João of Braganza, Marquis of Montemor-o-Novo

João of Braganza, born ca. 1430, was the second son of Fernando I, Duke of Braganza and of his wife, the duchess Joan of Castro.

Through a letter issued in 30 October 1471, king Afonso V of Portugal granted him the Lordship of Montemor-o-Novo and in 25 April 1473, he was appointed the 7th Constable of Portugal, as was his great-grandfather, Nuno Álvares Pereira. Later, in 1478, the same king granted him the title of Marquis of Montemor-o-Novo – he was the first and sole marquis of this title.

Before 25 July 1460, he married his 5th cousin, Isabel of Noronha (niece of Christopher Columbus), a natural daughter of the Archbishop of Lisbon Pedro de Noronha (who was himself, a grandson of king Fernando I of Portugal and grandson of king Henry II of Castile through an illegitimate line).

When king John II of Portugal succeeded to the Portuguese throne and started actively his policy against the high nobility power (namely the Braganza and the Viseu families) João was soon one the king’s targets. He escape to Castile but in Portugal he was condemned for treason, and his statue was symbolically executed in Abrantes, in 12 September 1483.

He died in Seville, in 30 April 1484, where he was buried, together with his wife, in the Santa Paula Monastery.

Ancestry

Family of João of Braganza, Marquis of Montemor-o-Novo

16. Peter I of Portugal               8. John I of Portugal                       17. Teresa Lourenço               4. Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza                             18. Pero Esteves, o Barbadão               9. Inês Pires                       19. Maria Anes               2. Fernando I, Duke of Braganza                                   20. Álvaro Gonçalves Pereira, Prior of Crato               10. Nuno Álvares Pereira                       21. Iria Gonçalves do Carvalhal               5. Beatriz Pereira de Alvim                             22. João Pires de Alvim               11. Leonor de Alvim                       23. Branca Pires Coelho               1. João, Marquis of Montemor-o-Novo                                         24. Álvaro Pires de Castro, Count of Arraiolos               12. Pedro de Castro, Lord of Cadaval                       25. Maria Ponce de Leon               6. João de Castro, Lord of Cadaval                             26. João Afonso Telo de Menezes, Count of Ourém and of Barcelos               13. Leonor de Menezes                       27. Guiomar Lopes Pacheco               3. Joana de Castro                                   28. Vasco Martins da Cunha, Lord of Tábua               14. Martim Vasques da Cunha, Count of Valencia de Camp                       29. Leonor Lopes de Albergaria               7. Leonor da Cunha                             30. Alonso Téllez Girón               15. Teresa Tellez-Giron, Lord of El Frechoso                       31. Teresa Ruíz de Alarcón

See also

• List of Marquesses in Portugal
• House of Braganza

Bibliography

• "Nobreza de Portugal e Brasil" - Vol. II, pages 29 and 30. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989;
• "O Marquês de Montemor e a sua vida pública" de Anastásia Mestrinho Salgado, Edições Cosmos, Lisbon 1997.

External links

• Genealogy of John, Marquis of Montemor-o-Novo