Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

of Valença (in Portuguese ''Conde de Valença'') 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, dated from July 20, 1464, by King

Afonso V of Portugal Afonso V () (15 January 1432 – 28 August 1481), known by the sobriquet the African (), was King of Portugal from 1438 until his death in 1481, with a brief interruption in 1477. His sobriquet refers to his military conquests in Northern Afri ...

, and granted to ''Dom'' Henrique de Menezes, who was already 3rd Count of Viana (da Foz do Lima) and 4th Count of Viana (do Alentejo). However, on November 12, 1471, he gave back to the Crown the County of Valença and received in exchange the County of Loulé. Later, on December 12, 1499, by a royal decree issued by King

Manuel I of Portugal Manuel I (; 31 May 146913 December 1521), known as the Fortunate ( pt, O Venturoso), was King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A member of the House of Aviz, Manuel was Duke of Beja and Viseu prior to succeeding his cousin, John II of Portuga ...

, the County of Valença was granted again this time to Dom Fernando de Menezes who was already 2nd

Marquis of Vila Real Marquis of Vila Real (in Portuguese ''Marquês de Vila Real'') was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from 1 March 1489, by King John II of Portugal, and granted to ''Dom'' Pedro de Menezes, also known as Peter II ...

, 4th

Count of Vila Real Count of Vila Real (in Portuguese ''Conde de Vila Real'') was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, in 1424, by King John I of Portugal, and granted to ''Dom'' Pedro de Menezes, also known as Peter I of Menezes, 1st Count o ...

, 1st

Count of Alcoutim Count of Alcoutim (in Portuguese ''Conde de Alcoutim'') was a Portuguese title of nobility, subsidiary to the one of Marquis of Vila Real, created by a royal decree, dated from November 15, 1496, by King John II of Portugal, and granted to ''Dom ...

, a cousin to the 1st Count.

List of the Counts of Valença

# Henrique de Meneses, 4th Count of Viana, 3rd Count of Viana (da Foz do Lima) and 1st

Count of Loulé Count of Loulé (in Portuguese ''Conde de Loulé'') was a Portuguese title of nobility granted to Henrique de Menezes by royal decree issued on November 12, 1471, by King Afonso V of Portugal. Henrique de Menezes was the son of Duarte de Men ...

; # Fernando de Menezes, 2nd Marquis of Vila Real (1463- ? ), also known as Ferdinand II of Menezes, 4th

and 1st

; #

Pedro de Menezes, 3rd Marquis of Vila Real Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for '' Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter. The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meani ...

(1486- ? ), also known as Peter III of Meneses, 5th

# Miguel de Menezes, 4th Marquis of Vila Real (1520- ? ), also known as Michael I of Menezes, 6th

# Manuel de Meneses, 5th Marquis of Vila Real (1530- ? ), also known as Manuel of Menezes, 1st

Duke of Vila Real Duke of Vila Real (in Portuguese ''Duque de Vila Real'') was a Portuguese title of nobility created by royal decree, dated from February 28, 1585, by King Philip I of Portugal (also known as Philip II of Spain), and granted to '' Dom'' Manuel de ...

and 7th

; # Miguel Luís, 6th Marquis of Vila Real (1565-1637), also known as Michael II of Menezes, 1st

Duke of Caminha Duke of Caminha (Portuguese: ''Duque de Caminha'') was a title created by royal decree, dated 14 December 1620, by King Philip III of Portugal (also known as Philip IV of Spain) for ''Dom'' Miguel Luís de Menezes, 6th Marquis of Vila Real and ...

and 8th

; # Luis de Noronha e Meneses (1570-1641), also known as Louis of Menezes, 7th

, 9th

The counts of Valenza and Valladares (Spanish title)

When the 7th Marquis of Vila Real, 7th Count of Valença, along with his son the Duke of Caminha, was executed in Portugal for high treason in 1641, his daughter, Beatrice of Menezes, married to the Spanish Count of Medellin, remained in Spain. To reward her fidelity towards the Spanish Habsburgs, King

Philip IV of Spain Philip IV ( es, Felipe, pt, Filipe; 8 April 160517 September 1665), also called the Planet King (Spanish: ''Rey Planeta''), was King of Spain from 1621 to his death and (as Philip III) King of Portugal from 1621 to 1640. Philip is remembered ...

gave her, the 23 March 1660, the title of Countess of Valenza and Valladares (Spanish spelling) as a Spanish title with, included today among the titles of the

House of Medinaceli Duke of Medinaceli () is an hereditary title in the peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee. The Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, created the title and awarded it on 31 October 1479 to Lui ...

. Beatrice of Menezes never returned to her homeland and this title was never recognized in

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

Counts of Valenza and Valladares (1660-)

* Beatriz de Meneses, 1st Countess of Valenza and Valladares (1614-1668) * Pedro Damián Portocarrero, 9th Count of Medellín and 2nd Count of Valenza and Valladares (1640-1704), eldest son of the 1st Countess. * Luisa Feliciana Portocarrero, 10th Countess of Medellín and 3rd Countess of Valenza and Valladares (1641-1705), elder surviving daughter of the 1st Countess. * Guillén Ramón de Moncada, 6th Marquis of Aitona and 4th Count of Valenza and Valladares (1671-1727), eldest son of the 3rd Countess. * María Teresa de Moncada, 7th Marquise of Aitona and 5th Countess of Valenza and Valladares (1707-1756), eldest daughter of the 4th Count. * Pedro de Alcántara Fernández de Córdoba, 12th Duke of Medinaceli and 6th Count of Valenza and Valladares (1730-1789), eldest son of the 5th Countess. * Luis Fernández de Córdoba, 13th Duke of Medinaceli and 7th Count of Valenza and Valladares (1749-1806), eldest son of the 6th Count. * Luis Fernández de Córdoba, 14th Duke of Medinaceli and 8th Count of Valenza and Valladares (1780-1840), eldest son of the 7th Count. * Luis Fernández de Córdoba, 15th Duke of Medinaceli and 9th Count of Valenza and Valladares (1813-1873), elder son of the 8th Count. * Luis Fernández de Córdoba, 16th Duke of Medinaceli and 10th Count of Valenza and Valladares (1851-1879), elder son of the 9th Count. * Luis Fernández de Córdoba, 17th Duke of Medinaceli and 11th Count of Valenza and Valladares (1880-1956), elder son of the 10th Count. * Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba, 18th Duchess of Medinaceli and 12th Countess of Valenza and Valladares (b. 1956), eldest daughter of the 11th Count. The heiress apparent is Ana Luisa de Medina, Marquise of Navahermosa (b. 1940).

External links

Genealogy of the Counts of Valença, in Portuguese

Bibliography

”Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil" – Vol. III, page 467. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989. {{DEFAULTSORT:Valenca Countships of Portugal 1464 establishments in Portugal

List of the Counts of Valença

The counts of Valenza and Valladares (Spanish title)

Counts of Valenza and Valladares (1660-)

See also

External links

Bibliography