D. Pedro de Almeida Portugal, 3rd Marquis of Alorna (16 January 1754 – 2 January 1813) was a

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

general who served in the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...

during the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

Military career

Marquês de Alorna com o uniforme de cavalaria da Legião de Tropas Ligeiras

In November 1793, Almeida was an

adjutant general An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer. France In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...

. He commanded Portuguese forces in Spain, fighting against the French. In 1798, he became the commander of a unit of light troops known as the Alorna Legion. Almeida was promoted to

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

in 1799. He began conspiring with the French, and helped force the Portuguese court to flee to Brazil in 1807. He was promoted to

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

in October of that year, and charged with the defense of

Elvas Elvas () is a Portuguese municipality, former episcopal city and frontier fortress of easternmost central Portugal, located in the district of Portalegre in Alentejo. It is situated about east of Lisbon, and about west of the Spanish fortress ...

. However, under the orders of the prince regent, he was forced to surrender Elvas to the Spanish on 2 December 1807. Almeida was governor of the

Alentejo Alentejo ( , ) is a geographical, historical, and cultural region of south–central and southern Portugal. In Portuguese, its name means "beyond () the Tagus river" (''Tejo''). Alentejo includes the regions of Alto Alentejo and Baixo Alent ...

province until 22 December 1807, when

Jean-Andoche Junot Jean-Andoche Junot, 1st Duke of Abrantes (24 September 1771 – 29 July 1813) was a French military officer during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. Biography Early life Junot was born in Bussy-le-Grand, Côte-d'Or, so ...

, the invading French general, made him inspector general and commander of all Portuguese forces stationed in the provinces of Beira, Trás-os-Montes, and Estremadura. On 15 February 1808 he was named inspector general of all Portuguese forces, and commanded them in Spain from March to June 1808. On 1 August 1808 he was named a

in the service of

Napoleonic Spain Napoleonic Spain was the part of Spain loyal to Joseph Bonaparte, Joseph I during the Peninsular War (1808–1813) after the country was partially occupied by French forces. During this period, the country was considered a client state of the Fi ...

. On 22 April 1810 Almeida was assigned to the staff of

André Masséna André Masséna, Prince of Essling, Duke of Rivoli (born Andrea Massena; 6 May 1758 – 4 April 1817) was a French military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.Donald D. Horward, ed., trans, annotated, The Fre ...

, and played an important role in the Siege of Almeida. He entered France in July 1811 and was assigned to the Observation Corps of the

Grande Armée ''La Grande Armée'' (; ) was the main military component of the French Imperial Army commanded by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte during the Napoleonic Wars. From 1804 to 1808, it won a series of military victories that allowed the French Empi ...

on 30 January 1812. Named major general in the service of France on 21 March 1812, Almeida was put in charge of the 2nd company of Portuguese

chasseur ''Chasseur'' ( , ), a French term for "hunter", is the designation given to certain regiments of French and Belgian light infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a mor ...

. He was then made commander of the Portuguese light cavalry regiment. He participated in the retreat from Russia and died during it in

Königsberg Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was named ...

. He was succeeded by his sister,

Leonor de Almeida Portugal, 4th Marquise of Alorna D. Leonor de Almeida Portugal, 4th Marquise of Alorna, 8th Countess of Assumar (31 October 1750 – 11 October 1839) was a Portuguese noblewoman, painter, and poet. Commonly known by her nickname, ''Alcipe'', the Marquise was a prime figure in t ...

Marriage and descendants

Almeida married Henriqueta Julia Gabriela da Cunha (1787-1829), eldest daughter of the Count of São Vicente, on 19 February 1782 in

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

. The couple had two children. 1754 births 1813 deaths Military personnel killed in the Napoleonic Wars People from Lisbon Portuguese generals Portuguese military commanders of the Napoleonic Wars 18th-century Portuguese military personnel 19th-century Portuguese military personnel Portuguese military personnel killed in action Portuguese nobility {{Portugal-mil-bio-stub