Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu

Duke of Viseu and Beja
HouseAvizFatherEdward, King of PortugalMotherEleanor of Aragon

Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu and Beja (or Fernando, Portuguese pronunciation: [fɨɾˈnɐ̃du], 17 November 1433 – 18 September 1470) was the third son of Edward, King of Portugal and his wife Eleanor of Aragon.

Biography

Ferdinand was born in Almeirim on 17 November 1433, and died in Setúbal on 18 September 1470.

He was twice sworn Prince of Portugal (title granted to the presumptive heir to the throne): first between 1438 and 1451, once his older brother became king Afonso V of Portugal and had no children; and for the second time, in 1451, when Prince João was born, but died months later.

When Afonso V's first daughter, Princess Joan, was born (1452), Infante Ferdinand finally lost this title.

In 1452, Ferdinand fled the country looking for adventure. Some say he wanted to go to the north African cities controlled by the Portuguese; others say that he wanted to join his uncle, the King Alfonso I of Naples, in his campaigns in southern Italy. It seems Ferdinand had the hope to inherit his uncle's kingdom, as he had no legitimate children.

Ferdinand in a 1534 miniature in the Genealogy of D. Manuel Pereira, 3rd Count of Feira.

However, his brother, King Afonso V of Portugal, as soon as he knew about Ferdinand’s escape, ordered to the Count of Odemira, which was patrolling the strait of Gibraltar with a fleet, to intercept the infante's ship and bring him back to mainland Portugal.

Duke of Beja and Viseu

In 1453, his brother, King Afonso V of Portugal granted him the title of 1st Duke of Beja.

When his uncle, Prince Henry died, in 1460, he also became 2nd Duke of Viseu as well. He also succeeded his uncle as Master of the Order of Christ and responsible for the Discoveries (1460–1470).

He was finally allowed to fight in north Africa: first in 1458 he escorted the king to the conquest of the Moroccan city of Alcácer Ceguer; and for a second time, in 1468, he led a Portuguese fleet that conquered and destroyed the port of Anfa (Anafé in Portuguese), today included in Casablanca, which was a barbary corsairs base.

He was buried in the Religiosas da Conceição monastery, in Beja, founded by his wife.

Marriage and children

He married his cousin Beatrice of Portugal (Portuguese: Beatriz) in 1447, daughter of Infante João, Lord of Reguengos (his uncle). From this marriage, Ferdinand had nine children:

Ancestry

Ancestors of Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu
16. Afonso IV of Portugal[5]
8. Peter I of Portugal[3] (= 30)
17. Beatrice of Castile[5]
4. John I of Portugal[1]
18. Lourenço Martins[6]
9. Teresa Lourenço[3]
19. Sancha Martins[6]
2. Edward I of Portugal
20. Edward III of England[4]
10. John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster[4]
21. Philippa of Hainault[4]
5. Philippa of Lancaster[1]
22. Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster[4]
11. Blanche of Lancaster[4]
23. Isabel of Beaumont[4]
1. Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu
24. Henry II of Castile[2]
12. John I of Castile[2]
25. Juana Manuel[2]
6. Ferdinand I of Aragon[2]
26. Peter IV of Aragon[2]
13. Eleanor of Aragon[2]
27. Eleanor of Sicily[2]
3. Eleanor of Aragon
28. Alfonso XI of Castile[2]
14. Sancho Alfonso[2]
29. Leonor de Guzmán[2]
7. Eleanor of Alburquerque[2]
30. Peter I of Portugal[2] (= 8)
15. Beatrice of Portugal[2]
31. Inês de Castro[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Stephens, Henry Morse (1903). The Story of Portugal. G.P. Putnam's Sons. p. 139. ISBN 9780722224731.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n de Sousa, Antonio Caetano (1735). Historia genealogica da casa real portugueza [Genealogical History of the Royal House of Portugal] (in Portuguese). Vol. 2. Lisboa Occidental. p. 497.
  3. ^ a b John I, King of Portugal at the Encyclopædia Britannica
  4. ^ a b c d e f Armitage-Smith, Sydney (1905). John of Gaunt: King of Castile and Leon, Duke of Aquitaine and Lancaster, Earl of Derby, Lincoln, and Leicester, Seneschal of England. Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 21. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  5. ^ a b Peter I, King of Portugal at the Encyclopædia Britannica
  6. ^ a b de Sousa, Antonio Caetano (1735). Historia genealogica da casa real portugueza [Genealogical History of the Royal House of Portugal] (in Portuguese). Vol. 2. Lisboa Occidental. p. 4.

Bibliography

”Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil" – Vol. I, pages 311 and 312. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989.

External links

  • Genealogy of Infante Fernando, 1st Duke of Beja and 2nd Duke of Viseu, in Portuguese
Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu
Cadet branch of the House of Burgundy
Born: 17 November 1433 Died: ? 1470
Portuguese royalty
Preceded by
Afonso
who became Afonso V
 Prince of Portugal
1438–1451 		Succeeded by
John
Preceded by
John
 Prince of Portugal
1451–1452 		Succeeded by
Portuguese nobility
New title Duke of Beja
1453–1470 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Duke of Viseu
1460–1470
  • v
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The generations indicate descent from Afonso I, and continues through the House of Aviz, the House of Habsburg through Infanta Isabel, Holy Roman Empress and Queen of Spain, and the House of Braganza through Infanta Catarina, Duchess of Braganza.
1st generation2nd generation3rd generation4th generation5th generation6th generation7th generation8th generation9th generation10th generation11th generation12th generation
13th generation14th generation15th generation16th generation17th generation18th generation
  • None
19th generation20th generation21st generation22nd generation23rd generation24th generation
* also an infante of Castile and León, Aragon, Sicily and Naples,  § also an infante of Spain and an archduke of Austria,  # also an infante of Spain,  ‡ also an imperial prince of Brazil,  also a prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke in Saxony,  ◙ also a prince of Braganza,  ¤ title removed in 1920 as their parents' marriage was deemed undynastic,  ƒ claimant infante
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João I (1385–1433)
Spouse(s)
Children
Duarte I (1433–1438)
Spouse(s)
Children
Afonso V (1438–1481)
Spouse(s)
Children
João II (1481–1495)
Spouse(s)
Children
Manuel I (1495–1521)
Spouse(s)
Children
João III (1521–1557)
Spouse(s)
Children
Sebastião I (1557–1578)
Henrique I (1578–1580)
Notes
The House of Aviz is a cadet branch of the House of Burgundy and was succeeded by the House of Habsburg