Diogo, Duke of Viseu

Infante Diogo of Viseu was the second son of Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu and of his wife Infanta Beatrice of Portugal.

In 1472, when his older brother (John, Duke of Viseu) died without issue, he inherited his titles and estates, becoming 4th Duke of Viseu and 3rd Duke of Beja.

He was a popular personality in his cousin’s (King John II) royal court and, together with the Duke of Braganza, they were the main targets of king John’s centralization policy, who was fighting against the high aristocracy power, which was supported during his father’s (Afonso V) reign.

The first victim was Fernando II, 3rd Duke of Braganza, who was imprisoned, judged and executed in Évora. Once his sister, Leonor of Viseu, was married to the king, Diogo thought he was protected from the king’s angry.

For twice, the king’s life was in risk, and as Diogo of Viseu, remained as the high nobility leader against the King’s policy, John II accused him of high treason and killed himself.

After the execution, King John II called the duke’s younger brother, Infante Manuel of Viseu, and showing him his brother’s body, he promised he would be considered as his own son. In that moment, Manuel inherited his brother’s Diogo titles and estates.

The Duke Diogo didn’t married, but when he was quite young he visit the Kingdom of Castile where he was in loved by "Doña" Leonor de Sotomaior y Portugal (great-granddaughter of King Pedro I of Portugal), from whom he had an natural son, Afonso de Portugal. King Manuel I of Portugal, granted his nephew, Afonso de Portugal, the position of 8th Constable of Portugal. Afonso’s daughter and heir, Beatrice of Lara, married the 3rd Marquis of Vila Real.

ee Also

*Duke of Beja
*Duke of Viseu
*List of Portuguese Dukedoms

External Links

[http://www.geneall.net/P/per_page.php?id=2078 Genealogy of Diogo, 4th Duke of Viseu, in Portuguese]

Bibliography

”Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil” – Vol. III, pages 544 and 545. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989.

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