Constantino of Braganza

Constantino de Bragança
File:ConstantinoBraganca.jpg Constantino de Bragança
Viceroy of Portuguese India
In office 1558–1561
Monarch	King Dom Sebastian of Portugal
Preceded by	Dom Francisco Barreto
Succeeded by	Dom Francisco Coutinho
Captain of Ribeira Grande
In office 1562 – 1570?
Monarch	Dom Sebastian of Portugal
Preceded by	Dom Manuel de Andrade
Succeeded by	Office eliminated
Personal details
Born	1528 (1528) Kingdom of Portugal
Died	Kingdom of Portugal
Nationality	Portuguese
Spouse(s)	Maria de Melo

Dom Constantino of Braganza (1528–1575) was a Portuguese statesman and military commander of the 16th century. He was a member of the Most Serene House of Braganza.

Biography

He was the son of Dom James, 4th Duke of Braganza from his second marriage.

When he was 19 years old, he was appointed by King Dom John III of Portugal as his special ambassador to the baptism ceremony of King Henry II of France's son.

In 1558, he was appointed by the regent Dona Catherine of Habsburg (King Dom John III's widow) as the 20th Governor of Portuguese India, using also the title of 7th Viceroy. He left Lisbon on April 7, 1558, and arrived in Goa on September 3.

He was a remarkable organizer of the local State, and he conquered Daman, Ceylon (nowadays known as Sri Lanka) and the island of Manar.

A first expedition, led by Viceroy Dom Constantino de Bragança in 1560, failed to subdue Jaffna, but captured Mannar Island. By June 1619, despite sharp resistance from Cankili II of Jaffna, there were two Portuguese expeditions; a naval expedition that was repulsed by the Malabari corsairs and another expedition by Dom Phillippe de Oliveira and his land army of 5000, which defeated Cankili and conquered Jaffna, strengthening Portuguese control of shipping routes through the Palk Strait.

His government in India took three years and eight days, and during that period he made important reforms. He was considered by the historian C. R. Boxer one of the most fanatic Portuguese governors of India together with Dom Francisco Barreto (1555–1558).

He protected the poet Luis Vaz de Camões, during his stay in India.

He was later governor of Ribeira Grande, in the island of Santo Antão, Portuguese Cape Verde, from 1562.

Dom Constantino afterwards returned to the Kingdom. There he married his cousin, D. Maria de Melo, daughter of the 1st Marquess of Ferreira and 1st Count of Tentúgal, D. Rodrigo de Melo, and Dona Brites de Menezes (daughter of Dom Antão de Almada, 3rd Count of Avranches). The couple had no issue.

Ancestry

Family of Constantino of Braganza

16. Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza               8. Fernando I, Duke of Braganza                       17. Beatriz Pereira de Alvim               4. Fernando II, Duke of Braganza                             18. João de Castro, Lord of Cadaval               9. Joana de Castro                       19. Leonor da Cunha               2. James, Duke of Braganza                                   20. Edward of Portugal               10. Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu                       21. Eleanor of Aragon               5. Isabella of Viseu                             22. Infante João, Lord of Reguengos de Monsaraz               11. Infanta Beatrice of Portugal                       23. Isabella of Braganza               1. Costantino of Braganza                                         24. Fernão Furtado de Mendoça, Lord of honra de Peroselo               12. Afonso Furtado de Mendonça                       25. Isabel Osório               6. Diogo de Mendoça                             26. António de Vilaragut, 3rd Baron of Olocau               13. Beatriz de Vilaragut                       27. Beatriz Pardo de la Casta               3. Joana de Mendoça                                   28. Fernão Gonçalves de Figueiredo               14. Fernão Soares de Albergaria, Lord of Prado                       29. Catarina Dias de Albergaria               7. Brites Soares de Albergaria                             30. Gonçalo Fernandes de Alcafache               15. Maria Gonçalves Alcafachoa                       31. Mécia Brás

See also

• House of Braganza
• Duke of Braganza
• Portuguese India
• List of colonial heads of Portuguese India

References

• Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil – Vol. II, page 443. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989.

External links

• Genealogy of Constantino of Braganza, in Portuguese

Preceded by Francisco Barreto	7th Viceroy of Portuguese India (1558–1561)	Succeeded by Francisco Coutinho, count of Redondo
Preceded by Manuel de Andrade	Colonial heads of Ribeira Grande, Portuguese Cape Verde (1562 - early 1570s)	Succeeded by eliminated