Dukes of Terceira

Dukes of Terceira
Ducal House of Terceira
Coat of Arms of the Ducal House of Terceira.gif
Country Portugal
Ancestral house House of Vila Flor
Titles
  • Duke of Terceira
  • Marquis of Vila Flor
  • Count of Vila Flor
  • Count of Alpedrinha
  • Count of Azarujinha
  • Viscount of Azarujinha
  • Lord of Vila Flor do Alentejo
  • Lord of Zibreira
Founder António José Severim de Noronha, 1st Duke of Terceira
Current head D. Lourenço Bandeira Manoel de Vilhena de Freitas, 4th Duke of Terceira
Founding 1832


The title duke of Terceira, de juro e herdade (meaning "forever granted") was created by decree of King Pedro IV of Portugal, on 8 November 1832. António José de Souza Manoel de Menezes Severim de Noronha, 7th Count of Vila Flor, de juro e herdade, and 1st Marquis of Vila Flor, was the first holder of the title.

Contents

Family name and origins

The Duke of Terceira was the head of the Manoel de Vilhena family. Heads of the Portuguese branch of that family have been ennobled since the marriage of Constance Manoel with King Pedro I of Portugal. Her brother, Henrique Manoel, was brought into her entourage, and he was made Count of Seia, in Portugal, by his brother-in-law, the king.

This family is also represented in Spain, where the family head is the Duke of Arévalo d'El Rey, Count of Via Manoel, Marquis of Puebla de la Rocamora, etc.

The family dates back to Juan Manuel de Villena, the second son of the 3rd Lord of Cheles, knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece and Mayordomo-Mor of the Emperor Charles V, who descended from the Infante Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena, the grandson of King Fernando III of Castile.

The first duke

Statue of the 1st Duke of Terceira in Lisbon

The 1st Duke of Terceira (1792-1860) descended from Sancho Manoel de Vilhena, the 1st Count of Vila-Flor and Marshal of the Portuguese Army during the Portuguese Restoration War against Spain, winner (together with the 1st Marquis of Marialva) of the battles of Linhas de Elvas, Montes Claros and the Ameixial. He was also appointed Viceroy of Brazil.

Hero of the Liberal Wars, the 7th Count of Vila-Flor received the highest aristocratic title, duke, as well as the profound honor of being named Marshal of the army, honors he received because of the resistance he led on Terceira against the Miguelist forces. After conquering Porto, he led the liberal forces into Lisbon, on 24 July 1833. He won the Battle of Asseiceira, which put an end to the civil war, and he signed the peace treaty (Convenção de Évora-Monte) on behalf of King Pedro IV of Portugal.

After the war he was three times, briefly, Prime Minister of Portugal:

  • from April to September, 1836;
  • for a few days in April and May, 1851; and
  • from March 1859 until his death, on 26 April 1860.

The succession

The title of Duke of Terceira was inherited, de juro e herdade, by the 10th Countess of Vila Flor, Maria Luísa de Almeida Manoel de Vilhena, Countess of Alpedrinha, Head of the Portuguese branch of the Manoel de Vilhena family, since the title of Duke of Terceira was given to the Count of Vila Flor, in memory of the many services paid to the Crown and the Portuguese Kingdom. She was the daughter of Francisco Maria Martinho de Almeida Manoel de Vilhena, the 9th Count of Vila-Flor, and granddaughter of Tomás Maria Martinho de Almeida Manoel de Vilhena, the 8th Count of Vila Flor, head of King Manuel II's government in exile, Senator, and Governor of Braga and Madeira Island.

List of the dukes of Terceira

  1. D. António de Noronha (1792-1860)
  2. D. Maria Luísa da Conceição de Almeida Manuel de Vilhena (1926-1998)
  3. D. Lourenço da Bandeira Manuel de Vilhena de Freitas (1973- )

Present day

Presently the family inhabits the Palace Vila-Flor in Lisbon, next to the Castle of São Jorge.

The Duke of Terceira, XII Count of Vila Flor, IV Count of Alpedrinha, VI Count and Viscount of Azarujinha, etc., D. Lourenço Manoel de Vilhena, is D. Iuris in Law, professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Lisbon, lawyer, advisor and acting chef de cabinet to several governmental members.

Former member of the Council of Nobility and founding member of the Instituto da Nobreza de Portugal, the regulatory body of nobiliarchic matters, authorized by H.R.H. the Duke of Braganza and recognized by the Republic, he is also representantive of the Brazilian Nobility Association for the European countries.

Married in 2006, the heir to the earldoms and to the dukedom is D. Cristóvão António José do Pópulo Manoel de Vilhena, according to tradition Master of Pancas, godson of H.R.H. the Duchess of Braganza and D. Luís de Almeida Portugal (Lavradio), XIII Conde de Avintes.

See also

  • List of Portuguese Prime Ministers
  • List of Portuguese Dukedoms

External links

Bibliography

  • "Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil" – Vol. III, pages 429/432. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989.

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Duke of Terceira — The Dukedom of Terceira, de juro e herdade (meaning forever granted ) was created by decree of Emperor Pedro I of Brazil, acting as Portugal s Regent, with honours of relative to the King, to António José de Souza Manoel de Menezes Severim de… …   Wikipedia

  • List of dukes in Europe — The following is a list of historic duchies in Europe: Contents 1 Germany 1.1 On the Baltic south coast 1.2 The Low countries (Netherlands/Belgium/Luxembourg) 2 Austria …   Wikipedia

  • Dukedoms in Portugal — There are a total of five royal and seven non royal dukes in Portugal, out of 28 dukedoms that have ever been created. In the majority of cases, the title of duke was attributed to members of the high nobility, usually relatives of the Portuguese …   Wikipedia

  • List of dukedoms in Portugal — There is a total of 28 dukedoms in Portugal. In the majority of cases, the title of Duke was attributed to members of high nobility, usually relatives of the Portuguese Royal Family, such as the second sons of monarchs.There are exceptions, like… …   Wikipedia

  • Miguel of Portugal — Miguel I King of Portugal and the Algarves Reign 26 February 1828 6 May 1834 Predecessor Maria II Successor …   Wikipedia

  • Nuno José Severo de Mendoça Rolim de Moura Barreto, 1st Duke of Loulé — Nuno José de Moura Barreto, Duke of Loulé Duke de Loulé Prime Minister of Portugal (President of the Council of Ministers) Order …   Wikipedia

  • João Carlos Saldanha de Oliveira Daun, 1st Duke of Saldanha — João de Saldanha Oliveira e Daun, Duke of Saldanha Prime Minister of Portugal (President of the Council of Ministers) Order: 3rd, 17th, 20th and 30th Term of Office (1st) May 27, 1835 – November 18, 11835 (as Marquis of …   Wikipedia

  • José Travassos Valdez, 1st Count of Bonfim — José Lúcio Travassos Valdez José Lúcio Travassos Valdez (February 23, 1787 July 10, 1862), first and only Baron and first Count do Bonfim (Portuguese pronunciation: [bõˈfĩ]), was a Portuguese soldier and statesman. Contents 1 …   Wikipedia

  • Timeline of Portuguese history (Fourth Dynasty) — This is a historical timeline of Portugal.=Fourth Dynasty: Bragança=17th Century*1640, December 1: a small group of conspirators storms the Palace in Lisbon and deposes the Spanish Governor, the Duchess of Mantua. The Duke of Bragança, head of… …   Wikipedia

  • Taunton, Massachusetts —   City   War Memorials on Taunton Green …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”