José Maria de Sousa Macedo Almeida e Vasconcelos, 1st Baron of Santa Comba Dão
Encyclopedia
José Maria de Sousa Macedo Almeida e Vasconcelos, 1st Baron of Santa Comba Dão, ComC
(Santa Comba Dão
, Santa Comba Dão, 25 June 1787 - Santa Comba Dão, Santa Comba Dão, 4 September 1872) was a Portuguese
nobleman, military
and politician
.
He was the eldest child and son and successor of António de Sousa de Macedo Almeida e Vasconcelos and Maria Hipólita Cassiana da Flor da Rosa da Cunha Gusmão e Figueiredo.
in the Infantry
Regiment
11 and was promoted to Alférez on 22 August 1808. He was elected a Deputy
for the circle of Santa Comba Dão in the Vintism to the Constituent Cortes of 1820, and ascended to Colonel
of Infantry of the extinct Militia
s of Tondela
on 27 September 1823.
He was created a Fidalgo
Knight
of the Royal Household
by Alvará of 13 July 1825 and a Commander of the Order of Christ
.
The concession of the title of 1st Baron
of Santa Comba Dão was by and after his marriage by Decree
of 8 September 1825 of John VI of Portugal
. His Coat of Arms
was quartered, on the first de Sousa do Prado, on the second de Almeida, on the third de Macedo and on the fourth de Vasconcelos (sometimes the third and fourth appear vice-versa) with Crest
of de Sousa do Prado and a Coronet
of Baron.
He was a partidary and always followed the cause
of Miguel of Portugal
, who by Decree
of 18 March 1829 appointed him the 55th Governor
and Captain General
of the Province of Angola
(with capital at São Paulo de Luanda, where his children were born), where he struggled with the greatest hardships, lack of resources of all kind, which the Metropole
, handling the civil fights
(it is not known if he had the chance of taking part in the conflict while at Portugal between 1828 and 1829), could not send him. However, he remained in the hard exercise of his office until the acclamation of Maria II of Portugal in 1834, when a Military Junta
took over the office until 1836 and thanks to the Convention of Evoramonte he retired with his family unharmed and without being prosecuted nor deprived of any received honour. Meanwhile he had become Lord
of several Majorat
s and Lord of the House or Paço
of os Arcos, all in Santa Comba Dão, Santa Comba Dão, succeeding in the House to his father on 21 October 1833, and returned to Santa Comba Dão to take over his estates.
He was elected Deputy for the circle of Santa Comba Dão to the Legislatura of the Cortes Gerais of 1842-1845, in a time when the government of António José Severim de Noronha, 1st Duke of Terceira that came out of the coup d'état
of 1842 also included Miguelists, but he never took seat.
He resided in Santa Comba Dão. His Majorats became extinct with the Letter of Law of 19 May 1863 that came to abolish all the Majorats and Chapel
s, excepting, with Article 13th, the House of Braganza
.
Order of Christ (Portugal)
The Military Order of Christ previously the Royal Order of the Knights of Our Lord Jesus Christ was the heritage of the Knights Templar in Portugal, after the suppression of the Templars in 1312...
(Santa Comba Dão
Santa Comba Dão
Santa Comba Dão is a city and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 112.0 km² and a total municipal population of 12,393 inhabitants...
, Santa Comba Dão, 25 June 1787 - Santa Comba Dão, Santa Comba Dão, 4 September 1872) was a Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
nobleman, military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
He was the eldest child and son and successor of António de Sousa de Macedo Almeida e Vasconcelos and Maria Hipólita Cassiana da Flor da Rosa da Cunha Gusmão e Figueiredo.
Life
He enlisted as a CadetCadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
in the Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
Regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
11 and was promoted to Alférez on 22 August 1808. He was elected a Deputy
Deputy (legislator)
A deputy is a legislator in many countries, particularly those with legislatures styled as a 'Chamber of Deputies' or 'National Assembly'.-List of countries:This is an list of countries using the term 'deputy' or one of its cognates....
for the circle of Santa Comba Dão in the Vintism to the Constituent Cortes of 1820, and ascended to Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of Infantry of the extinct Militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
s of Tondela
Tondela
Tondela is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 371.2 km² and a total population of 31,026 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 26 parishes and is located in Viseu District....
on 27 September 1823.
He was created a Fidalgo
Fidalgo
Fidalgo , from Galician and Portuguese filho de algo—sometimes translated into English as "son of somebody" or "son of some "—is a traditional title used in Portugal to refer to a member of the titled or untitled nobility...
Knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
of the Royal Household
Royal Household
A Royal Household in ancient and medieval monarchies formed the basis for the general government of the country as well as providing for the needs of the sovereign and his relations....
by Alvará of 13 July 1825 and a Commander of the Order of Christ
Order of Christ (Portugal)
The Military Order of Christ previously the Royal Order of the Knights of Our Lord Jesus Christ was the heritage of the Knights Templar in Portugal, after the suppression of the Templars in 1312...
.
The concession of the title of 1st Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
of Santa Comba Dão was by and after his marriage by Decree
Decree
A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...
of 8 September 1825 of 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...
. His Coat of Arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
was quartered, on the first de Sousa do Prado, on the second de Almeida, on the third de Macedo and on the fourth de Vasconcelos (sometimes the third and fourth appear vice-versa) with Crest
Crest (heraldry)
A crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....
of de Sousa do Prado and a Coronet
Coronet
A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. Unlike a crown, a coronet never has arches.The word stems from the Old French coronete, a diminutive of coronne , itself from the Latin corona .Traditionally, such headgear is – as indicated by the German equivalent...
of Baron.
He was a partidary and always followed the cause
Miguelista
In the history of Portugal, a Miguelista was a supporter of the legitimacy of the king Miguel I of Portugal. The name is also given to those who supported absolutism as form of government, in opposition to the liberals who intended the establishment of a constitutional regime in Portugal....
of Miguel of Portugal
Miguel of Portugal
Dom Miguel I, sometimes Michael , was the King of Portugal between 1828 and 1834, the seventh child and second son of King John VI and his queen, Charlotte of Spain....
, who by Decree
Decree
A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...
of 18 March 1829 appointed him the 55th Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
and Captain General
Captain General
Captain general is a high military rank and a gubernatorial title.-History:This term Captain General started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of commander in chief of an army in the field, probably the first usage of the term General in military settings...
of the Province of Angola
Angola (Portugal)
Angola is the common name by which the Portuguese colony in southwestern Africa was known across different periods of time...
(with capital at São Paulo de Luanda, where his children were born), where he struggled with the greatest hardships, lack of resources of all kind, which the Metropole
Metropole
The metropole, from the Greek Metropolis 'mother city' was the name given to the British metropolitan centre of the British Empire, i.e. the United Kingdom itself...
, handling the civil fights
Liberal Wars
The Liberal Wars, also known as the Portuguese Civil War, the War of the Two Brothers, or Miguelite War, was a war between progressive constitutionalists and authoritarian absolutists in Portugal over royal succession that lasted from 1828 to 1834...
(it is not known if he had the chance of taking part in the conflict while at Portugal between 1828 and 1829), could not send him. However, he remained in the hard exercise of his office until the acclamation of Maria II of Portugal in 1834, when a Military Junta
Military junta
A junta or military junta is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term derives from the Spanish language junta meaning committee, specifically a board of directors...
took over the office until 1836 and thanks to the Convention of Evoramonte he retired with his family unharmed and without being prosecuted nor deprived of any received honour. Meanwhile he had become Lord
Lord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
of several Majorat
Majorat
Majorat is the right of succession to property according to age . A majorat would be inherited by the oldest son, or if there was no son, the nearest relative. This law existed in some of the European countries and was designed to prevent the distribution of wealthy estates between many members of...
s and Lord of the House or Paço
Paco
Paco is - together with Pancho - the Spanish nickname for Francisco, as in Pancho Villa, the legendary Mexican revolutionary.The nickname has its origins in Saint Francis of Assisi, who was the father of the Franciscan order...
of os Arcos, all in Santa Comba Dão, Santa Comba Dão, succeeding in the House to his father on 21 October 1833, and returned to Santa Comba Dão to take over his estates.
He was elected Deputy for the circle of Santa Comba Dão to the Legislatura of the Cortes Gerais of 1842-1845, in a time when the government of António José Severim de Noronha, 1st Duke of Terceira that came out of the coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
of 1842 also included Miguelists, but he never took seat.
He resided in Santa Comba Dão. His Majorats became extinct with the Letter of Law of 19 May 1863 that came to abolish all the Majorats and Chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
s, excepting, with Article 13th, the House of Braganza
House of Braganza
The Most Serene House of Braganza , an important Portuguese noble family, ruled the Kingdom of Portugal and its colonial Empire, from 1640 to 1910...
.
Family
He married by proxy at the Village of Santa Comba Dão, in Santa Comba Dão, on 28 April 1825 with Maria Benta de Miranda e Horta (17 January 1810 - 20 June or July 1855), only daughter and heiress of António José Correia da Franca e Horta and Luísa Catarina Schibbert, who had been granted the special grace, as a reward for her father's services, with the promise of the title of Baron for the person to whom she would marry, by Decree of 7 December 1824 of John VI of Portugal, and had two children:- Miguel António de Sousa Horta Almeida e Vasconcelos, 2nd Baron of Santa Comba DãoMiguel António de Sousa Horta Almeida e Vasconcelos, 2nd Baron of Santa Comba DãoMiguel António de Sousa Horta Almeida e Vasconcelos', 2nd Baron of Santa Comba Dão was a Portuguese nobleman....
(São Paulo de Luanda, Angola, 22 August 1831 – 24 February 1891), named after King Miguel of Portugal and both his paternal grandfather and paternal uncle - Maria Hipólita de Sousa Horta Almeida e Vasconcelos (São Paulo de Luanda, Angola, 26 January 1833 - after 1885), named after her paternal grandmother, unmarried and without issue
Sources
- Various, Resenha das Famílias Titulares do Reino de Portugal, Lisboa, 1838, pp. 206–207
- Albano da Silveira Pinto and Dom Augusto Romano Sanches de Baena Farinha de Almeida Portugal Silva e Sousa, 1st Viscount of Sanches de Baena, Resenha das Famílias Titulares e Grandes de Portugal, Fernando Santos e Rodrigo Faria de Castro, 2.ª Edição, Braga, 1991, pp. 516–518
- Domingos de Araújo Afonso and Rui Dique Travassos Valdez, Livro de Oiro da Nobreza, J.A. Telles da Sylva, 2.ª Edição, Lisboa, 1988, Volume III, pp. 233–234
- Afonso Eduardo Martins Zúquete, Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil, Volume Terceiro, pp. 288–289
- Various, Anuário da Nobreza de Portugal, III, 1985, Tomo I, p. 854, Tomo II, p. 1,047
- José Maria de Sousa (de) Macedo Almeida e Vasconcelos, 1st Baron of Santa Comba Dão in a Portuguese Genealogical site