The title

Marquis A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...

Vila Viçosa Vila Viçosa () is a town and a municipality in the District of Évora, Alentejo in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 8,319, in an area of 194.86 km². The municipal holiday is August 16. Parishes Administratively, the municipality is d ...

(in Portuguese ''Marquês de Vila Viçosa'') was created by royal decree, dated May 25, 1455, 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 Africa. ...

), to Fernando of Braganza, second son of

Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza Dom Afonso I of Braganza (; 10 August 1377 – 15 December 1461) was the first duke of Braganza and the eighth count of Barcelos. He founded the House of Braganza, the most powerful and wealthy dynasty in Portugal. His descendants became high-rank ...

. ''Dom'' Fernando, was already 3rd

Count of Arraiolos Count of Arraiolos (in Portuguese ''Conde de Arraiolos'') is a Portuguese title granted, in 1377 by King Fernando I of Portugal, to ''Dom'' Álvaro Pires de Castro, a Galician noble, brother of Inês de Castro (King Pedro I of Portugal 2nd wife) ...

when he got the new title of Marquis of Vila Viçosa. Later, in 1460, as his older brother Afonso, died without legitimate issue, he became the

House of Braganza The Most Serene House of Braganza ( pt, Sereníssima Casa de Bragança), also known as the Brigantine Dynasty (''Dinastia Brigantina''), is a dynasty of emperors, kings, princes, and dukes of Portuguese origin which reigned in Europe and the Ame ...

heir and, one year later, following his father’s death (1461), he also became the 2nd

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 ...

. That’s why the title Marquis of Vila Viçosa became associated with the title

. The Queen consort Amélie of Orleans, while in exile (20th Century), also used the title of Marchioness of Vila Viçosa.

List of the Marquesses of Vila Viçosa

# Ferdinand I of Braganza (1403–1478), 2nd Duke of Braganza; # Ferdinand II of Braganza (1430–1483), 3rd Duke of Braganza; # James of Braganza (1479–1532), 4th Duke of Braganza; # Teodósio I of Braganza (1520–1563), 5th Duke of Braganza; # John I of Braganza (1543–1583), 6th Duke of Braganza; # Teodósio II of Braganza (1568–630), 7th Duke of Braganza; # John II of Braganza (1604–1656), 8th Duke of Braganza, crowned King as John IV of Portugal, on December 1, 1640 After the accession of the

to the Portuguese throne in 1640, this title became linked to the Crown.

External links

Genealogy of the Marquesses of Vila Viçosa, in Portuguese

Bibliography

”Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil” – Vol. III, page 534. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989. {{DEFAULTSORT:Vila Vicosa Portuguese nobility Vila Viçosa Marquisates

List of the Marquesses of Vila Viçosa

See also

External links

Bibliography