Count of Vila Real
Encyclopedia
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of Vila Real
Vila Real, Portugal
Vila Real is a city in Vila Real Municipality, Trás-os-Montes, northern Portugal.According to the 2001 census, the city had a total of 24,481 inhabitants.- History :...
(in Portuguese Conde de Vila Real) was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, in 1424, by King John I of Portugal
John I of Portugal
John I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
, and granted to Dom Pedro de Menezes
Pedro de Menezes, 1st Count of Vila Real
Dom Pedro de Menezes Portocarrero, was a 15th C. Portuguese nobleman and military figure. Pedro de Menezes was the 2nd Count of Viana do Alentejo, 1st. Count of Vila Real and the first Portuguese governor of Ceuta.Pedro de Menezes was the son of the powerful 14th C...
, also known as Peter I of Menezes, 1st Count of Viana (do Alentejo)
Count of Viana (do Alentejo)
Count of Viana was a Portuguese title of nobility granted to D. João Afonso Telo de Menezes, direct cousin to Queen Leonor Telles de Menezes, by King Ferdinand I of Portugal royal decree, dated from March 13, 1373....
.
The Menezes, a high nobility family quite close to the first Dynasty
House of Burgundy
The House of Burgundy was a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty, descending from Robert I, Duke of Burgundy, a younger son of Robert II of France....
Kings in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, was seriously affected when the new Aviz
House of Aviz
The House of Aviz is a dynasty of kings of Portugal. In 1385, the Interregnum of the 1383-1385 crisis ended with the acclamation of the Master of the Order of Aviz, John, natural son of king Peter I and Dona Teresa Lourenço as king...
Kings took the power, after the 1383-1385 crisis, but Pedro de Menezes supported the new king John of Aviz
John I of Portugal
John I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
and was later reworded.
He was involved in the north African conquests, and became the first Governor of Ceuta
Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
after the Portuguese conquest (1415).
He married four times from which he had three daughters. The eldest was Beatrice of Menezes, married to Fernando de Noronha (grandson of King Fernando I of Portugal through his mother, Infanta Isabel of Portugal
Isabel of Portugal, Countess of Gijón and Noroña
Isabel of Portugal was the natural daughter of King Ferdinand I of Portugal, from unknown mother.- Biography :Before 1386 she was betrothed to João Afonso Telo de Menezes, 1st Count of Viana , son of the powerful Dom João Afonso Telo de Menezes, 4th Count of Barcelos...
). Their issue used Menezes as family name and they originated the powerful House of Vila Real
Marquis of Vila Real
Marquis of Vila Real was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from March 1, 1489, by King John II of Portugal, and granted to Dom Pedro de Menezes, also known as Peter II of Menezes, 3rd Count of Vila Real.The House of Vila Real was the most powerful aristocratic House...
(extinct in 1641).
Later, in the 19th Century, King John VI of Portugal
John VI of Portugal
John VI John VI John VI (full name: João Maria José Francisco Xavier de Paula Luís António Domingos Rafael; (13 May 1767 – 10 March 1826) was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves (later changed to just King of Portugal and the Algarves, after Brazil was recognized...
, granted this title again, by a royal decree dated from July 3, 1823 (second creation), to José Luis de Sousa Botelho Mourão e Vasconcelos (1785-1855), a remarkable military and politician who fought during the Napoleonic invasions and the Liberal wars.
First creation (1424 - Menezes family)
- Pedro de Menezes, 1st Count of Vila RealPedro de Menezes, 1st Count of Vila RealDom Pedro de Menezes Portocarrero, was a 15th C. Portuguese nobleman and military figure. Pedro de Menezes was the 2nd Count of Viana do Alentejo, 1st. Count of Vila Real and the first Portuguese governor of Ceuta.Pedro de Menezes was the son of the powerful 14th C...
- Brites de MenezesBrites de Menezes, 2nd Countess of Vila RealDona Brites de Menezes was a Portuguese noblewoman. She was the 2nd Countess of Vila Real from 1437, a title she shared with her consort, Fernando de Noronha....
and her husband Fernando of NoronhaFernando de Noronha, 2nd Count of Vila RealDom Fernando de Noronha was a 15th C. Castilian-Portuguese nobleman. He was the 2nd Count of Vila Real, a title which he acquired and shared by his marriage to Brites de Menezes, 2nd Countess of Vila Real and the third Portuguese governor of Ceuta from 1437.Fernando de Noronha united two...
, 2nd Counts of Vila Real; - Pedro II of Menezes, 3rd Count of Vila Real (1425-1499), who became 1st Marquis of Vila RealMarquis of Vila RealMarquis of Vila Real was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from March 1, 1489, by King John II of Portugal, and granted to Dom Pedro de Menezes, also known as Peter II of Menezes, 3rd Count of Vila Real.The House of Vila Real was the most powerful aristocratic House...
in 1489;
( for the following counts, see Marquis of Vila Real
Marquis of Vila Real
Marquis of Vila Real was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from March 1, 1489, by King John II of Portugal, and granted to Dom Pedro de Menezes, also known as Peter II of Menezes, 3rd Count of Vila Real.The House of Vila Real was the most powerful aristocratic House...
)
Second creation (1823 - Sousa Botelho family)
- José Luis de Sousa Botelho Mourão e Vasconcelos (1785-1855);
- Fernando de Sousa Botelho Mourão e Vasconcelos (1815-1858)
- José Luís de Sousa Botelho Mourão e Vasconcelos (1843-1923);
- Maria Teresa de Sousa Botelho e Melo (1871- ? ), also 3rd Countess of Melo and Countess of Mangualde by marriage;
- Francisco de Sousa Botelho e Albuquerque (1909-1966), also 3rd Count of Mangualde and 4th Count of Melo.
See also
- Duke of Vila RealDuke of Vila RealDuke of Vila Real was a Portuguese title of nobility created by royal decree, dated from February 28, 1585, by King Philip I of Portugal , and granted to Dom Manuel de Menezes, 5th Marquis of Vila Real and 7th Count of Vila Real.The title was granted by the King in one life, to the 5th Marquis of...
- Marquis of Vila RealMarquis of Vila RealMarquis of Vila Real was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from March 1, 1489, by King John II of Portugal, and granted to Dom Pedro de Menezes, also known as Peter II of Menezes, 3rd Count of Vila Real.The House of Vila Real was the most powerful aristocratic House...
- Duke of CaminhaDuke of CaminhaThe title duke of Caminha was created by royal decree, dated from 14 December 1620, by King Philip III of Portugal , to Dom Miguel Luís de Menezes, 6th Marquis of Vila Real and 8th Count of Vila Real.The title was later passed on to his nephew Miguel Luís II, 2nd Duke of Caminha, who was executed...
- List of Portuguese Dukedoms
- List of Marquesses in Portugal
- List of Countships in Portugal