Afonso de Bourbon e Bragança

Infobox Monarch
name =Afonso de Bourbon e Bragança
title =Prince Imperial of Brazil


caption =Afonso, Prince Imperial of Brazil at age 1
predecessor =Januária, Princess Imperial of Brazil
successor =Isabel of Brazil
royal house =House of Braganza
royal anthem ="Independence Hymn"
father =Pedro II of Brazil
mother =Teresa of the Two Sicilies
date of birth =birth date|1845|2|23|mf=y
place of birth =Palácio Imperial, Rio de Janeiro
date of death =death date and age|1847|6|11|1845|2|23
place of death =Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
buried =Imperial Mausoleum, Rio de Janeiro

Afonso de Bourbon e Bragança (February 23 1845 – June 11 1847), was the heir to the Brazilian imperial throne. His name in full was Afonso Peter de Alcântara Cristiano Leopoldo Filipe Eugênio Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga.

When anglicised, his name would be Alphonse of Bourbon and Braganza, full name "Alphonse Peter of Alcantara Christian Leopold Phillip Eugene Michael Raphael Gonzaga".

He was born on February 23, 1845 in Rio de Janeiro, the first son of Emperor Pedro II of Brazil and Teresa Cristina, princess of the Two Sicilies.

Infancy

Afonso was born in February 23, 1845, being the oldest son of Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil and his wife Teresa Cristina, princess of the Two Sicilies. His paternal grandparents were Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil and Leopoldina, Archduchess of Austria, while his maternal grandparents were Francis I, King of the Two Sicilies and Maria Isabella, princess of Spain.

The prince soon after his birth was carried in the arms by his father, that under strong emotions, presented the newborn it the people surrounded in the Palace and spoke: "“Gentlemen, the is a Prince who God...”" However, the sobbing and the emotion had hindered him of finishing the phrase. The birth of the baby brought joy for everyone all over Brazil. Months later, when Pedro II was in a trip to the south region of Brazil, the majordomo Pablo Barbosa sent a letter dated December 5, 1845 to the Emperor telling him how was the prince:

"“Thank God your Imperial Highness has passed well, according to daily news notice that arrive me from the Court. [...] Beyond the beautiful, healthful and fat nurse, your Imperial Highness has another one with twenty and one years old, approved by the Baron of Igaraçu, that is pretty, cheerful, very healthful and with a very pretty and fat son of the same age as your Imperial Highness. [...] Therefore, if the current nurse left by Your Imperial Majesty gets sick, your Imperial Highness has this another one just two steps from the Palace and beyond her, there is also Falcão´s wife, also approved. I´m telling all these to tranquilize your Majesty the Empress, if by any chance this letter arrive on her hands”."

Afonso was a very healthy baby and as the oldest son of Pedro II, became immediately his heir and was titled the Prince Imperial of Brazil. The young prince looked very similar as his father in the format of the face, hair and eyes. Perhaps for this reason, and also for being the heir of the crown, he gathered all the attention. However, it was from the Emperor that came more of the attention, as it can perceived in a letter written by Pedro II to his elder sister, Maria II, queen of Portugal dated December 21, 1846:

"“There are no news to tell from here except the ones related to my, the Empress and the small ones good health, mainly from Afonsinho" [little Afonso) "that becomes more and more prettier, that already walks and says many unintelligeble words, which make him more funnier than ever”."

However, the small prince contracted yellow fever and passed away with almost two and a half years old on June 11, 1847. The couple of emperors´s pain was enormous, and it was feared that it could harm the empress´s health who could have suffered an abortion and die. But in July 13 she gave bith without bigger complications to a girl who received the name Leopoldina Teresa.

The Emperor Pedro II registered the death of the son in a letter sent to his stepmother, the empress Amélia, dated July 11, 1847:

"“With the greatest pain, I participate you that my dear Afonsinho, your godson, unfortunaly died of convulsions that lasted for five hours without interruption in the past day 4¹, and that a few days ago Isabelinha" [little Isabel] "found herself in great danger as she suffered strong attacks of convulsions that scared me a lot”."

Pedro II never forgot his son and kept a picture of Afonso on his table of work until the day when he was banished from the country in November 17, 1889. Afonso is presently buried along his younger brother Pedro, his uncle João Carlos, his aunt Paula Mariana and his niece, Luísa (Isabel´s eldest daughter) in the mausoleum of the Convento de Santo Antonio in Rio de Janeiro.

¹ Pedro II committed a mistake about the date of his son´s death. In fact it occurred on June 11.

Ancestry

Afonso was part of the House of Braganza, an illegitimate cadet branch of Capetian Dynasty.

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1= 1. Afonso de Bourbon e Bragança
2= 2. Pedro II of Brazil
3= 3. Teresa of the Two Sicilies
4= 4. Pedro I of Brazil
5= 5. Maria Leopoldina of Austria
6= 6. Francis I of the Two Sicilies
7= 7. Maria Isabella of Spain
8= 8. John VI of Portugal
9= 9. Charlotte of Spain
10= 10. Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
11= 11. Maria Teresa of the Two Sicilies
12= 12. Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
13= 13. Marie Caroline of Austria
14= 14. Charles IV of Spain
15= 15. Maria Luisa of Parma
16= 16. Peter III of Portugal
17= 17. Maria I of Portugal
18= 18. Charles IV of Spain (=14)
19= 19. Maria Luisa of Parma (=15)
20= 20. Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
21= 21. Maria Louisa of Spain
22= 22. Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies (=12)
23= 23. Marie Caroline of Austria (=13)
24= 24. Charles III of Spain
25= 25. Maria Amalia of Saxony
26= 26. Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
27= 27. Maria Theresa of Austria
28= 28. Charles III of Spain (=24)
29= 29. Maria Amalia of Saxony (=25)
30= 30. Philip, Duke of Parma
31= 31. Princess Louise-Élisabeth of France

Books

* BARMAN, Roderick J., Princesa Isabel do Brasil: gênero e poder no século XIX, UNESP, 2005.
* LYRA, Heitor, História de Dom Pedro II, v.1, UNESP, 1979.
* DIENER, Pablo e COSTA, Maria de Fátima, Rugendas e o Brasil, Editora Capivara, 2002.