Afonso VI (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐˈfõsu]; English: Alphonzo or Alphonse, Old Portuguese: Affonso; 21 August 1643 – 12 September 1683) was King of Portugal and the Algarves, the second of the House of Braganza, known as "the Victorious" (o Vitorioso).
Early life
At the age of three, Afonso suffered an illness that left him paralyzed on the left side of his body, as well as leaving him mentally unstable. His father created him 10th Duke of Braganza.
After the 1653 death of his eldest brother Teodósio, Prince of Brazil, Afonso became the heir-apparent to the throne of the kingdom. He received also the crown-princely title 2nd Prince of Brazil.
Succession
![](../I/m/Infante_D._Afonso_VI_retrato.jpg)
Portrait of Infante Afonso; José de Avelar Rebelo, 1653.
He succeeded his father (João IV) in 1656 at the age of thirteen. His mother, Luisa of Medina-Sidonia, was named regent in his father's will. His mental instability and paralysis, plus his lack of interest in government, left his mother as regent for six years, until 1662. Afonso oversaw decisive military victories over the Spanish at Elvas (14 January 1659), Ameixial (8 June 1663) and Montes Claros (17 June 1665), culminating in the final Spanish recognition of sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza, on 13 February 1668 in the Treaty of Lisbon.
Colonial Affairs
Colonial affairs saw the Dutch conquest of Jaffnapatam, Portugal's last colony in Portuguese Ceylon (1658) and the cession of Bombay and Tangier to England (23 June 1661) as dowry for Afonso's sister, Catherine of Braganza, who had married King Charles II of England. English mediation in 1661 saw the Netherlands acknowledge Portuguese rule of Brazil in return for uncontested control of Ceylon.
In 1662, the Count of Castelo Melhor saw an opportunity to gain power at court by befriending the king. He managed to convince the king that his mother was out to steal his throne and exile him from Portugal. As a result, Afonso took control of the throne and his mother was sent to a convent.
Marriage
He was married to Marie Françoise of Nemours, the daughter of the Duke of Savoy, in 1666, but the marriage did not last long. Marie Françoise, or Maria Francisca in Portuguese, filed for an annulment in 1667 based on the impotence of the king. The Church granted her the annulment, and she married Afonso's brother, Pedro, Duke of Beja (the future Peter II).
Deposition
That same year, Pedro managed to gain enough support to force the king to relinquish control of the government and he became Prince Regent in 1668. Afonso was exiled to the island of Terceira in the Azores for seven years, returning to mainland Portugal shortly before he died at Sintra in 1683.
His trial is the basis of João Mário Grilo's 1990 film, The King's Trial (O Processo do Rei).
Ancestry
Ancestors of Afonso VI of Portugal |
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| 16. Teodósio I, 5th Duke of Braganza |
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| 8. John I, 6th Duke of Braganza | |
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| 17. Isabel de Lencastre |
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| 4. Teodósio II, 7th Duke of Braganza | |
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| 18. Infante Edward, 4th Duke of Guimarães |
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| 9. Infanta Catherine of Guimarães | |
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| 19. Isabella of Braganza |
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| 2. John IV of Portugal | |
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| 20. Íñigo Fernández de Velasco, 4th Duke of Frías |
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| 10. Juan Fernández de Velasco, 5th Duke of Frías | |
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| 21. Maria Angela de Aragón y Guzmán |
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| 5. Ana de Velasco y Girón | |
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| 22. Pedro Téllez-Girón, 1st Duke of Osuna |
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| 11. Maria Tellez-Giron | |
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| 23. Leonor Ana de Guzmán y Aragón |
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| 1. Afonso VI of Portugal | |
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| 24. Juan Carlos Pérez de Guzmán, 9th Count of Niebla |
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| 12. Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia | |
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| 25. Leonor Manrique de Zuñiga Sotomayor |
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| 6. Juan Manuel Pérez de Guzmán, 8th Duke of Medina Sidonia | |
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| 26. Rui Gomes da Silva, 1st Prince of Éboli |
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| 13. Ana de Sylva y Mendoza | |
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| 27. Ana de Mendoza, 2nd Princess of Mélito |
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| 3. Luisa de Guzmán | |
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| 28. Francisco Gómez de Sandoval, 4th Marquis of Denia |
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| 14. Francisco Gómez de Sandoval, 1st Duke of Lerma | |
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| 29. Isabel de Borja |
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| 7. Juana Lorenza Gómez de Sandoval y la Cerda | |
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| 30. Juan de la Cerda, 4th Duke of Medinaceli |
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| 15. Catalina de la Cerda | |
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| 31. Joana de Noronha |
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References
External links
Afonso VI of Portugal Born: 21 August 1643 Died: 12 September 1683 |
Regnal titles |
Preceded by John IV |
King of Portugal and the Algarves 1656–1683 |
Succeeded by Peter II |
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| | | * United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves ^Empire of Brazil ^^Titular Emperor of Brazil |
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- Infante Afonso
- Infante Dinis
- Pedro I
- Infante João
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| * also an infante of Castile and León, Aragon, Sicily and Naples, ** also an infante of Spain and an archduke of Austria, *** also an infante of Spain, **** also an imperial prince of Brazil, ***** also a prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke in Saxony ****** claimant infante |
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