Dukedoms in Portugal

Noble Titles of Portugal
  Dukedoms of Portugal
  Marquisates of Portugal
  Countships of Portugal
  Viscountcies of Portugal
  Baronies of Portugal

The highest hereditary title in the Portuguese nobility. By tradition, there are a total of five royal and seven non-royal dukes in Portugal, out of 28 dukedoms that have ever been created. In the majority of cases, the title of duke was attributed to members of the high nobility, usually relatives of the Portuguese royal family, such as the second son of a monarch.

There are exceptions, like António José de Ávila, who, although not having any relation to the royal family, was given the title of duke of Ávila and Bolama.

Royal dukedoms

Hereditary royal dukedoms

  • Duke of Braganza (the principal grandeza of the Portuguese royal dynasty. After the restoration of a Portuguese dynasty in 1640, it became a title of the heir apparent to the crown, and passes to his heir, when he becomes king.)

Courtesy royal dukedoms

These titles were occasionally given to other infantes of the royal family, but did not automatically descend to their heirs:

  • Duke of Barcelos
  • Duke of Beja
  • Duke of Coimbra
  • Duke of Guarda
  • Duke of Guimarães
  • Duke of Porto
  • Duke of Trancoso
  • Duke of Viseu

Noble dukedoms

All of these dukedoms are inherited, but only some of them are titles de juro e herdade – this meant that the reigning monarch was obliged to renew the title for its rightful heir whenever a titleholder died. Only Aveiro, Lafões, Terceira, Palmela, Saldanha and Loulé were dukedoms de juro e herdade. Some of these dukes (Cadaval, Terceira and Saldanha) enjoyed Honras de Parente, i.e. certain honours (of style and/or precedence) associated with being an officially recognised relative of the king.

  • Before the Liberal Regime:
    • Duke of Aveiro and Duke of Torres Novas (both extinct in 1759, after the execution of the last duke for high treason). The first duke was the elder son of the 2nd Duke of Coimbra, the sole surviving (but illegitimate) son of King John II of Portugal;
    • Duke of Cadaval, family Álvares Pereira de Mello, branch of the House of Braganza before they were kings;
    • Duke of Caminha and Duke of Vila Real (both extinguished following executions for high treason of their titleholders for supporting the right of the Spanish Habsburg kings to the Portuguese throne after the revolution of 1640;
    • Duke of Lafões, families Bragança, Sousa and Menezes. The first duke was an illegitimate son of King Pedro II of Portugal. Also Count of Miranda do Corvo and Marquis of Arronches (Sousa) and Count of Cantanhede and Marquis of Marialva (Menezes) and also Duke of Miranda do Corvo (Bragança);
    • Duke da Vitória (this victory title, meaning in Portuguese "Duke of the Victory", was given to Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington. This is the only Portuguese dukedom granted to a foreigner and whose titleholders remained foreign citizens living outside of Portugal).
  • After the Liberal Regime:
    • Duke of Terceira, 1832, Descendants of Ferdinand III of Castile, by his son, Infante Manuel of Castile. Heads of the Portuguese branch of the Manoel de Vilhena family, since the marriage of Constance Manoel with King Pedro I of Portugal. Her brother, Henrique Manoel, was brought in her entourage, and made Count of Seia, in Portugal by his brother-in-law. Following the long line of military tradition of his family, António José de Sousa Manoel de Meneses Severim de Noronha, 1st Duke of Terceira, Marquis and 7th Count of Vila Flor, was Marshal of the Army and President of the Council of Ministers.
    • Duke of Palmela, 1833, formerly Duke of Faial, replaced by the title of Duke of Palmela (family Sousa e Holstein), descending in the female line from the Dukes of Holstein. Also 1st Marquis of Faial, 1st Marquis of Palmela, 1st Count of Palmela and 1st Count of Calhariz. The first duke was President of the Council of Ministers and a quite remarkable ambassador in London and to the Congress of Vienna;
    • Duke of Saldanha, 1857, family Saldanha Oliveira e Daun. Also 1st Marquis of Saldanha, 1st Count of Saldanha and 1st Count of Almoster. The first duke was President of the Council of Ministers and Marshal of the Army;
    • Duke of Loulé, 1862, family Mendonça, also 8th Count of Vale de Reis and 2nd Marquis of Loulé, descending from Infanta Ana de Jesus Maria of Portugal. The first duke was President of the Council of Ministers;
    • Duke of Ávila and Bolama, 1878, family Ávila. First dukedom granted to a commoner. The first duke was President of the Council of Ministers;
    • Duke of Albuquerque, 1886, family Costa de Sousa de Macedo, also 2nd Count of Mesquitela, 5th Viscount of Mesquitela and formerly Baron of Mullingar, in Ireland.

Non-hereditary dukedoms

These titles were traditionally granted to the Lady Chamberlain (Camareira-Mor), the highest royal court office for a woman, only during her life:

List

Coat of Arms Title Date of creation Surname First titular
Duke of Abrantes December 9, 1753 Lorena Ana Maria Catarina Henriqueta de Lorena
Duke of Albuquerque May 19, 1886 Costa de Sousa de Macedo João Afonso da Costa de Sousa de Macedo
Duke of Aveiro b. 1535 Lencastre
Mascarenhas da Silva e Lencastre		 John of Lencastre, 1st Marquis of Torres Novas
Duke of Ávila and Bolama May 14, 1878 Ávila António José de Ávila
Duke of Barcelos August 5, 1562 Bragança John, 6th Duke of Braganza
Duke of Beja 1453 Portugal-Aviz
Bragança		 Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu
Duke of Braganza 1442 Bragança Afonso, Count of Barcelos
Duke of Cadaval April 26, 1648 Álvares Pereira de Melo Nuno Álvares Pereira de Melo
Duke of Caminha December 14, 1620 Menezes Miguel Luís de Menezes
Duke of Coimbra 1415 Portugal-Aviz
Lencastre
Bragança		 Pedro, Prince of Portugal
Duke of Faial April 4, 1833 Sousa Holstein Pedro de Sousa Holstein
Duke of Ficalho May 14, 1836 Almeida Eugénia Maurícia Tomásia de Almeida Portugal
Duke of Goa 1515 Albuquerque Afonso de Albuquerque
Duke of Guarda October 5, 1530 Portugal-Aviz Ferdinand, Prince of Portugal
Duke of Guimarães 1475 Bragança Fernando II, Duke of Braganza
Duke of Lafões February 17, 1718 Bragança
Bragança e Ligne de Sousa Tavares Mascarenhas da Silva		 Pedro Henrique de Bragança
Duke of Linhares ? Noronha Fernando de Noronha
Duke of Loulé October 3, 1852 Mendonça Rolim de Moura Barreto Nuno José Severo de Mendonça Rolim de Moura Barreto
Duke of Miranda do Corvo May 13, 1796 Bragança e Ligne de Sousa Tavares Mascarenhas da Silva José Sousa Tavares Mascaranhas da Silva
Duke of Palmela October 10, 1850 Sousa Holstein Pedro de Sousa Holstein
Duke of Porto 1833 Bragança Maria, Princess of Portugal
(future Queen Maria II)
Duke of Saldanha November 4, 1846 Saldanha Oliveira e Daun João Francisco de Saldanha Oliveira e Daun
Duke of Tancos April 22, 1790 Manoel Constança Manoel
Duke of Terceira November 8, 1832 Manoel e Meneses Severim de Noronha António José de Sousa Manoel e Meneses Severim de Noronha
Duke of Torres Novas September 26, 1619 Lencastre George of Lencastre
Duke of Trancoso 1530 Portugal-Aviz Ferdinand, Prince of Portugal
Duke of Vila Real February 28, 1585 Menezes Manuel de Menezes
Duke of Viseu 1415 Portugal-Aviz Henry, the Navigator, Prince of Portugal
Duke of Vitória December 12, 1812 Wellesley Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington

See also

  • Portuguese Aristocracy Titles in a Portuguese Genealogical site – Dukes