Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza

Afonso I, Duke of Braganza (1377-1461; pron. IPA2|ɐ'fõsu) was the eighth Count of Barcelos and the first Duke of Braganza. Historians believe he was born in Veiros, Alentejo, as a natural son of Portuguese King John I and Inês Peres Esteves, who was said to be the daughter of a Jewish cobbler. (Isabel Violante Pereira, De Mendo da Guarda a D. Manuel I, Lisboa, 2001, Livros Horizonte). The Nobiliaries, however, make her born at Borba, sister of Gil Peres Esteves and daughter of Pero Esteves, o Barbadão (son of Estêvão Peres (himself the son of Pedro Esteves and wife and grandson of Estevão Peres and wife who was a brother of Estêvão Esteves), a descendant of Charlemagne and Ferdinand I of Castile and a relative of the "Pinheiro" family) and wife Leonor Anes), and wife Maria Anes (daughter of Joane Anes Marceiro and wife Constança Garcês). He married Beatriz Pereira de Alvim, daughter of Nuno Álvares Pereira, general of the kingdom, and heir of the most opulent house of the kingdom. Afonso was present in 1415 when the Portuguese conquered Ceuta.

When his half-brother Edward I, King of Portugal died in 1438, his son Afonso V (Afonso's nephew) was an infant and the choice for the regency was the Queen-Mother Leonor of Aragon (Afonso's sister-in-law). This choice for the regency was not popular because Leonor was Aragonese, so in a reunion of the "Cortes", summoned by Afonso's half-brother John, Duke of Aveiro, another half-brother of Afonso, Pedro, was appointed as Regent of the Kingdom during the minority of his nephew Afonso V, a choice that pleased both the people and the fast-growing Bourgeoisie.

However, inside the Portuguese aristocracy, especially the ones around Afonso, Count of Barcelos, Leonor of Aragon was preferred and there were doubts about Pedro political hability. A "war of influences" started and few years later Afonso managed to become young King Afonso V's favourite uncle.

In 1443, in a gesture of reconciliation, Pedro made Afonso the first Duke of Braganza and the relations between both seemed to return to normality. But, in 1445, Afonso took offence because Isabel of Coimbra, Pedro's daughter was the choice for Afonso V's wife, and not one of her daughters. Indifferent to the intrigues, Pedro continued his regency and the country prospered under his influence. It was during this period that the first subsidies for the exploration of the Atlantic Ocean were implemented, and the organization was given to Henry the Navigator (Another Afonso's half-brother).

On June 9th, 1448, King Afonso V came of age and Pedro gave the control of the country to the king. Influenced by Afonso, Count of Barcelos, and recently Duke of Braganza, Afonso V nulifies all Pedro's edicts.

The following year, under accusations that years later would prove false, Afonso V declared his uncle Pedro, Duke of Coimbra a rebel. The situation became unsustainable and a civil war begun. It was short because on May 20th 1449, during the Battle of Alfarrobeira, near Alverca, Pedro, Duke of Coimbra died. The exact conditions of his death are debatable: some say it was in combat, other say he was assassinated by one of his own men.

After the Battle of Alfarrobeira, Afonso V gave new powers to the Duke of Braganza and nine years later when he departed to Africa, the regency was delegated to Afonso.

Afonso married the second time to Constança de Noronha (first Duchess of Braganza, buried in Guimarães), daughter of Alfonso, Count of Gijón and Noronha, a natural son of Henry II of Castile.

Issue

From his first marriage to Beatriz Pereira Alvim he had three children:
* Afonso of Braganza (1400-1460), 4th Count of Ourém and 1st Marquis of Valença, married to "Dona" Brites de Sousa, and had issue (family "de Portugal", Counts of Vimioso);
* Isabella of Braganza (1402-1465), also known as Isabella of Barcelos, married her uncle Infante João, Lord of Reguengos, son of King John I of Portugal;
* Fernando I, Duke of Braganza (1403-1478), second Duke of Braganza, succeeding his father.

From his second marriage to his 3rd cousin, Constance of Noronha, he had no issue.

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