Duke of Victoria ( pt, Duque da Vitória, lit=Victorious duke, or Duke of the victory) is a Portuguese title of nobility retained by the

Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...

. The title was created by Prince Regent John of Portugal (later King John VI) on 18 December 1812 to honour the British General Arthur Wellesley, who commanded the armies that eventually defeated the troops of

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

Napoleon I of France Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

in the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...

. It was the only grant of a Portuguese dukedom to a foreigner. Arthur Wellesley had already received the Portuguese titles Conde de Vimeiro (''Count of Vimeiro'', 18 October 1811) and Marquês de Torres Vedras (''Marquess of Torres Vedras'', 17 December 1812), which became titles subsidiary to that of Duque da Vitória. He also received the British peerage title Duke of Wellington, and other titles and honours from the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, Spain, and the Netherlands. All these titles have been passed to his heirs to the present day.

Dukes of Victoria since 1812

* Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Victoria (1769–1852) from 1812 * Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington, Arthur Richard Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Victoria (1807–1884) from 1852 * Henry Wellesley, 3rd Duke of Wellington, Henry Wellesley, 3rd Duke of Victoria (1846–1900) from 1884 * Arthur Wellesley, 4th Duke of Wellington, Arthur Charles Wellesley, 4th Duke of Victoria (1849–1934) from 1900 until 1934 * Arthur Wellesley, 5th Duke of Wellington, Arthur Charles Wellesley, 5th Duke of Victoria (1876–1941) from 1934 * Henry Wellesley, 6th Duke of Wellington, Henry Valerian George Wellesley, 6th Duke of Victoria (1912–1943) from 1941 * Gerald Wellesley, 7th Duke of Wellington, Gerald Wellesley, 7th Duke of Victoria (1885–1972) from 1943 * Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington, Arthur Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Victoria (1915–2014) from 1972 * Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington, Arthur Charles Valerian Wellesley, 9th Duke of Victoria (b. 1945) since 2014 The heir apparent is the present holder's son Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Douro, Arthur Gerald Wellesley, whose heir apparent is his son Arthur Darcy Wellesley.

Use of titles of nobility in the Portuguese Republic

With the end of the Portuguese monarchy in 1910, all titles of Portuguese nobility were initially abolished. Notwithstanding, although the status of nobility has not been recognised in law since 1910, legitimate titles of nobility (those granted by a reigning monarch before the 5th October 1910) have been given legal recognition and protection, including under article 26 of the Portuguese Constitution, in conjunction with articles 70 and 72 of the Civil Code, as established by decision of Portugal's Supreme Court of Justice in 201

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duque Da Vitoria Dukes da Vitória, * Dukedoms of Portugal, Vitoria Wellesley family, * 1812 establishments in Portugal

Dukes of Victoria since 1812

Use of titles of nobility in the Portuguese Republic

See also

References