The descendants of John VI of Portugal, from the main branch of the House of Braganza, are present in several royal families across Europe and Brazil. Through his second son, Miguel I, some of his descendants have become rulers in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein, while others have been claimants to the thrones of Portugal, Austria-Hungary, and the former Duchy of Parma. Constitutional amendments regarding succession led to disputes throughout the nation following John VI's death.
Background
John VI was born on May 13, 1767 in Lisbon, as the second son of Maria I and Pedro III. On May 8, 1785, John VI married Carlota Joaquina of Spain. They remained married until his death, and had nine children.
Throne of Portugal John VI became heir to the Portuguese throne in 1788, after his brother, José, Prince of Brazil, died of smallpox.
In 1799, John VI became the prince regent for his mother, Maria I. Spain and France soon declared war and invaded Portugal under Napoleon Bonaparte, initiating the War of the Oranges. Although peace was attained, the Portuguese Empire suffered major territorial losses as a result.
Court in Rio de Janeiro In 1807, the French Army invaded Portugal during the War of the Fourth Coalition. To avoid conflict, John VI relocated the Portuguese court and capital to colonial Brazil. John VI then elevated Brazil to the status of a kingdom to form the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves.
John VI established his court in the city of Rio de Janeiro. When his mother, Maria I of Portugal, died in 1816, John VI was named king of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves. By that time, Napoleon had been defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, and the European courts demanded the return of the Portuguese court to Europe. John VI complied with the demands, leaving his son Pedro, later Pedro I of Brazil, as regent. Pedro later declared the independence of Brazil.
Division of House of Braganza John VI's death in 1826 triggered a succession crisis over the Portuguese throne, with succession disputed among John VI's eldest sons and his granddaughter. This resulted in a split of the House of Braganza into three branches: the Portuguese House of Braganza, the Brazilian House of Braganza, and the Miguelist House of Braganza.
Descendants Maria Teresa of Braganza, Princess of Beira Descendant Image Birth Marriages Death Maria Teresa of Braganza, Princess of Beira1793–1874April 29, 1793Palace of AjudaDaughter of John VI and Carlota Joaquina of SpainInfante Pedro Carlos of Spain and PortugalMay 13, 18101 childCarlos V of Spain (Carlist)June 1838No childrenJanuary 17, 1874TriesteAged 80 Infante Sebastian of Portugal and Spain1811–1875November 4, 1811Rio de JaneiroSon of Maria Teresa, Princess of Beira and Infante Pedro Carlos of Spain and PortugalMaria Amalia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies May 25, 1832No childrenMaria Cristina of SpainNovember 19, 18605 childrenJanuary 13, 1875PauAged 63 Francisco María, Duke of Marchena1861–1923August 20, 1861MadridSon of Infante Sebastian of Portugal and Spain and Maria Cristina of SpainMaría del Pilar of Muguiro and BerueteJanuary 7, 18863 childrenNovember 17, 1923Neuilly-sur-SeineAged 62 María Cristina, Duchess of Marchena1889–1981July 27, 1889ParisDaughter of Francisco María, Duke of Marchena and María del Pilar of Muguiro and BerueteLeopold WalfordNovember 11, 19112 childrenOctober 3, 1981LondonAged 92 Juan Jorge, Duke of Ansola and Marchena1912–1999August 20, 1912ParisSon of María Cristina, Duchess of Marchena and Leopold WalfordEmanuela Hawkins19357 childrenFebruary 22, 1999LondonAged 87 Juan Jacobo, former Duke of Marchena1941–presentJuly 27, 1941LondonSon of Juan Jorge, Duke of Ansola and Marchena and Emanuela HawkinsNot married
Francisco António of Braganza, Prince of Beira Descendant Image Birth Marriages Death Francisco António of Braganza, Prince of Beira1795–1801March 21, 1795Queluz PalaceSon of John VI and Carlota Joaquina of SpainNever marriedJune 11, 1801Queluz PalaceAged 6
Maria Isabel of Braganza Descendant Image Birth Marriages Death Maria Isabel of Braganza1797–1818May 19, 1797Queluz PalaceDaughter of John VI and Carlota Joaquina of SpainFerdinand VII of SpainSeptember 29, 18161 childDecember 26, 1818Royal Palace of AranjuezAged 21
Pedro I & IV As Pedro IV of Portugal (senior branch) Descendant Portrait Birth Marriages Death Pedro IV of Portugal1826–1826 October 12, 1798Queluz, Sintra son of John VI of Portugal and Charlotte of SpainMaria Leopoldina of Austria18177 childrenAmélie of Leuchtenberg18291 childSeptember 24, 1834Queluz, SintraAged 35 Maria II of Portugal1826-1853 April 4, 1819Rio de Janeirodaughter of Pedro I and IV of Brazil and Portugal and Maria Leopoldina of AustriaAuguste de Beauharnais, 2nd Duke of Leuchtenberg1834No childrenFernando of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha183711 childrenNovember 15, 1853LisbonAged 34 Pedro V of Portugal1853–1861 September 16, 1837Lisbonson of Maria II of Portugal and Fernando II of PortugalStephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen1858No childrenNovember 11, 1861LisbonAged 24 Luís I of Portugal1861–1889 October 31, 1838Lisbonson of Maria II of Portugal and Fernando II of Portugalbrother of Pedro V of PortugalMaria Pia of Savoy18632 childrenOctober 19, 1889LisbonAged 50 Carlos I of Portugal1889–1908 September 28, 1863Lisbonson of Luís I of Portugal and Maria Pia of SavoyAmélie of Orléans18863 childrenFebruary 1, 1908LisbonAged 44 Luís Filipe, Prince Royal of Portugal1908–1908 March 21, 1887Lisbonson of Carlos I of Portugal and Amélie of OrléansNever marriedFebruary 1, 1908 LisbonAged 20 Manuel II of Portugal1908–1910 March 19, 1889 Lisbonson of Carlos I of Portugal and Amélie of Orléansbrother of Luís Filipe, Prince Royal of PortugalAugusta Victoria of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen1913 No childrenJuly 2, 1932Fulwell, LondonAged 42
As Pedro I of Brazil (junior branch) Descendant Portrait Birth Marriages Death Pedro I of Brazil1821–1831 October 12, 1798Queluz, Sintra son of John VI of Portugal and Charlotte of SpainMaria Leopoldina of Austria18177 childrenAmélie of Leuchtenberg18291 childSeptember 24, 1834Queluz, SintraAged 35 Pedro II of Brazil1831–1891 December 2, 1825Rio de Janeiroson of Pedro I of Brazil and Maria Leopoldina of AustriaTeresa of the Two SiciliesSeptember 17, 18424 childrenDecember 5, 1891ParisAged 66 Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil1891–1921 July 29, 1846Rio de Janeirodaughter of Pedro II of Brazil and Teresa of the Two SiciliesGaston, Count of EuOctober 15, 18643 childrenNovember 14, 1921Eu, Seine-MaritimeAged 75 Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza1921–1981 September 13, 1909Boulogne-Billancourtson of Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza and Princess Maria di Grazia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies Princess Maria Elisabeth of BavariaAugust 19, 193712 children July 5, 1981VassourasAged 71 Prince Luiz of Orléans-Braganza1981–2022 June 6, 1938Mandelieu-la-Napouleson of Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza and Princess Maria Elisabeth of BavariaNever married July 15, 2022São PauloAged 84Prince Bertrand of Orléans-Braganza1941–presentFebruary 2, 1941Mandelieu-la-Napouleson of Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza and Princess Maria Elisabeth of BavariaNot married
Maria Francisca of Braganza Descendant Image Birth Marriages Death Maria Francisca of Braganza1800–1834April 22, 1800 Queluz Palacedaughter of John VI and Carlota Joaquina of SpainInfante Carlos, Count of MolinaSeptember 22, 18163 childrenSeptember 4, 1834AlverstokeAged 34 Infante Carlos, Count of Montemolin1818–1861January 31, 1818Madridson of Maria Francisca of Portugal and Infante Carlos, Count of MolinaMaria Carolina of Bourbon-Two SiciliesJuly 10, 1850No childrenJanuary 13, 1861TriesteAged 43 Juan, Count of Montizón1822–1887May 15, 1822Royal Palace of Aranjuezson of Maria Francisca of Portugal and Infante Carlos, Count of MolinaMaria Beatrix of Austria-EsteFebruary 6, 18472 childrenNovember 18, 1887HoveAged 65 Carlos, Duke of Madrid1848–1909March 30, 1848Ljubljanason of Juan, Count of Montizón and Maria Beatrix of Austria-EsteMargherita of Bourbon-ParmaFebruary 4, 18675 childrenBerthe de RohanApril 28, 1894No childrenJuly 18, 1909VareseAged 61 Jaime, Duke of Madrid1870–1931June 27, 1870Veveyson of Carlos, Duke of Madrid and Margherita of Bourbon-ParmaNever marriedOctober 2, 1931ParisAged 61 Infanta Blanca of Spain1868–1949September 7, 1868Grazdaughter of Carlos, Duke of Madrid and Margherita of Bourbon-ParmaLeopold Salvator, Prince of TuscanyOctober 24, 188910 childrenOctober 25, 1949ViareggioAged 81 Anton, Prince of Tuscany1901–1987March 20, 1901Viennason of Blanca of Spain and Leopold Salvator, Prince of TuscanyIleana of RomaniaJuly 26, 19316 childrenOctober 22, 1987SalzburgAged 86 Archduke Stefan of Austria1932–1998August 15, 1932Mödlingson of Anton, Prince of Tuscany and Ileana of RomaniaMary Jerrine SoperAugust 26, 19545 childrenNovember 12, 1998BrightonAged 66 Christopher Habsburg-Lothringen1957–presentJanuary 26, 1957Bostonson of Archduke Stefan of Austria and Mary Jerrine SoperElizabeth Ann BlanchetteMay 2, 19872 children Saygan Genevieve Habsburg-Lothringen1987–presentOctober 31, 1987Mill Valleyson of Christopher Habsburg-Lothringen and Elizabeth Ann BlanchetteNot married
Isabel Maria of Braganza Descendant Image Birth Marriages Death Isabel Maria of Braganza1801–1876July 4, 1801Queluz Palacedaughter of John VI and Carlota Joaquina of SpainNever marriedApril 22, 1876BelémAged 74
Miguel I of Portugal Descendant Image Birth Marriages Death Miguel I of Portugal1802–1866October 26, 1802Queluz Palaceson of John VI and Carlota Joaquina of SpainAdelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-RosenbergSeptember 24, 18517 childrenNovember 14, 1866EsselbachAged 64 Miguel, Duke of Braganza1853–1927 September 19, 1853Kleinheubachson of Miguel I and Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-RosenbergElisabeth of Thurn and TaxisOctober 17, 18773 childrenMaria Theresa of Löwenstein-Wertheim-RosenbergNovember 8, 18938 childrenOctober 11, 1927SeebensteinAged 74 Miguel, Duke of Viseu1878–1923 September 22, 1878Reichenau an der Raxson of Miguel, Duke of Braganza and Elisabeth of Thurn and TaxisAnita Stewart MorrisSeptember 15, 19093 children(declared morganatic)February 21, 1923New York CityAged 44 Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza1907–1976 September 23, 1907Seebensteinson of Miguel, Duke of Braganza and Maria Theresa of Löwenstein-Wertheim-RosenbergFrancisca of Orléans-BraganzaOctober 15, 19423 childrenDecember 24, 1976SeebensteinAged 69 Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza1945–present May 15, 1945Bernson of Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza and Francisca of Orléans-BraganzaIsabel Inês de Castro Curvelo de HerédiaMay 13, 19953 children Afonso, Prince of Beira1996–present March 25, 1996Lisbonson of Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza and Isabel Inês de Castro Curvelo de HerédiaNot married
Maria da Assunção of Braganza Descendant Image Birth Marriages Death Maria da Assunção of Braganza1805–1834June 25, 1805Queluz Palacedaughter of John VI and Carlota Joaquina of SpainNever marriedJanuary 7, 1834SantarémAged 29
Ana de Jesus Maria of Braganza