Count of Barcelos (in Portuguese ''Conde de Barcelos'') is a

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 ...

, the first to be granted 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 ...

. It was created in 1298 by king

Denis I Denis (, ; 9 October 1261 – 7 January 1325 in Santarém), called the Farmer King (''Rei Lavrador'') and the Poet King (''Rei Poeta''), was King of Portugal. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile, an ...

and initially it was a non hereditary title, although most of the holders belonged to the Teles de Menezes family. It was only after the death of the 6th Count, when it was granted to

Nuno Álvares Pereira D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, O. Carm. (; 24 June 1360 – 1 November 1431) was a Portuguese general of great success who had a decisive role in the 1383-1385 Crisis that assured Portugal's independence from Castile. He later became a mystic ...

, that the title became hereditary. The 8th Count of Barcelos was created

Duke of Braganza The title Duke of Braganza ( pt, Duque de Bragança) in the House of Braganza is one of the most important titles in the peerage of Portugal. Starting in 1640, when the House of Braganza acceded to the throne of Portugal, the male heir of the P ...

in 1442, by his nephew king

Afonso V 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 Africa ...

, and his descendants rose to the Portuguese throne after the country regained its independence from Spain in 1640. Initially, the seat of the Counts of Barcelos was the Castle of Barcelos, a large medieval structure that overlooks the Cávado river. After having been granted the Dukedom of Braganza, the family moved to a larger and more urbane palace in Guimarães. The title is currently held by

Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza (Portuguese: ''Duarte Pio de Bragança'': born 15 May 1945) is the current Duke of Braganza, claimant to the title of King of Portugal of the dormant Portuguese throne, as the head of the House of Braganza. The Mig ...

and 31st Count of Barcelos, claimant to the throne of Portugal.

List of the Counts of Barcelos

Non-hereditary title (1298)

*1. João Afonso Telo; *2. Martim Gil de Riba de Vizela, also known as Martim Gil de Sousa (1st Count's son in law); *3. Pedro Afonso, natural son of King

Denis I of Portugal Denis (, ; 9 October 1261 – 7 January 1325 in Santarém), called the Farmer King (''Rei Lavrador'') and the Poet King (''Rei Poeta''), was King of Portugal. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile, an ...

; *4. João Afonso Telo, also 1st

Count of Ourém Count of Ourém (in Portuguese ''Conde de Ourém'') is a Portuguese title granted in 1370 by King Fernando I of Portugal, to ''Dom'' João Afonso Telo, uncle of Queen Leonor Teles. Later he also became the fourth Count of Barcelos. The title ...

; *5. Afonso Teles de Meneses, 4th count's son. Since he died before his father, the title reverted to his father; *6. João Afonso Telo, 4th count's nephew, son of

Martim Afonso Telo de Meneses Martim Afonso Telo de Meneses (died in Toro, 26 January 1356), was a Portuguese nobleman, member of the Téllez de Meneses lineage, and the father of Leonor Teles, queen consort of Portugal. His parents were Afonso Telles de Meneses, called ''el ...

, and also brother of Queen

Leonor Teles Leonor Teles (or Teles de Meneses; ) was queen consort of Portugal by marriage to King Ferdinand I, and one of the protagonists, along with her brothers and her daughter Beatrice, of the events that led to the succession crisis of 1383–1385 ...

Hereditary title (1385)

*7.

*8. Afonso, also

(1442), son in law of the 7th Count. For the list of holders after this date, see

Dukes of Braganza The title Duke of Braganza ( pt, Duque de Bragança) in the House of Braganza is one of the most important titles in the peerage of Portugal. Starting in 1640, when the House of Braganza acceded to the throne of Portugal, the male heir of the Po ...

Bibliography

"Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil" – Vol. II, pages 376-401. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989. {{authority control Barcelos Barcelos 1298 establishments in Europe 13th-century establishments in Portugal

List of the Counts of Barcelos

Non-hereditary title (1298)

Hereditary title (1385)

See also

Bibliography