Francisco Alexandre Lobo

Lithographic portrait of the Bishop of Viseu, by António Joaquim de Santa Bárbara

Francisco Alexandre Lobo OSB (14 September 1763 – 9 September 1844), Bishop of Viseu, was a Portuguese cleric and politician, historian and erudite man of letters, who, among other functions, served as Minister and Secretary of State for Kingdom Affairs, then equivalent to Prime Minister of Portugal, in the Miguelist cabinet that governed from December 16, 1826 to June 1, 1827. After the liberal victory, he had to go into exile.

He was a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Lisbon. The Encyclopædia Britannica described him as "the Portuguese equal of De Maistre."

Biography

Francisco Alexandre Lobo was born in Beja, the son of Manuel Lobo da Silva and his wife Antónia Maria Lobo. He pursued an ecclesiastical career, being a Benedictine.

He was a professor at the Algarve Seminary, obtaining a doctorate in Theology from the University of Coimbra, later joining the teaching staff of the Faculty of Theology at that university.

He was appointed Bishop of Viseu and held several public positions, including Secretary of State for Kingdom Affairs, minister and Peer of the Realm. Conservative, considered a moderate apostolic, he was close to D. Miguel I, by whom he was chosen as a State councilor and charged with carrying out the general reform of studies.

He was Minister and Secretary of State for Ecclesiastical Affairs and Justice, acting, from December 16 to 19, 1826.

A brilliant and erudite writer, he proved to be a historian of merit, being admitted as a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Lisbon on November 21, 1804.

Bishop Lobo wrote a diary from the moment he left his diocese, faced with the threat of liberals approaching the city, until he arrived in exile in Great Britain and Ireland.

Francisco Alexandre Lobo died at the Convent of the Flemish Nuns in Lisbon.

In 1848–1853, three volumes of his Complete Works were published, although the original plan consisted of ten volumes. He passed away leaving an important part of his work unpublished. Usually well regarded, his writings were bitterly attacked in the press by the revolutionary Lopes de Mendonça.

His portrait, by António Joaquim de Santa Bárbara, was made from the mortuary mask that was taken from the venerable face of the Prelate who never in his life consented to be portrayed.

Works

• Memoria historica e critica acerca de Luiz de Camões e das suas obras (1820)
• Discurso Histórico (1823)
• Obras completas (1848–1853; 3 volumes)
• Resumida Notícia dos Bispos de Viseu nos Séculos XVI, XVII, XVIII (1855)
• Discurso Histórico e Crítico acerca do Padre António Vieira e das suas Obras (1897)

References

• Almeida, Fortunato de (1918). "D. Francisco Alexandre Lobo," Boletim da Segunda Classe, Vol. XII, pp. 5–11.
• Banza, Ana Paula (2013). "O Discurso Histórico e Crítico..., de D. Francisco Alexandre Lobo: Um Olhar Diferente sobre a Vida e a Obra de Vieira." In: Maria Cristina Pimentel & Alberto Paulo Farmhouse, eds., Vir bonus peritissimus aeque. Estudos de Homenagem a Arnaldo do Espírito Santo. Lisboa: Centro de Estudos Clássicos, pp. 859–67.
• Campos, Fernando (1931). O Pensamento Contra-revolucionário em Portugal (século XIX). Lisboa: J. Fernandes Júnior.
• Lima e Lemos, José Maria de (1845). Oração Funebre Recitada nas Exequias do Ex.mo e R.mo Sr. D. Francisco Alexandre Lobo, Bispo de Vizeu…. Coimbra: Imprensa de Trovão.
• Mouta Faria, Ana (1992). "A Hierarquia Episcopal e o Vintismo," Análise Social, Quarta Série, Vol. XXVII, No. 116/117, pp. 285–328.

External links

• Works by Francisco Alexandre Lobo at Hathi Trust
• Works by Francisco Alexandre Lobo at Internet Archive

Political offices
New office	Prime Minister of Portugal 1826–1827	Succeeded by —
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Francisco Monteiro Pereira de Azevedo	Bishop of Viseu 1819–1844	Succeeded by José Joaquim de Azevedo e Moura