Prince Pedro de Alcantara of Orléans-Braganza
Encyclopedia
Pedro de Alcântara of Orléans and Braganza, Prince of Grão Para (15 October 1875 – 29 January 1940) was the first born son of Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil
and her husband Gaston, comte d'Eu
and, as such, the heir after her, to the throne of his grandfather, Emperor Pedro II of Brazil
, until the empire's abolition
. He went into exile
to Europe with his mother when his grandfather was deposed in 1889, and grew up largely in France, at a family apartment in Boulogne-sur-Seine, and at his father's castle, the château d'Eu in Normandie
.
Pedro wanted to marry Countess Elisabeth Dobržensky de Dobrženicz
(1875–1951) who, although a noblewoman
of the kingdom of Bohemia
, did not belong to a royal or reigning dynasty
. Although the constitution of the Brazilian Empire did not require a dynast to marry equally, his mother ruled that the marriage would not be valid dynastically for the Brazilian succession, and as a result he renounced his rights to the throne of Brazil
on 30 October 1908: To solemnize this, Dom Pedro, aged thirty-three, signed the document translated here:
This renunciation was followed by a letter from Isabel to royalists
in Brazil:
Nonetheless, a few years before his death Prince Pedro de Alcântara told a Brazilian newspaper:
, assumed the position of claimant
to the Brazilian throne and was recognized as such by many of Europe's dynasties. After Dom Pedro de Alcântara's death in 1940 his eldest son, Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza
, asserted a counter-claim as the proper successor (garnering the support of his brothers-in-law, the pretender
s to the thrones of Orléanist France and Miguelist Portugal
), and some Brazilian legal scholars subsequently argued that his father's renunciation would, indeed, have been constitutionally invalid under the monarchy. Although Pedro de Alcântara's daughter, Princess Isabel, is said to have referred to Dom Pedro Gastão as "My brother, the Brazilian Emperor", she acknowledged in her memoirs that their father nonetheless regarded his renunciation as binding, and treated it as effective.
, France
, and had 5 children:
After his death his son Prince Pedro Gastão
assumed the headship of the Petrópolis branch of the Imperial House of Brazil.
Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil
Dona Isabel , nicknamed "the Redemptress", was the heiress presumptive to the throne of the Empire of Brazil, bearing the title of Princess Imperial....
and her husband Gaston, comte d'Eu
Gaston, comte d'Eu
Gaston d'Orléans , the first son of Louis, the Duke of Nemours and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Kohary. His full name was Louis Philippe Marie Ferdinand Gaston d'Orléans; Portuguese: Luís Filipe Maria Fernando Gastão de Orleães...
and, as such, the heir after her, to the throne of his grandfather, Emperor Pedro II of Brazil
Pedro II of Brazil
Dom Pedro II , nicknamed "the Magnanimous", was the second and last ruler of the Empire of Brazil, reigning for over 58 years. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he was the seventh child of Emperor Dom Pedro I of Brazil and Empress Dona Maria Leopoldina and thus a member of the Brazilian branch of...
, until the empire's abolition
Abolished monarchy
Throughout history, monarchies have been abolished, either through revolutions, legislative reforms, coups d'état, or wars. The twentieth century saw a major acceleration of this process, with many monarchies violently overthrown by revolution or war, or else abolished as part of the process of...
. He went into exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
to Europe with his mother when his grandfather was deposed in 1889, and grew up largely in France, at a family apartment in Boulogne-sur-Seine, and at his father's castle, the château d'Eu in Normandie
Normandie
Normandie may refer to:* The region of Normandy in north-west France and the Channel Islands* Normandie , iron-clad battleship of the 1860s.* Normandie class battleships from World War I...
.
Renunciation
In 1908 DomDon (honorific)
Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:...
Pedro wanted to marry Countess Elisabeth Dobržensky de Dobrženicz
Countess Elisabeth Dobržensky de Dobrženicz
Countess Elisabeth Maria Dobržensky de Dobrženicz was the daughter of Johann Wenzel Count Dobrzensky of Dobrzenicz and his wife, Elisabeth Countess Kottulinsky, Baroness of Kottulin and Krzižkowitz ....
(1875–1951) who, although a noblewoman
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
of the kingdom of Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
, did not belong to a royal or reigning dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
. Although the constitution of the Brazilian Empire did not require a dynast to marry equally, his mother ruled that the marriage would not be valid dynastically for the Brazilian succession, and as a result he renounced his rights to the throne of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
on 30 October 1908: To solemnize this, Dom Pedro, aged thirty-three, signed the document translated here:
This renunciation was followed by a letter from Isabel to royalists
Monarchism
Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government out of principle, independent from the person, the Monarch.In this system, the Monarch may be the...
in Brazil:
Nonetheless, a few years before his death Prince Pedro de Alcântara told a Brazilian newspaper:
Death of the Princess Imperial
After the death of the Princess Imperial in 1921, the deceased Dom Luiz's son, Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-BraganzaPrince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza
Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza , was a great-grandson of the last emperor of Brazil, Pedro II, and one of two claimants to the abolished throne.-Early life in Europe:...
, assumed the position of claimant
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
to the Brazilian throne and was recognized as such by many of Europe's dynasties. After Dom Pedro de Alcântara's death in 1940 his eldest son, Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza
Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza
Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza was one of two claimants to the Brazilian throne and head of the Petrópolis branch of the Brazilian Imperial House.-Biography:Prince Pedro Gastão was the son of Prince Pedro de Alcântara...
, asserted a counter-claim as the proper successor (garnering the support of his brothers-in-law, the pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
s to the thrones of Orléanist France and Miguelist Portugal
Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza
Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza was a claimant to the throne of Portugal from 1920 until his death.-Birth:...
), and some Brazilian legal scholars subsequently argued that his father's renunciation would, indeed, have been constitutionally invalid under the monarchy. Although Pedro de Alcântara's daughter, Princess Isabel, is said to have referred to Dom Pedro Gastão as "My brother, the Brazilian Emperor", she acknowledged in her memoirs that their father nonetheless regarded his renunciation as binding, and treated it as effective.
Issue
Pedro and Elisabeth married on 14 November 1908 in VersaillesVersailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and had 5 children:
- Princess Isabelle of Orléans-BraganzaIsabelle, comtesse de ParisPrincess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza , became by marriage duchess of Orléans, of Valois, of Chartres, of Guise, of Enghien, of Vendôme, of Penthièvre, of Aumale, of Nemours and of Montpensier, dauphine of Auvergne, princess of Joinville, princess of Condé, etc., titular Countess of...
(1911–2003) married Henri, count of Paris - parents of Henri, the current Orleanist pretender to the throne of France. - Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-BraganzaPrince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-BraganzaPrince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza was one of two claimants to the Brazilian throne and head of the Petrópolis branch of the Brazilian Imperial House.-Biography:Prince Pedro Gastão was the son of Prince Pedro de Alcântara...
(1913–2007) married Princess Maria de la Esperanza of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrincess Maria de la Esperanza of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrincess Maria de la Esperanza Amalia Raniera Maria Rosario Luisa Gonzaga of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was the youngest daughter of Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and his wife Princess Louise of Orléans...
- parents of Princess Maria da Gloria, Duchess of Segorbe, the last Crown Princess of Yugoslavia. - Princess Maria Francisca of Orléans-Braganza (1914–1968) married Duarte Nuno, Duke of BraganzaDuarte Nuno, Duke of BraganzaDuarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza was a claimant to the throne of Portugal from 1920 until his death.-Birth:...
- parents of Duarte Pio, Duke of BraganzaDuarte Pio, Duke of BraganzaDom Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza , is the 24th Duke of Braganza and a pretender to the throne of Portugal.-Birth and education:...
, the current pretender to the throne of Portugal. - Prince João Maria of Orléans-Braganza (1916–2005)
- Princess Teresa of Orléans-Braganza (1919–2011)
After his death his son Prince Pedro Gastão
Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza
Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza was one of two claimants to the Brazilian throne and head of the Petrópolis branch of the Brazilian Imperial House.-Biography:Prince Pedro Gastão was the son of Prince Pedro de Alcântara...
assumed the headship of the Petrópolis branch of the Imperial House of Brazil.