Duke of Tancos was a Portuguese

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...

 title of nobility, granted by a royal decree issued by Queen Maria I of Portugal

Maria I of Portugal

Maria I was Queen regnant of Portugal and the Algarves from 1777 until her death. Known as Maria the Pious , or Maria the Mad , she was the first undisputed Queen regnant of Portugal...

 on April 22, 1790, to Contança Manoel, 2nd Marchioness of Tancos and 7th Countess of Atalaia.

The Queen upgraded Dona Constança Manoel to the duchess rank (only during her life), when she became the queen's Chamberlady (Camareira-Môr), the highest palatine office for a lady.

Family Name

The Duke of Tancos family name was Manoel.

The family have their origins in João Manuel, Bishop of Guarda

João Manuel, Bishop of Guarda

João Manuel de Vilhena was a religious Carmelite, Bishop of Ceuta and Bishop of Guarda .He was a bastard son of Edward of Portugal and Joana Manuel de Vilhena, great-granddaughter of Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena. He joined the Carmelites, in 1441 to become provincial of the Order in Portugal...

, a natural son of King Duarte I of Portugal with Joana Manoel de Vilhena.

Other Titles

• Count of Atalaia, on July 17, 1583, by royal decree of King Philip I of Portugal
  Philip II of Spain
  Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
  
  ;
• Marquis of Tancos, on October 22, 1751, by royal decree of King Joseph I of Portugal.

External links

• Genealogy of the Duchess of Tancos (in Portuguese)