King D. Joao IV 'The Restorer' and Queen D.ª Luisa

[Marengo]

João IV, King of Portugal and the Algarves, Duke of Barcelos (1603–1634) Constable of the KingdomDuke of Bragança, Duke of Guimarães, Marquess of Vila Viçosa, Count of Arraiolos, Count of Ourém, Count of Barcelos, Count of Neiva and Count of Guimarães (1630–1640) Lord of Guinea (1640–1656) Lord of the Conquest, Navigation and Commerce of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia and India (Vila Viçosa, 18 March 1603 - Ribeira Palace, Lisbon, 6 November 1656); married in Elvas, 12 January 1633 Luisa de Guzman (Sanlúcar de Barrameda, 13 October 1613 - Lisbon 16 November 1666)

Reign: 1640 - 1656

Predecessor as King of Portugal: King Philip IV/III of Spain and of Portugal and the Algarves

Predecessor as Duke of Bragança: Duke Teodósio II of Bragança

Succeeded by: King Alfonso VI of Portugal and the Algarves

Children: Prince Teodosio, Princess Ana and Princess Juana of Portugal, Queen Catherine of England and Scotland, Prince Manuel, King Alfonso VI and King Pedro II of Portugal

Parents King João IV: Duke Teodósio II of Bragança and Dona Ana de Velasco y Girón (daughter of the Duke of Frias)

Parents Queen Luisa: Don Juan Manuel Perez de Guzman, 8th Duke of Medina-Sidónia and Dona Joana Lourença Gómez de Sandoval y La Cerda

Siblings King Alfonso VI: Duarte de Bragança, Master of Vila do Conde, Catarina and Alexandre of Bragança

Siblings Queen Luisa: Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán 12th Count of Niebla, Gaspar Pérez de Guzmán, 9th Duke of Medina-Sidonia and Baltazar, Melchor, Fracisca and Catalina de Pérez de Guzmán y Sandoval

[Marengo]

John IV (Portuguese: João IV de Portugal, pronounced [ʒuˈɐ̃ũ]; 18 March 1603 – November 6, 1656) was the king of Portugal and the Algarves from 1640 to his death. He was the grandson of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, who had in 1580 claimed the Portuguese crown and sparked the struggle for the throne of Portugal. John was nicknamed John the Restorer (João o Restaurador).
John was born at Vila Viçosa and succeeded his father Teodósio II as Duke of Braganza when the latter died insane in 1630. He married Luisa de Guzman (1613-1666), eldest daughter of the Duke of Medina-Sidonia, in 1633. By the unanimous voice of the people he was raised to the throne of Portugal (of which he was held to be the legitimate heir) during the revolution on December 1, 1640, against the Spanish king Philip IV.

His accession led to a protracted war (the Portuguese Restoration War) with Spain, which only ended with the recognition of Portuguese independence in a subsequent reign (1668). Portugal signed alliances with France (June 1, 1641) and Sweden (August 1641) but by necessity its only contributions in the Thirty Years' War were in the field against Spain and against Dutch encroachments on the Portuguese colonies.

Read the entire wikipedia article here.

[Marengo]

Luisa de Guzmán (Spanish) or Luísa de Gusmão (Portuguese) (Sanlúcar de Barrameda, 13 October 1613-February 27, 1666) was a Spanish noblewoman ( granddaughter of the renowned Alonso de Guzmán El Bueno, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia) who became queen-consort of Portugal when her husband John, Duke of Braganza became the first King of Portugal of the House of Braganza.
She was an ambitious woman, and although she was of Spanish origin she guided her husband's policies during the Portuguese rebellion of 1640 (Restoration of Independence) against Spain. Luisa is considered the main influence behind John IV's acceptation of the throne of Portugal when the Revolution seemed to tend to the Portuguese side. It is said that being warned of the dangers of becoming Queen of a country that was to face Spain's might she pronounced the famous words:
Antes rainha um dia que duquesa toda a vida Rather Queen for a day than a duchess all my life.When a failed attempt to murder the King in 1641 she is said to be one of the members of the Corte to support the execution of nobles like the Duke of Caminha.

Read the entire wikipedia article here.

[Marengo]

For those who read Portuguese here an interesting link to wikipedia about the curse of the Bragancas:

Maldição dos Braganças - Wikipédia, a enciclopédia livre

Dom Joao kicked a fransiscan friar who was begging for alms. As revenge the friar cursed the king and the house of Braganca: none of the eldest son would survive to take over the throne as long as the house of Braganca would rule.

And although there were a few exceptions, in most cases the eldest son indeed did die before he succeeded.

To break the spell king Joao VI and his wife Carlota Joaquina made annual visits to a Fransiscan convent in Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro, and all the Brazilian dead first sons were burried at the convent of Santo Antonio in Rio de Janeiro.

[CyrilVladisla]

Despite her Spanish birth, Queen Luisa urged her husband to take the Portuguese throne and to resist the power of Spain.
The Monstrous Regiment of Women: Luisa de Guzmán, Regent of Portugal

[Blog Real]

The Acclamation of the King Joao IV, Veloso Salgado, 1908.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...aimed_king.jpg

[CyrilVladisla]

King John IV crowned the Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception, as "Queen of Portugal" in 1646 by royal decree.
http://www.ncregister.com/features/w...fatima-s-crown