
The Nápoles family (
Portuguese for ''Naples'') is the name of a
Portuguese noble family, whose roots lie in the
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples (; ; ), officially the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was established by the War of the Sicilian Vespers (1282–1302). Until ...
.
History
A claimed secondary branch of the royal
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, or House of Anjou-Sicily, or House of Anjou-Naples was a royal house and cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty. It is one of three separate royal houses referred to as ''Angevin'', meaning "from Anjou" in France. Foun ...
, of the kings of
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
, the Nápoles descend from
Stephen of Durazzo (a claimed younger son of
John, Duke of Durazzo
John of Gravina (1294 – 5 April 1336), also known as John of Anjou, was Count of Gravina 1315–1336, Prince of Achaea 1318–1332, Duke of Durazzo 1332–1336 and ruler of the Kingdom of Albania (although he never used a royal title). He wa ...
, ruler of the
Kingdom of Albania, and grandson of
Charles II of Naples
Charles II, also known as Charles the Lame (; ; 1254 – 5 May 1309), was King of Naples, Count of Provence and Forcalquier (1285–1309), Prince of Achaea (1285–1289), and Count of Anjou and Maine (1285–1290); he also was King of Albania ( ...
) who moved to Portugal during the first half of the 14th century to join the ranks of King
Afonso IV at the
battle of Salado. It has been noted that this might be a posterior fabrication, for there is no notice of any such legitimate or bastard son of a Prince of Naples.
The main branch of the family in Portugal is that of the Lords of the Honour of Molelos, created
Viscounts of Molelos by king
John VI of Portugal
'' Dom'' John VI (; 13 May 1767 – 10 March 1826), known as "the Clement" (), was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves from 1816 to 1825, and after the recognition of Brazil's independence, titular Emperor of Brazil ...
and later raised to Counts of Molelos by king
Miguel I
'' Dom'' Miguel I (26 October 1802 – 14 November 1866), known by several nicknames, was the King of Portugal between 1828 and 1834. He was son of King John VI and Queen Carlota Joaquina.
Following his exile as a result of his actions ...
, in recognition of their support for the traditionalist faction during the
Liberal Wars
The Liberal Wars (), also known as the Portuguese Civil War () and the War of the Two Brothers () was a civil war in Portugal that lasted from May 1828 to May 1834, fought between liberal progressive constitutionalists (led by former King P ...
. Among its members are
Leonardo Estêvão de Nápoles,
Henrique Esteves da Veiga de Nápoles and
Francisco de Paula de Tovar e Nápoles, 1st Viscount of Molelos.
See also
*
Napolitano
References
*Pereira Marques, António Augusto. ''Os Senhores das Honras de Molelos e o Asilo da Folhadosa''. Guarda, 1953; pp. 4–22.
*Nunes de Leão, Duarte. ''Crónicas dos Reis de Portugal''. Edited by M. Lopes de Almeida, Porto, Lello & Irmão, 1975. p. 265
{{DEFAULTSORT:Napoles
Portuguese noble families
Kingdom of Naples