Teodósio II, Duke of Braganza

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Portuguese royalty
House of Aviz

John I Children    Infante Duarte (future Edward I)    Infante Pedro, Duke of Coimbra    Henry the Navigator (Infante Henrique, Duke of Viseu)    Infanta Isabel, Duchess of Burgundy    Infante João    Infante Fernando, the Saint Prince    Afonso, Duke of Braganza (illegitimate)    Beatriz, Countess of Arundel (illegitimate) Grandchildren include    Infanta Isabel of Coimbra, Queen of Portugal Edward Children    Infante Afonso (future Afonso V)    Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu    Infanta Leonor, Holy Roman Empress    Infanta Catarina    Infanta Joana, Queen of Castile Grandchildren include    Infante Manuel, Duke of Beja (future Manuel I)    Infanta Leonor of Viseu, Queen of Portugal Afonso V Children include    Blessed Joana, Crown Princess of Portugal    Infante João (future John II) John II    Afonso, Crown Prince of Portugal    Jorge, Duke of Coimbra (illegitimate) Manuel I Children include    Miguel da Paz, Crown Prince of Spain and Portugal    Infante João (future John III)    Infanta Isabel, Holy Roman Empress    Infanta Beatriz, Duchess of Savoy    Infante Luís, Duke of Beja    Infante Fernando, Duke of Guarda and Trancoso    Infante Cardinal Afonso    Infante Cardinal Henrique (future Henry I)    Infante Duarte, Duke of Guimarães    Infanta Maria Grandchildren include    Philip II of Spain (future Philip I of Portugal)    António, Prior of Crato (future Anthony I) (illegitimate)    Infanta Maria of Guimarães, Duchess of Parma and Piacenza    Infanta Catarina of Guimarães, Duchess of Braganza Great-Grandchildren include    Teodósio II, Duke of Braganza    Rannuccio Farnense of Parma Great-Great-Grandchildren include    John II, Duke of Braganza (future John IV of Portugal) John III Children include    Infanta Maria Manuela, Princess of Asturias    João, Crown Prince of Portugal Grandchildren include    Infante Sebastião (future Sebastian I)    Carlos, Prince of Asturias Sebastian Henry Anthony (disputed king)

Teodósio II of Bragança (pron. IPA: [tiu'dɔziu]), (1568, Vila Viçosa - 1630) was the 7th Duke of Bragança. He was the son of João of Bragança (1543-1583) by his wife, princess Catarina of Portugal (1540-1614).

As a child Teodósio was brought to the court and made page of king Sebastian I of Portugal. The king was very fond of him and in 1578 insisted on taking him to Africa in his expedition against the king of Morocco. This military campaign was doomed. During the ill fated battle of Alcacer-Quibir, Teodósio remained by his king until the situation become seriously dangerous. Then, Sebastian ordered the servants to take the 10-year-old child to safety behind the lines. The young Bragança was not happy to be set aside and ran away in the first chance. Teodósio caught a horse and went to the front line of the battle, followed by very scared servants. Eventually, like many others, he was wounded in the head and made prisoner. Back in Portugal, his father João of Bragança, went mad with grief and offered a fortune for the ransom of his heir. He also asked king Philip II of Spain to write to the king of Morocco to spare young Teodósio's life. There was no need for such alarm. The king of Morocco left the child go safely and without ransom in August 1579, impressed by the tale of his courage in battle.

Meanwhile in Portugal, the situation was not peaceful. With the disappearance of king Sebastian in the battle, the new king was Cardinal Henry I of Portugal an old childless man. Teodósio was the son of princess Catarina, an ambitious woman that, with her husband the duke of Bragança, aspired to the throne. Philip II of Spain had this aspiration too and used every excuse to keep young Teodósio (great-grandson of king Manuel I and a possible threat) away from the country. Only when he had the crown tightly secured on his hands, did Philip, now I of Portugal, allowed the child's return.

Teodósio became duke in 1583 at his father's death and grew up to be a faithful servant of the Spanish king of Portugal. He defended Lisbon from the attacks of another candidate (António of Crato) and was responsible for the kingdom's security for a long time. Acknowledging this fidelity, Philip II gave the Braganças more lands and titles.

[edit] Teodósio's descendants

• By his wife, the Spanish lady Ana de Velasco y Girón
  • João II, 8th Duke of Bragança (1604-1656), crowned king João IV of Portugal in December 1, 1640
  • Duarte of Bragança (1605-1649), master of Vila do Conde
  • Catarina of Bragança (1606-1610)
  • Alexandre of Bragança (1607-1637)