Count of Santa Cruz (in Portuguese ''Conde de Santa Cruz'') was a Portuguese
title of nobility
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characterist ...
created by a royal decree of King Philip II of Portugal, also known as
Philip III of Spain
Philip III ( es, Felipe III; 14 April 1578 – 31 March 1621) was King of Spain. As Philip II, he was also King of Portugal, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia and Duke of Milan from 1598 until his death in 1621.
A member of the House of Habsburg, Phi ...
, dated from October 3, 1593, and granted to Francisco de Mascarenhas (1530-1608), nephew of ''
Dom'' Pedro de Mascarenhas, 6th
Viceroy
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning " ...
of
Portuguese India.
Through a remarkable marriage policy, this family inherited several other titles and estates, such as
Marquess of Gouveia in 1686, and
Duke of Aveiro
Duke of Aveiro ( pt, Duque de Aveiro) was a Portuguese title of nobility, granted in 1535 by King John III of Portugal to his 4th cousin, John of Lencastre, son of Infante George of Lencastre, a natural son of King John II of Portugal.
Joh ...
in 1745.
List of the counts
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Francisco Mascarenhas (1530–1608), 1st
Count of Vila da Horta and 13th
Viceroy of Portuguese India;
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Martinho Mascarenhas (1570–?), 2nd Count of Santa Cruz;
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Beatriz Mascarenhas (1610–? ), 3rd Countess of Santa Cruz. She married a distant cousin, João de Mascarenhas (1600-1668), who became 3rd Count of Santa Cruz by marriage;
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Martinho Mascarenhas (1630–1676), 4th Count of Santa Cruz;
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João Mascarenhas (1650–1691), 5th Count of Santa Cruz;
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Martinho Mascarenhas (1681–1723), 6th Count of Santa Cruz and 3rd
Marquess of Gouveia;
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João Mascarenhas (1699–?), 7th Count of Santa Cruz and 4th
Marquess of Gouveia, forced to renounce the title after fleeing Portugal for adultery, he chose to live maritally with his mother;
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José Mascarenhas da Silva e Lencastre (1708–1759), 8th Count of Santa Cruz, 5th
Marquess of Gouveia and 8th
Duke of Aveiro
Duke of Aveiro ( pt, Duque de Aveiro) was a Portuguese title of nobility, granted in 1535 by King John III of Portugal to his 4th cousin, John of Lencastre, son of Infante George of Lencastre, a natural son of King John II of Portugal.
Joh ...
;
#
Martinho Mascarenhas (1740–1804), 9th Count of Santa Cruz and 6th
Marquess of Gouveia. The last Count of Santa Cruz before the title was extinct following the
Távora affair
The Távoras affair was a political scandal of the 18th century Portuguese court. The events triggered by the attempted assassination of King Joseph I of Portugal in 1758 ended with the public execution of the entire Távora family and their cl ...
.
See also
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Marquess of Gouveia
*
Duke of Aveiro
Duke of Aveiro ( pt, Duque de Aveiro) was a Portuguese title of nobility, granted in 1535 by King John III of Portugal to his 4th cousin, John of Lencastre, son of Infante George of Lencastre, a natural son of King John II of Portugal.
Joh ...
*
Távora affair
The Távoras affair was a political scandal of the 18th century Portuguese court. The events triggered by the attempted assassination of King Joseph I of Portugal in 1758 ended with the public execution of the entire Távora family and their cl ...
Count and Marquis of Santa Cruz (Brazilian title)
During the Brazilian Empire, there was also a title of Count of Santa Cruz, later upgraded to Marquis of Santa Cruz, granted to Romualdo António de Seixas (1787-1860), and it should not be confused with this Portuguese title.
External links
Genealogical information on the Counts of Santa Cruz (Portugal)Genealogical information on the Count od Santa Cruz (Brazil)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz
Brazilian noble titles
1593 establishments in Portugal