Duke of Terceira

The Dukedom of Terceira, "de juro e herdade" (meaning "forever granted") was created by decree of Emperor Pedro I of Brazil, acting as Portugal's Regent, with honours of relative to the King, to António José de Souza Manoel de Menezes Severim de Noronha, 7th Count of Vila Flor, "de juro e herdade", and 1st Marquis of Vila Flor.

Background

The 1st Duke of Terceira descends from Sancho Manoel de Vilhena, 1st Count of Vila-Flor, Marshal of the Portuguese Army during the independence war against Spain, winner (together with the 1st Marquis of Marialva) of the battles of Linhas de Elvas, Montes Claros and the Ameixial. He was also appoited Viceroy of Brazil.

Hero of the Liberal Wars, the 7th Count of Vila-Flor received the highest aristocracy title as well as the dignity of Marshal of the army, due the resistance he leaded in the Terceira island against the miguelist forces. After conquering Oporto, he leaded the liberal forces when arriving in Lisbon, in July 24th. He won the Battle of Asseiceira, that put an end to the civil war, signing the peace treaty ("Convenção de Évora-Monte") on behalf of King Pedro IV of Portugal.

After the war he was three times Prime Minister of Portugal:
*from April to September, 1836;
*for a few days in April-May 1851;
*and from March 1859 to his death on April 26th, 1860.

The title of Duke of Terceira was then inherited by the 10th Countess of Vila Flor, "de juro e herdade", Maria Luísa de Almeida Manoel de Vilhena, Countess of Alpedrinha, daughter of Francisco Maria Martinho de Almeida Manoel de Vilhena, 9th Count of Vila-Flor, and granddaughter of Tomás Maria Martinho de Almeida Manoel de Vilhena, 8th Count of Vila Flor, Head of King Manuel II's government in exile, Senator, Governor of Braga and Madeira Island.

Family Name and Origins

The Duke of Terceira was the Head of the "Manoel de Vilhena" family. This family is also represented in Spain where the family Head is the Duke of Arévalo d'El Rey, Count of Via Manoel, Marquis of Puebla de la Rocamora, etc.

The family origins dates back from Juan Manuel de Villena, 2nd son of the 3rd Lord of Cheles, knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece and "Mayordomo-Mor" of the Emperor Charles V, who descended, in legitimate male line, from Juan Manuel, Duke of Peñafiel, grandson of King Fernando III of Castile.

List of the Dukes of Terceira

#António José Severim de Noronha, 1st Duke of Terceira (1792-1860)
#Maria Luísa de Almeida Manoel de Vilhena, 2nd Duchess of Terceira (1927-1998)
#Francisco-Xavier Manoel de Vilhena Dias de Freitas, 3rd Duke of Terceira (b. 1947)
#Lourenço Bandeira Manoel de Vilhena de Freitas, 4th Duke of Terceira (born 1973), an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon, and a Lawyer

Present day

Presently the family inhabits the Palace Vila-Flor in Lisbon, next to the Castle of São Jorge.The Duke of Terceira, XII Count of Vila Flor, IV Count of Alpedrinha, VI Count and Viscount of Azarujinha, etc., D. Lourenço Manoel de Vilhena, is assistant-professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Lisbon, lawyer, advisor and acting chef de cabinet to several governmental members. Former member of the Council of Nobility and founding member of the Instituto da Nobreza de Portugal, the regulatory body of nobiliarchic matters, authorized by H.R.H. the Duke of Braganza and recognized by the Republic, he is also representantive of the Brazilian Nobility Association for the European countries. Married in 2006, the heir to the earldoms and to the dukedom is D. Cristóvão António José do Pópulo Manoel de Vilhena, according to tradition Master of Pancas, godson of H.R.H. the Duchess of Braganza and D. Luís de Almeida Portugal (Lavradio), XIII Conde de Avintes.

ee also

*List of Portuguese Prime Ministers
*List of Portuguese Dukedoms
*Marquis of Vila Flor
*Count of Vila Flor
*Count of Alpedrinha
*Count and Viscount of Azarujinha

External links

* [http://www.geneall.net/P/tit_page.php?id=1443 Genealoy of the Dukes of Terceira, in Portuguese]