Francisco de Portugal, 3rd Count of Vimioso

Francisco de Portugal, also know as Francis II of Portugal, 3rd Count of Vimioso, was born around 1550 and died in 1582, eldest son and heir of the 2nd Count of Vimioso, Afonso de Portugal (Alphonse of Portugal).

He is considered as a hero of the Portuguese independence, due to his unconditional support to Anthony I, King of Portugal, during the War of the Portuguese Succession (1580-1583).

Early Life

As his first official position, he was appointed as special ambassador in Madrid (1574) in order to negotiate the marriage of King Sebastian of Portugal to princess Maximiliana of Bavaria, but the project failed.

Later, in 1578, along with his father, he participated in the royal crusade to Morocco, and he felt prisoner of Ahmad al-Mansur armies, during the Battle of Alcazarquivir. He managed to pay his ransom and even helped others to pay theirs. He returned to Europe through San Lucar, in southern Spain, where he was received with all honours, by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, Alonso de Guzman. As he testified the King's death during the battle, there, and for the first time, he supported "Dom" António, Prior of Crato as the natural heir of the Portuguese throne, refuting the Spanish Duke’s position for Phillip II of Spain claims.

Fight for Freedom

After King Henry’s death (1580, January 31st), Francis of Portugal was one of the few high-aristocracy members to support actively "Dom" António as King of Portugal. He was appointed by the new King as his Constable, and they participated together, in the Battle of Alcântara (1580) defending Lisbon from the Spanish armies, leaded by the Duke of Alba.

With Phillip’s victory, both King Anthony I and the Count of Vimioso fled to exile, first in France and later in England, where Queen Elisabeth I of England, gave him a warm welcome.

In 1582, he flew, in the fleet leaded by the Italian adventurer Phillipo Strozzi, to the Azores, the sole Portuguese territory that still recognised Anthony I as King of Portugal. He died, in 1582, July 29th, just after the naval Battle of Vila Franca, off São Miguel Island.

Dom Francisco de Portugal didn’t get married, and he had no issue. He was succeeded in his house by his younger brother, Louis of Portugal, 4th Count of Vimioso.

External Links

[http://www.geneall.net/P/per_page.php?id=52784 Francisco de Portugal, Francis II, 3rd Count of Vimioso, in a Portuguese Genealogy site]

Bibliography

*”Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil” – Vol. III, Pages 539 and 540. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989.