John, 6th Duke of Braganza

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John I, 6th Duke of Braganza KGF (1543-Vila Viçosa 1583). In 1563 he married Catherine, Princess of Portugal, his cousin and daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Guimarães and Isabel of Braganza (John's aunt).

After the disaster of the Battle of Alcazarquivir, where heirless King Sebastian of Portugal died, the aged Cardinal Henry of Portugal had become King. Because Henry was old and was not allowed to have legitimate children, a dynastical crisis occurred even before the death of the Cardinal. The Duke of Braganza supported his wife's claim to the throne (she was a granddaughter of King Manuel I). Philip II of Spain (another grandson of Manuel I and also claimant to the throne), tried to bribe him to abandon his wife's pretensions, offering him the Vice-Kingdom of Brazil, the post of Grand-Master of the Order of Christ, a license to send a personal ship to India every year, and the marriage of his eldest son D. Teodosio of Braganza to one of his daughters (either Isabella Clara Eugenia or Catarina Micaela). The Duke of Braganza, influenced by his wife, refused the proposal.

When the Cardinal-King died, the Duke accompanied the governors of the Kingdom to Lisbon and Setúbal, trying to assure recognition for his wife's claim, but ultimately gave up and accepted the rule of Philip II (future Philip I of Portugal). After the civil war that followed, Anthony, Prior of Crato was defeated at the Battle of Alcântara, and Philip II entered Portugal and was confirmed by the Cortes of Tomar, where John occupied the post of Constable.

When Philip departed to Spain, he endowed the post of Constable of Kingdom to John's heir Teodósio, 7th Duke of Braganza, a marquessate (Flexilla-Xarandilla) to his second son, dom Duarte, and a commendment and many concessions to the third, dom Alejandro, who was destined to become an ecclesiastic. He confirmed John's title of His Excellency and his rights of chancellery.

[edit] Descendancy

Of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza:

• Maria of Braganza (1565-?)
• Serafina of Braganza (1566-1604), married to João Fernandez Pacheco, 5th Duke of Escalona
• Teodósio, 7th Duke of Braganza, father of the future king João IV of Portugal, married Ana de Velasco y Giron, daughter of Duque de Frias (in his old age, Teodosio became insane)
• Duarte de Portugal, 1st Marquis of Frechilla i.e Flexilla
• Alexandre of Braganza, Archbishop of Évora
• Querubina of Braganza (1572-1580)
• Angélica of Braganza (1573-1576)
• Maria of Braganza (1573)
• Filipe of Braganza (1581-?)