António Luís de Meneses, 1st Marquis of Marialva and 3rd Count of Cantanhede (December 13, 1603 – May 19, 1675) was a Portuguese general who fought in the Portuguese Restoration War, that ended the Iberian Union between Portugal and Spain.
Meneses was born in a noble family - his father was Dom Pedro de Menezes, 2nd count of Cantanhede, and his mother Dona Constança de Gusmão (daughter of Rui Gonçalves da Câmara, 1st count of Vila Franca ).
Meneses was one of the key conspirators in the revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs on December 1, 1640. He took active part in the storming of the residence and the capture of the Duchess of Mantua, who governed Portugal in the name of Philip IV of Spain (Philip III of Portugal). In 1641 he was assigned as general-commander (mestre-de-campo) of the Portuguese forces loyal to John IV of Portugal, and he organised the defences against Spanish attacks. He participated in almost every battle of the Portuguese Restoration War between 1641 and 1665. His greatest victories were the Battle of the Lines of Elvas in 1659 and the Battle of Montes Claros in 1665. After the success in the first battle the Count of Cantanhede received among several honours, the title of Marquis of Marialva on June 11, 1661. He was present at the signing of the Treaty of Lisbon on February 13, 1668.
His political career after the war was not as successful, and he died at Cantanhede, poor and forgotten, in 1675. He was buried in the Convent of Santo António in the same town.
| Portuguese nobility | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Pedro de Menezes, 2nd Count |
Count of Cantanhede ? –1675 |
Succeeded by Pedro António de Menezes, 4th Count |
| Preceded by New title |
Marquis of Marialva 1661–1675 |
Succeeded by Pedro António de Menezes, 2nd Marquis |