
choosing a bride in Marie Françoise of Nemours in 1666. Unfortunately, she
files for an annulment the following year, and when this is granted she
marries Alfonso's brother, Peter. In the same year Peter manages to gain
enough support in court to force the king into exile (initially in the
Azores for seven years) and nominate himself as prince regent. |
1667 - 1683 |
|
Peter II / Pedro
II |
Son and regent. |
1683 - 1706 |
Peter II
/ Pedro II |
Gained the throne upon his brother's death. |
1698 |
Portugal
is expelled from the island of Zanzibar, losing its slave
trade to the Sultans of Oman. |
1702 - 1715 |
Peter
initially supports
France during the War
of Spanish Succession.
Britain alters the situation with the signing of the Methuen Treaty with
Portugal on 16 May 1703, which grants mutually beneficial commercial rights
for wine and textiles from the two countries. In December 1703 a military
alliance between Austria,
Britain, and Portugal sees them invade
Spain.
Lorraine is occupied
during the war, forcing the ducal court to flee. The allied forces capture
Madrid in 1706, although the campaign ends in a defeat at the Battle of
Almansa. |
1706 - 1750 |
John / João V
the Magnanimous |
Son. m Mary Anne
of Austria. |
1715 |
The
conclusion of the War of the Spanish Succession sees
Spain giving up
Milan,
Naples,
Sardinia, and the Spanish
Netherlands (modern Belgium)
to Austria,
and Sicily to
the duchy of Savoy. The
Papal States are forced to
hand over the territories of Parma and Piacenza to Austria, a definite blow
to the papacy's prestige. Philip, duke of Anjou, is recognised as the Bourbon
King Philip V of Spain, but only on the condition that the Bourbon crowns of
Spain and France can
never be united under a single ruler. |
1750 |
The Treaty of Madrid between Portugal and
Spain legitimises the
established borders of the colonial territories in
Peru and
Brazil.
The crown benefits greatly from the profits earned from gold and diamond
mines in Brazil. |
1750 - 1777 |
Joseph
Emanuel |
Son. |
1777 - 1816 |
Maria I |
Dau. Ruled United
Kingdom of Portugal,
Brazil,
& Algarves (1815). |
1777 - 1786 |
|
Peter III / Pedro
III |
Uncle & husband. Co-ruler. |
1799 |
Queen Maria, otherwise known as Maria the Mad, suffers
from a mental illness which induces religious mania and melancholy in her.
As a result she is unable to conduct state affairs after 1799, so her son,
John, becomes regent. |
1799 - 1816 |
|
John / João VI |
Son. Regent for his incapacitated mother. |
1807 - 1811 |
Portugal
is occupied by Napoleonic
France. Led by the
regent, John VI, the royal family goes into exile on 13 November to evade capture,
sailing for Brazil,
the largest of its overseas colonies. By 1811 Portugal has effectively been freed
by an
Anglo-Portuguese army under General Wellesley. |
1816 - 1826 |
John
/ João VI |
Ruled United Kingdom of Portugal,
Brazil,
& Algarves (1816). |
1820 - 1825 |
The
Liberal Revolution is ignited in Portugal following the chaos of the
French invasions
and a military insurrection in the northern city of Oporto. It quickly
spreads throughout the country, with liberalists calling for a constitution
and the royal family, which has lived in
Brazil
for thirteen years, to return home. As a result, the king returns to Portugal
in 1821 leaving his son, Peter, behind as regent, and in 1822 a constitution
is introduced. Unfortunately, it calls for Brazil to be returned to the status
of a colony, so the regent of Brazil declares it to be independent of Portugal.
Busy putting down rebellions by his son Miguel in 1822 and 1823, it takes the
king until 1825 to recognise the country's independence. |
1822 - 1823 |
Michael / Miguel |
Son. Tried to rebel. Banished in 1824. |
1826 |
John VI had restored Peter to the succession in the belief
that Brazil
and Portugal would be reunited after his death. In the event, although he is
indeed succeeded by his son, it is a brief reign. Peter is forced to abdicate
on 28 May in favour of his daughter. |
1826 |
Peter IV
/ Pedro IV |
Brother. Peter I Emperor
of Brazil.
Abdicated Portuguese throne. |
1826 - 1828 |
Maria II |
Dau. Seven years old upon accession. |
1826 - 1828 |
|
Isabel Maria |
Sister of Peter IV. Regent. |
1828 |
Michael declares himself regent in place of his sister,
Isabel Maria, on 26 February, and proceeds to take the throne himself on 23
June, deposing his niece and marrying her. |
1828 - 1834 |
Michael / Miguel |
Usurper. |
1831 - 1834 |
Following
his abdication of the throne of
Brazil,
Peter IV returns to Portugal and initiates naval action against Michael. A civil
war follows, known as the Portuguese Liberal War, and it only ends when
Michael is forced to abdicate on 26 May 1834. He is sent into exile for a second
time. (His descendants later inherit the claim to the throne in modern
Portugal.) |
1834 - 1853 |
Maria II |
Restored. |
1834 |
Maria is restored to the throne, and she immediately
negates the marriage to her uncle. Still only fifteen years of age, she
settles on twenty-three year-old Charles Auguste Eugène Napoleon de
Beauharnais, grandson of Empress Josephine of
France.
Unfortunately, August falls ill and dies just two months after the
confirmation of the marriage on 26 January 1835. Maria remarries to
Ferdinand of
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
in 1836, making him king on a par with her, although he cannot use the title
until an heir is born (according to Portuguese law). |
1836 - 1855 |
|
Ferdinand II |
Husband and co-ruler. Ferdinand of
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. |
1853 - 1861 |
Peter V
/ Pedro V |
Son. Under his father's regency for two years. |
1861 |
A cholera outbreak kills the young king, along with his
brother Fernando and other members of the royal family. The loss of such a
beloved and progressive king leaves a grieving nation and sparks minor
revolts in parts of the country. Unfortunately, under the surviving son of
Maria II, the country stagnates, falling behind its European neighbours in
terms of industrial progression and affluence. |
1861 - 1889 |
Louis
/ Luis |
Younger brother. |
1888 |
The
king of
Kongo signs the Treaty of Vassallage with Portugal which sees much of
the African country incorporated into
Angola and partly into the
'Independent State of Congo'. |
1889 - 1908 |
Charles
/ Carlos |
Son. Murdered in public. |
|
Louis / Luis |
Son and crown prince. Murdered alongside his father. |
1908 - 1910 |
Manuel II |
Brother. Exiled in
1910. Hereditary monarch
(1910-1932). |
1908 - 1910 |
Following the assassination of King Charles and the crown
prince, the young and unprepared Manuel accedes the throne.
 |
King Carlos and his son, Crown Prince Luis, were riding through
the streets of Lisbon on 1 February 1908 when they were
assassinated by revolutionaries
|
|
|
|
In an attempt to save the monarchy's
faltering position he immediately dismisses prime minister and dictator Joao
Franco and his entire cabinet. The following two years are politically
turbulent, and free elections see the republicans and socialists secure an
overwhelming victory. When a prominent republican is murdered in 1910, a
pre-planned revolution is ignited on 4 October. Elements of the military
stage a coup which forces the king to flee to
British Gibraltar. Now in exile, he continues to claim his
Hereditary title. A republic is declared
in Portugal. |
|
|
|
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|
Modern Portugal
AD 1910 - Present Day
Modern Portugal has maintained its borders virtually unchanged since the
twelfth century, and is the only one of three states within ancient Iberia
(the third being Andorra).
It is neighboured to the north and east by
Spain, to the south by
Algeria,
and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean.
The kings of Portugal and the Algarves were of the
House of Braganza. During
the revolt of 1910, King Manuel II was forced to flee to Gibraltar, from
where he was taken to
Britain by the Royal Navy. While there he agreed the 1912 Pact of Dover
with the rival claimant who descended from the usurping King Michael of 1828,
and then the Pact of Paris in 1922 in an attempt to unite the monarchist
movement and provide it with a secure succession. The Royalist movement
in Portugal has so far failed to restore the Braganzas to the throne,
but all claimants are shown here with a shaded background. Pretenders and
rival claimants are shown in green text. |
1910 |
The First Republic is declared. On 3 October 1911 a minor
incursion by royalists armed with mismatched weapons, some of which have
been supplied by Alfonso XIII of
Spain, briefly
occupies the town of Vinhais before withdrawing to Spain. A much better
organised attack is launched from Galicia on 8 July 1912. Led by the head of
the royalists, Henrique Paiva Couceiro, the northern town of Chaves manages
to repulse the royalist attempt, and the force withdraws in defeat. Paiva
Couceiro abandons the struggle.
 |
The revolution forced the royal family to flee to Britain for
their safety, and a republican government was quickly installed
|
|
|
1910 - 1932 |
Manuel II |
Exiled king. Died mysteriously on 2 July. |
1914 - 1916 |
In 1914, the kings of
Kongo (Angola) are abolished following a revolt. In 1916, Portugal's
neutrality in the First World War is ended when
German vessels which
are interned in Portuguese ports are confiscated by the government in line
with requests from
Great Britain. The country's participation in the war on the Western
Front deepens divisions and makes it possible for the first dictatorship to
emerge, albeit a short-lived one. |
1915 |
Pimenta de Castro |
Dictator. Jan-May only. Resigned after military
intervention. |
1917 - 1918 |
Sidonio Pais seizes power in December 1917, and initiates
a form of benevolent dictatorship, repairing some of the problems caused
since the declaration of the republic. His attempt at charismatic rule comes
to an end with his assassination on 14 December 1918. |
1917 - 1918 |
Sidonio Pais |
Dictator, the 'President-king'. Assassinated. |
1918 - 1919 |
The assassination of Pais leads to a short civil war. The
monarchy is declared to have been restored in northern Portugal on 19
January 1919, with an insurrection breaking out in support in Lisbon just
four days later. Both events are dealt with by the republic's military and a
return to the pre-1915 status quo is achieved. |
1921 |
On 10 July, a liberal government wins the elections for
president. On 19 October a military coup leads to the assassination of the
prime minister and various other conservative figures. Fresh elections the
following year return a new government and a period of stability, although
not stable government, as they rise and fall with bewildering regularity. |
1926 - 1932 |
A coup is launched on 28 May 1926 by the army and is supported
by most politicians who are not involved in the ruling government. A military
dictatorship is instigated which is known as the National Dictatorship. It
elects and deposes figurehead presidents as it sees fit. |
1932 - 1970 |
Antonio
Salazar is appointed prime minister in 1932, marking the start of thirty-six
years of his fascist dictatorship in the country. From 1933, he attempts
to prevent the rise of National Socialism in the country, but also introduces
a new constitution which widens his powers considerably. During the Second
World War against
Germany, Portugal
grants
Great Britain the use of naval bases in the Azores, and similar access
is later given to the
USA,
although officially the country remains neutral. |
1932 - 1968 |
Antonio de Oliveira Salazar |
Dictator. Suffered a stroke and died two years later. |
1932 - 1976 |
Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza |
Cousin
& successor of Manuel II. Born 23 Sep 1907. D. 24 Dec. |
1932 |
Duarte Nuno is the grandson of King Michael, the wayward
son of John VI who had seized power in 1828. As Manuel II has no offspring,
he recognises the claim of this branch of the family shortly before his
death. |
1957 - 1983 |
Maria Pia de Saxe-Coburg-Braganza |
Claimed to be daughter of King Charles but evidence insufficient. |
1961 |
After fourteen years of demonstrations and strikes in
favour of independence from Portugal in
India,
the colony in
Goa
is invaded by the Indian army and taken by force. Revolutionary forces are
also becoming active in
Angola, Mozambique, and Portuguese Guinea, as the country resists
following the other European colonial powers by handing its colonies
independence. Instead Portugal fights successfully to put down most of the
revolts and is ostracised by much of the world. |
1970 - 1974 |
Following two years of caretaker rule while Salazar is
incapacitated, his former aide, Marcelo Caetano takes over, initiating the Caetano
New State fascist dictatorship. His power is more limited than his
predecessor's, as the president is now able to wield more influence instead
of simply being a puppet. |
1970 - 1974 |
Marcelo Caetano |
Dictator. Died 1980 of a heart attack. |
1974 |
There is a military coup on 25 April, known as the
Carnation Revolution thanks to these flowers being in full bloom at the
time. Triggered by the spiralling cost of fighting in Africa for Portugal's
colonial possessions, the coup is led by junior officers. The Estado Novo
dictatorship is overthrown and Caetano is exiled to
Brazil.
The Second Republic is declared and Portugal's
overseas empire collapses. The following year
Angola
gains independence.
 |
The Carnation Revolution overthrew the Estado Novo dictatorship
and laid the grounds for the second republic to be established
|
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|
1976 - Present |
Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza |
Son of Duarte Nuno. Born 15 May
1945. |
1999 |
The Portuguese colony of Macau is handed back to
China on 20 December. The enclave is guaranteed a high degree of
continued autonomy until 2049 at the earliest, maintaining everything except
defence and foreign affairs for itself. |
|
Afonso, Prince of Beira |
Son of Duarte Pio and heir. Born 25 March 1996. |
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