Afonso, Count of Barcelos and the First Duke of Bragança: Founder of a Dynasty

Afonso, Count of Barcelos (later 1st Duke of Bragança) was a key figure in 15th-century Portugal, playing a central role in aristocratic politics and establishing the House of Bragança, which would become Portugal’s most powerful noble family.

Birth and Early Life

• Born in Veiros, Estremoz, Alentejo, Afonso was a natural son of King John I of Portugal and Inês Pires Esteves.
• Despite his illegitimacy, Afonso was raised in the royal court and became an influential noble.
• He married Beatriz Pereira de Alvim, daughter of Nuno Álvares Pereira, Portugal’s greatest military leader and its wealthiest landowner, greatly increasing his wealth and status.

Military and Political Career

• Afonso was present at the 1415 conquest of Ceuta, a pivotal event in Portugal’s overseas expansion.
• As a cultivated and well-traveled noble, he gained considerable influence at court.
• When his half-brother, King Edward I (Duarte), died in 1438, a political struggle emerged over the regency of the young Afonso V:
  • The Queen Mother, Eleonor of Aragon, was initially chosen as regent, but she was deeply unpopular due to her Aragonese origins.
  • The Portuguese Cortes, convened by Afonso’s half-brother John, Lord of Reguengos de Monsaraz, selected Infante Peter, Duke of Coimbra, as regent, a choice favored by the burghers and lower nobility.
  • However, Afonso and his aristocratic allies preferred Eleonor, fearing that Peter’s reformist policies would curtail noble privileges.

The Struggle for Power and the Creation of the Duchy of Bragança

• Afonso maneuvered to gain influence over Afonso V, competing with Peter of Coimbra for the young king’s favor.
• In 1443, in a gesture of reconciliation, Peter granted Afonso the title of Duke of Bragança, making him the first duke in Portugal.
• This new duchy, along with the Duchy of Coimbra (Peter’s) and the Duchy of Viseu (Henry’s), became one of Portugal’s first three noble duchies.

The Rise of the House of Bragança

• The House of Bragança quickly became the most powerful noble family in Portugal, accumulating immense landholdings and wealth.
• Over time, the Braganças became so powerful that they often rivaled the monarchy itself.
• In 1640, the 8th Duke of Bragança, João IV, led the Portuguese Restoration War against Spain and became King of Portugal, establishing the Bragança dynasty, which ruled Portugal until 1910.

Legacy

• Afonso’s strategic marriage and political maneuvering made the House of Bragança the most influential aristocratic family in Portugal.
• His descendants would challenge kings, amass vast fortunes, and eventually ascend to the throne.
• His creation as Duke of Bragança in 1443 shaped Portuguese politics for centuries, reinforcing the balance of power between monarchy and nobility.

Thus, Afonso’s legacy as the founder of the House of Bragança ensured that his lineage would play a dominant role in Portuguese history, ultimately ruling the nation for nearly three centuries.