Almanach de Saxe Gotha - Empire of Brazil - Online Royal Genealogical Reference Handbook - Annual Genealogical, Diplomatic, and Statistical summary of European Royalty and Nobility - © 1995-2025. ALMANACH DE SAXE GOTHA - Societe des Amis de l' Almanach de Saxe Gotha - 2022 - Welcome - Willkommen - Bienvenue - Benvenuti - Salvete - to the Official Website of the Almanach de Saxe Gotha - the Online
Royal Genealogical Reference Handbook - Der Saxe Gotha Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels. On September 7, 1822, Dom Pedro of Braganza, Prince Royal of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves, member of the House of Braganza, heir apparent to the Portuguese throne and the King's representative in Brazil, declared the country's independence from the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves and proclaimed himself Emperor of Brazil. In 1825, signing the treaty of Rio de Janeiro of this date, his father, King Dom João VI, recognized the independence of the new state, the former Portuguese dominion, now Empire of Brazil. Brazil, from 1530 to 1815 a colony of the Portuguese Empire, had been officially elevated to the status of United Kingdom (with Portugal) in 1815, in the reign of Queen Maria I of Portugal, by the Prince Regent Dom João of Braganza (future John VI). Between 1815 and 1822, the kingdom was known officially as the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. The House of Braganza (Portuguese: Casa de Bragança; Portuguese pronunciation: [bɾɐˈɣɐ̃sɐ]), officially the Most Serene House of Braganza (Portuguese: Sereníssima Casa de Bragança), is an important imperial, royal, and noble house of Portuguese origin, a branch of the House of Aviz, and thus a descendant house of the Portuguese House of Burgundy. The House evolved from being powerful dukes of Portuguese nobility, to ruling as the monarchs of Portugal and the Algarves, from 1640 to 1910, and as monarchs of Brazil, from 1815 to 1889. The House of Braganza was founded in 1442, when Afonso, 8th Count of Barcelos, illegitimate son of King João I of Portugal, of the House of Aviz, was made Duke of Braganza, as Duke Afonso I of Braganza, by his nephew, King Afonso V. The feudal Brigantine dukes quickly amassed a fortune in properties, titles, and power and by the time of Duke Fernando II, the House was the most powerful in all of Portugal and of the greatest houses of Iberia. The House of Braganza became the reigning house of the Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves in 1640, when João II, Duke of Braganza, was acclaimed King João IV by the Portuguese nobility and subsequently waged the Portuguese Restoration War. The House of Braganza was only recognized as the legitimate ruling house of Portugal by the House of Habsburg during the reign of King Afonso VI, though effective and official control of the kingdom was seized and established in the 1640s. The Braganzas were deposed from the Portuguese throne in 1910, when the Portuguese Republic was proclaimed. The House of Braganza became the reigning house of Brazil, first, when the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves was created in 1815. The United Kingdom lasted until 1825, when the Brazilian Empire became independent from Portugal. The new Brazilian nation was led by Prince Pedro of Braganza, heir to the Portuguese throne, who ruled as Emperor Pedro I of Brazil, as well as King Pedro IV of Portugal. Until 1835, the Portuguese Braganzas were still in the line of succession to the Brazilian throne. The House was deposed from the Brazilian throne, in 1889, when Brazil was proclaimed a republic. In 1834, with the end of the Liberal Wars, won by Emperor Pedro I of Brazil and Queen Maria II of Portugal against King Miguel I of Portugal, the House of Braganza was split into three branches. The first branch was the Legitimist House of Braganza, headed by Queen Maria II of Portugal, daughter of King Pedro IV, and her descendants, who ruled the Kingdom of Portugal. The second branch was the Brazilian House of Braganza, headed by Emperor Pedro I of Brazil, and his descendants, who ruled the Brazilian Empire. The third branch was the Miguelist House of Braganza, headed by King Miguel I of Portugal, and his descendants, who claimed the Portuguese throne after King Manuel II's death, in 1932. After the proclamation of the republic in Brazil, the House continued to be the claimant house to the Brazilian throne until 1921, when Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil, daughter of Emperor Pedro II of Brazil, died and her claim passed to her son, Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza, and thus the House of Orléans-Braganza became the claimant house to the former monarchy of Brazil. The renunciation of dynastic rights, by Princess Isabel's eldest son, Pedro de Alcântara, Prince of Grão-Pará, later led to a dispute between the members of the Imperial House, and thus the leadership of the House of Orléans-Braganza is disputed by two branches of the House: the Vassouras branch, headed by Prince Luís Gastão of Orléans-Braganza, and the Petrópolis branch, headed by Prince Pedro Carlos of Orléans-Braganza. Imperial House of Brazil Official Website of the Vassouras Line:
http://www.monarquia.org.br/
Imperial Brazil Institute:
http://www.brasilimperial.org.br/
Almanach de Saxe Gotha Page:
http://www.almanachdegotha.org/id8.html
