Sancho de Tovar e Silva
Encyclopedia
Sancho de Tovar e Silva, jure uxoris
Lord of the Honour of Molelos (1551 – April 13, 1629) was a Portuguese
nobleman and military
man most notable for having been among the few companions of king Sebastian
who survived the disastrous Battle of Alcácer Quibir
. He was later governor
of Diu on behalf of King Philip
and held the rank of Almirante-mór (Chief Admiral) of the Portuguese Navy
.
of Castilian
origin, dating back to the first centuries of the Iberian Reconquista
. He was the son of Pedro de Tovar (1509–1567), Vedor de Fazenda (Overseer of Finances) of Portuguese India
, and his wife Brites de Oliveira e Silva, daughter of the Lords of Oliveira http://www.geneall.net/H/per_page.php?id=195453. His paternal grandfather was Sancho de Tovar
, the Castilian
-born navigator and explorer who took part in the discovery of Brazil
.
From 1572 onwards, Tovar e Silva held the position of Copeiro-mór (Master of the Ceremonies) at the royal court in Lisbon
, and around that time he became Lord of the Honour of Molelos
by marriage to Maria da Veiga e Nápoles
, a wealthy heiress descended from a cadet branch
of the royal house of Anjou
.
In 1578, together with most of the courtesan nobility
, he accompanied the 24-year-old king Sebastian
in his attempted Moroccan
crusade, having been one of the few aristocrats to survive the encounter that opposed the Portuguese army to that of the sultan Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I on the morning of August 4. He was, nevertheless, severely injured: according to 18th century genealogist Felgueiras Gayo, he returned covered in wounds, and contemporary authors record that he lost his right arm
or hand
in the battle.
In 1622 Sancho was appointed governor
of Diu on behalf of King Philip
in and later held the honorary position of Almirante-mór (Chief Admiral) of the Portuguese navy
.
He died in his Paço (Palace) of Molelos, at the age of 78, supposedly murdered by a disgruntled servant whom he had caught stealing (and subsequently fired) a few days before.
Jure uxoris
Jure uxoris is a Latin term that means "by right of his wife" or "in right of a wife". It is commonly used to refer to a title held by a man whose wife holds it in her own right. In other words, he acquired the title simply by being her husband....
Lord of the Honour of Molelos (1551 – April 13, 1629) 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 and 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...
man most notable for having been among the few companions of king Sebastian
Sebastian of Portugal
Sebastian "the Desired" was the 16th king of Portugal and the Algarves. He was the son of Prince John of Portugal and his wife, Joan of Spain...
who survived the disastrous Battle of Alcácer Quibir
Battle of Alcácer Quibir
The Battle of Ksar El Kebir, also known as Battle of Three Kings, or "Battle of Oued El Makhazeen" in Morocco, and Battle of Alcácer Quibir in Portugal , was fought in northern Morocco, near the town of Ksar-el-Kebir and Larache, on 4 August 1578...
. He was later governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Diu on behalf of King Philip
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
and held the rank of Almirante-mór (Chief Admiral) of the Portuguese Navy
Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....
.
Family and career
Sancho de Tovar e Silva was born to an old noble houseNobility
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 Castilian
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
origin, dating back to the first centuries of the Iberian Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
. He was the son of Pedro de Tovar (1509–1567), Vedor de Fazenda (Overseer of Finances) of Portuguese India
Portuguese India
The Portuguese Viceroyalty of India , later the Portuguese State of India , was the aggregate of Portugal's colonial holdings in India.The government started in 1505, six years after the discovery of a sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, with the nomination of the first Viceroy Francisco de...
, and his wife Brites de Oliveira e Silva, daughter of the Lords of Oliveira http://www.geneall.net/H/per_page.php?id=195453. His paternal grandfather was Sancho de Tovar
Sancho de Tovar
Sancho de Tovar, 6th Lord of Cevico, Caracena and Boca de Huérgano was a Portuguese nobleman of Castilian birth, best known as a navigator and explorer during the Portuguese age of discoveries. He was the sub-captain of the fleet that discovered Brazil in 1500, and was later appointed Governor of...
, the Castilian
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
-born navigator and explorer who took part in the discovery 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...
.
From 1572 onwards, Tovar e Silva held the position of Copeiro-mór (Master of the Ceremonies) at the royal court in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, and around that time he became Lord of the Honour of Molelos
Honour of Molelos
The Honour of Molelos was a major lordship in Portugal. It was founded c.1455 by João Esteves da Veiga de Nápoles, heir to a Portuguese branch of the Capetian House of Anjou, the Nápoles family, in the name of his eldest son, Henrique Esteves da Veiga de Nápoles. It would survive until the...
by marriage to Maria da Veiga e Nápoles
Nápoles
Nápoles is the name of a Portuguese family whose roots lie in the Kingdom of Naples. A claimed secondary branch of the royal Capetian House of Anjou, of the kings of Naples, the Nápoles descend from Stephen of Durazzo who moved to Portugal...
, a wealthy heiress descended from a cadet branch
Cadet branch
Cadet branch is a term in genealogy to describe the lineage of the descendants of the younger sons of a monarch or patriarch. In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets – titles, realms, fiefs, property and income – have...
of the royal house of Anjou
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
.
In 1578, together with most of the courtesan nobility
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...
, he accompanied the 24-year-old king Sebastian
Sebastian of Portugal
Sebastian "the Desired" was the 16th king of Portugal and the Algarves. He was the son of Prince John of Portugal and his wife, Joan of Spain...
in his attempted Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
crusade, having been one of the few aristocrats to survive the encounter that opposed the Portuguese army to that of the sultan Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I on the morning of August 4. He was, nevertheless, severely injured: according to 18th century genealogist Felgueiras Gayo, he returned covered in wounds, and contemporary authors record that he lost his right arm
Arm
In human anatomy, the arm is the part of the upper limb between the shoulder and the elbow joints. In other animals, the term arm can also be used for analogous structures, such as one of the paired forelimbs of a four-legged animal or the arms of cephalopods...
or hand
Hand
A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered extremity located at the end of an arm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs...
in the battle.
In 1622 Sancho was appointed governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Diu on behalf of King Philip
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
in and later held the honorary position of Almirante-mór (Chief Admiral) of the Portuguese navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
.
He died in his Paço (Palace) of Molelos, at the age of 78, supposedly murdered by a disgruntled servant whom he had caught stealing (and subsequently fired) a few days before.