Francisco de Portugal, also known asFrancis II of Portugal, 3rdCount of Vimioso (c. 1550 – 1582), was the eldest son and heir of the 2nd Count of Vimioso,Afonso de Portugal (Alphonse of Portugal).
He was one of the few high-ranking Portuguese nobles to support the claims ofAntónio, Prior of Crato, during theWar of the Portuguese Succession (1580–1583).
As his first official position, he was appointed special ambassador toMadrid (1574) in order to negotiate the marriage of KingSebastian of Portugal to Princess Maximiliana of Bavaria (daughter of DukeAlbert V of Bavaria), but the mission failed.
Later, in 1578, along with his father, he participated in the royalcrusade toMorocco, and he fell prisoner toAhmad al-Mansur's armies during theBattle of Ksar El Kebir. He managed to pay his ransom and even helped others to pay theirs. He returned to Europe throughSan Lucar, in southern Spain, where he was received with all honours by theDuke of Medina Sidonia, Alonso de Guzman. As he testified of theKing's death during the battle, there and for the first time he supportedDomAntónio, Prior of Crato as the natural heir of the Portuguese throne, refuting the Spanish Duke's position forPhilip II of Spain's claims.
AfterKing Henry's death (31 January 1580), Francis of Portugal was one of the few members of the upper aristocracy to support activelyDom António as King of Portugal. He was appointed by the new King as hisConstable, and they participated together in theBattle of Alcântara (1580), defendingLisbon from the Spanish armies, led by theDuke of Alba.
With Philip's victory, both King Anthony I and the Count of Vimioso fled to exile, first in France and later in England.
In 1582 he sailed, in the fleet led by the Italian adventurer Filippo Strozzi, to theAzores, the sole Portuguese territory that still recognised Anthony I as King of Portugal. He died on 29 July 1582, just after the navalBattle of Vila Franca offSão Miguel Island.
Dom Francisco de Portugal was never married and had no issue. He was succeeded in his house by his younger brother, Louis of Portugal, 4th Count of Vimioso.
| Portuguese nobility | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Afonso de Portugal, 2nd Count |  Count of Vimioso 1579–1582 | Succeeded by Luís de Portugal, 4th Count |
