Elsa M.
Heir Apparent , TRF Author
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2004
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![PortugalArmsofDomDuarteDukeofBragan.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi30.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc317%2FWKirkwood%2FCoats%2520of%2520Arms%2FPortugalArmsofDomDuarteDukeofBragan.jpg&hash=c8691de8076728808814bd8cdfd4c383)
Arms of HRH The Duke of Bragança
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Although a small fringe of Portuguese monarchists do not recognise D. Duarte Pio de Bragança as claimant, he is generally accepted as the heir to the throne, as he is the closest male-line relative to D. Manuel II, the last king to hold the crown, before the proclamation of the Republic, on October 5th 1910.
In fact, shortly before dying at the age of 43, whithout any descendent, D. Manuel recognised his cousin, D. Duarte Nuno, as the legitimate heir. This one, however, was the head of the Bragança line descending from D. Miguel and consequently opponent to the senior line, descending from D. Pedro IV (of which D. Manuel II was the last chain).
The dispute dates back to 1826, when King D. João VI died and two opposite fractions, led by the two Infantes, divided the country: the Liberal Fraction (led by D. Pedro) and the Absolutist Fraction (led by Infante D. Miguel). As on the occasion of King D. João's death, the crown prince was living in Brazil (where he had been acclaimed Emperor), D. Pedro delegated the crown on his daughter, D.ª Maria. However, in 1828, his younger brother (D. Miguel) overthrew his niece, Queen D.ª Maria II, and started a civil war, which only ceased with the re-entry of D. Pedro, coming back from Brazil, to bring the legitimacy back and expel his brother, D. Miguel.
After his defeat and surrender, in May 1834, the Courts were assembled and a new Constitution was drafted, declaring D. Miguel and his descendents ineligible to succeed to the Crown and thus forbid, under death penalty, to return to Portugal.
This is the reason that is still evoked by the residual fringe that never recognized D. Miguel's decendents as claimants to the disestablished Portuguese Throne.
However, after being recognised by D. Manuel as his succesor, D. Duarte Nuno sealed the reconciliation between the two lines of royal descendents, by marrying D.ª Maria Francisca de Orleans-Bragança (great-granddaughter of King D. Pedro IV, a.k.a. Emperor Pedro I of Brazil).
And thus his child, D. Duarte Pio, appears as the current Duke of Bragança and presumptive heir to the Throne.
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