| House of Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Casa de Bragança-Saxe-Coburgo-Gota | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parent house | |
| Country | .svg) ,Kingdom of Portugal,Empire of Brazil |
| Founded | April 9, 1836; 189 years ago (1836-04-09) |
| Founder | |
| Final ruler | Manuel II |
| Titles | List
|
| Dissolution | 2 July 1932 (death of Manuel II) |
| Deposition | 5 October 1910 |
TheHouse of Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha[1] (also known as theHouse of Saxe-Coburg-Braganza or theConstitutional Branch of the Braganzas)[2] is a term used to categorize the last four rulers of theKingdom of Portugal, and their families, from 1853 until thedeclaration of the republic in 1910. Its name derives from the four kings descended in a patrilineal line from KingFerdinand II of Portugal (of theHouse of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry) and in a matrilineal line from QueenMaria II of Portugal (of theHouse of Braganza).
The designationBraganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is prevalent mainly in the writings of non-Portuguese historians and genealogists, as European custom classifies a descendant branch on the basis of patrilineal descent, which means that the House of Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is a cadet branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry.
Nonetheless, the 1838 Portuguese constitution stated that the House of Braganza was the ruling house of Portugal, by way of Queen Maria II, and her descendants still continued to style themselves as members of the House of Braganza, as opposed to Saxe-Coburg-Braganza.[3] With the death of King Manuel II without legitimate issue in 1932, the dynasty became extinct.[1]
The royal house was founded byPrince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who on 9 April 1836 marriedQueen Maria II of Portugal. Members of the royal house held the Portuguese title ofInfante/Infanta of Portugal, as well as the German titles ofPrince/ss of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha andDuke/Duchess ofSaxony.[4] On 15 November 1853, Queen Maria II died, and her eldest son succeeded to the throne asPedro V, the first king of the Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha dynasty.
The dynasty remained on the throne until the outbreak in Portugal of the5 October 1910 revolution when KingManuel II of Portugal was deposed and thePortuguese First Republic was established. Manuel II went into exile inFulwell Park,England, where he died on 2 July 1932.
Before his death in 1932, King Manuel II had been in negotiations with the rivalMiguelist branch of theHouse of Braganza, who had claimed the Portuguese throne since 1834, in opposition to the Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha dynasty. On the King's death, the claim to the defunct throne of Portugal passed to Miguelist descendantDuarte Nuno of Braganza.[5][6]
In 1932, a woman known asMaria Pia of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Braganza[7][8] claimed to be the illegitimate daughter of KingCarlos I of Portugal and claimed the right to the titles ofDuchess of Braganza and to be the rightfulQueen of Portugal.[9] Maria Pia claimed that King Carlos I legitimized her through a royal decree and placed her in the line of succession, however no proof was presented to demonstrate this and the King similarly did not have the personal authority to do so. Maria Pia's paternity was never proven and her claim not widely accepted.
Alexander Prinz von Sachsen, Head of the Royal House of Saxony is another possible candidate to be the heir of the House of Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.[citation needed]
House of Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Cadet branch of theHouse of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha | ||
| Preceded by | .png) Ruling House of theKingdom of Portugal 1853–1910 | Monarchy Abolished |
| House of Burgundy (1139–1383) | _-_Lesser.png) | |
|---|---|---|
| House of Aviz (1385–1580) | ||
| House of Habsburg (1581–1640) | ||
| House of Braganza (1640–1910) | ||
Debatable or disputed rulers are initalics. | ||
| 1st generation |
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|---|---|---|
| 2nd generation | ||
| 3rd generation |
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The House of Saxe-Coburg and Braganza was not a recognized house in the formerKingdom of Portugal and monarchs following Maria II and Ferdinand II officially continued to be members of theHouse of Braganza | ||