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Rulers

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Rulers of Portugal (1112 .. 1598)

High Middle Ages

From Date	Ruler	Relationship to Predecessor	To Date	Comments
1112	Alfonso I	Son	1185	Alfonso Henriques was the first king of Portugal. His father, Count Henry of Burgundy had married the illegitimate daughter of Alfonso of Leon. With the marriage Count Henry became governor of Portugal. Alfonso Henriques was nominated king of Portugal in 1139 after defeating the Moors.
1185	Sancho I	Son	1211	Known as the 'Populator', Sancho was the second son of Alfonso. Known for his organistion of the new realm and creation of new towns.
1211	Alfonso II	Son	1223	Known as Alfonso the Fat. Alfonso tried to divert the wealth of teh Church to the state which led to his excommunication by Pope Honorius III.
1223	Sancho II	Son	1248	The reign of Sancho was marked by civil war and he was finaly deposed with the consent of the Pope.
1248	Alfonso III	Brother	1279	After overthrowing his brother Sancho, Alfonso continued the war against the Moors. He captured the province of Algarve and added it to domains of Portugal.
1279	Denis	Son	1325	Denis brought much needed stability to the country. Rebuilt many castles and created the Order of Christ transferring assets formally belonging to the Knights Templar to the new order.

Kings 936 - 1319

Name:

Alfonso I

Reign:

1112 to 1185

Alfonso Henriques was the first king of Portugal. His father, Count Henry of Burgundy had married the illegitimate daughter of Alfonso of Leon. With the marriage Count Henry became governor of Portugal. Alfonso Henriques was nominated king of Portugal in 1139 after defeating the Moors.

Name:

Sancho I

Reign:

1185 to 1211

Known as the 'Populator', Sancho was the second son of Alfonso. Known for his organistion of the new realm and creation of new towns.

Name:

Alfonso II

Reign:

1211 to 1223

Known as Alfonso the Fat. Alfonso tried to divert the wealth of teh Church to the state which led to his excommunication by Pope Honorius III.

Name:

Sancho II

Reign:

1223 to 1248

The reign of Sancho was marked by civil war and he was finaly deposed with the consent of the Pope.

Name:

Alfonso III

Reign:

1248 to 1279

After overthrowing his brother Sancho, Alfonso continued the war against the Moors. He captured the province of Algarve and added it to domains of Portugal.

Name:

Denis

Reign:

1279 to 1325

Denis brought much needed stability to the country. Rebuilt many castles and created the Order of Christ transferring assets formally belonging to the Knights Templar to the new order.

Late Middle Ages

From Date	Ruler	Relationship to Predecessor	To Date	Comments
1325	Alfonso IV	Son	1357	Alfonso rebelled against his father and when he became King of Portugal his reign was marked by political disagreements with his brother and son. He had is daughter-in-law murdered.
1357	Peter I	Son	1367	Peter sought revenge for the murder of his wife Inez in 1355 and started a civil was against his father Alfonso. When Alfonso died in 1357, Peter became King of Portugal.
1367	Ferdinand I	Son	1383	Ferdinand was the second son of Peter I. He attempted to claim the throne of Castile through the female line. The conflict was ended with the agreement that Ferdinand's daughter Beatrice should marry John of Castile.
1383	Beatrice	Daughter	1385	Although Beatrice was the daughter of Ferdinand I and was heiress of the throne of Portugal it is most likely that she was never crowned Queen. Beatrice and her husband John of castile attempted to take the throne but after two years of conflict it was an illegitimate son of Peter I who became the next king.
1385	John of Avis	n/a	1433	John was the illegitimate son of Peter I and was choosen as the new King of Portugal in an attempt to put an end to the disputed succession. In order to hold on to power, John formed an alliance with the English John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster and son of King Edward III. With the help of the English John cleared Portugal of its enemies.
1433	Edward	Son	1438
1438	Alfonso V	Son	1481	Known as the 'African' due to his military enterprises in Africa against the Moors. Abdicated the throne and retired to a monastery as Sintra.
1481	John II	Son	1495	Known as the 'Perfect'. Became king after his father abdicated the throne. Renewed exploration of Africa and beyond.
1495	Manuel I	Cousin	1521	Boosted the Portuguese economy through rich trade and financed several explorers and claimed Brazil for Portugal.
1521	John III	Son	1557	Chaotic policies reduced Portugal's commercial power.
1557	Sebastian	Grandson	1578	Was killed in 1578 during a crusade. Sebastian was so popular that the Portuguese didn't believe he was dead and would return. Pretenders claiming to be King turned up in Portugal for several years.
1578	Henry	Great-uncle	1580	Was the younger son of Manuel I. Was made a cardinal and was the last of the House of Aviz.
1580	Philip I	n/a	1598	Also Philip II of Spain. Philip became King of Portugal through his first marriage to Maria, the daughter of John III. Married Mary, the Queen of England.

Kings 1320 - 1513

Name:

Alfonso IV

Reign:

1325 to 1357

Alfonso rebelled against his father and when he became King of Portugal his reign was marked by political disagreements with his brother and son. He had is daughter-in-law murdered.

Name:

Peter I

Reign:

1357 to 1367

Peter sought revenge for the murder of his wife Inez in 1355 and started a civil was against his father Alfonso. When Alfonso died in 1357, Peter became King of Portugal.

Name:

Ferdinand I

Reign:

1367 to 1383

Ferdinand was the second son of Peter I. He attempted to claim the throne of Castile through the female line. The conflict was ended with the agreement that Ferdinand's daughter Beatrice should marry John of Castile.

Name:

Beatrice

Reign:

1383 to 1385

Although Beatrice was the daughter of Ferdinand I and was heiress of the throne of Portugal it is most likly that she was never Queen. Beatrice and her husband John of castile attempted to take the throne but after two years of conflict it was as an illegitimate son of Peter I who became the next king.

Name:

John

Reign:

1385 to 1433

John was the illegitimate son of Peter I and was choosen as the new King of Portugal in an attempt to put an end to the disputed succession. In order to hold on to power, John formed an alliance with the English John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster and son of King Edward III. With the help of the English John cleared Portugal of its enemies.

Name:

Edward

Reign:

1433 to 1438

Name:

Alfonso V

Reign:

1438 to 1481

Known as the 'African' due to his military enterprises in Africa against the Moors. Abdicated the throne and retired to a monastery as Sintra.

Name:

John II

Reign:

1481 to 1495

Known as the 'Perfect'. Became king after his father abdicated the throne. Renewed exploration of Africa and beyond.

Name:

Manuel I

Reign:

1495 to 1521

Boosted the Portuguese economy through rich trade and financed several explorers and claimed Brazil for Portugal.

Name:

John III

Reign:

1521 to 1557

Chaotic policies reduced Portugal's commercial power.

Name:

Sebastian

Reign:

1557 to 1578

Was killed in 1578 during a crusade. Sebastian was so popular that the Portuguese didn't believe he was dead and would return. Pretenders claiming to be King turned up in Portugal for several years.

Name:

Henry

Reign:

1578 to 1580

Was the younger son of Manuel I. Was made a cardinal and was the last of the House of Aviz.

Name:

< a href="./philip_ii_king_of_spain_1556_1598.htm">Philip I

Reign:

1580 to 1598

Also Philip II of Spain. Philip became King of Portugal through his first marriage to Maria, the daughter of John III. Married Mary, the Queen of England.