Álvaro of Braganza (c. 1440 – 1504, Toledo) was the 4th son ofFerdinand I, 2nd Duke of Braganza and his wife,Dona Joana de Castro.

He played an important role during the reign of KingAfonso V of Portugal, when he was appointedChancellor of the Kingdom. He took part in the king's expeditions againstCastile (War of the Castilian Succession) and in the king's voyage to France. On his return to Portugal, he marriedDona Filipa de Melo (c. 1460–1516), the rich daughter and heiress ofRodrigo Afonso de Melo, 1st Count of Olivença. They had two sons and four daughters:

• Rodrigo de Melo (1468–1545), made 1stCount of Tentúgal (by royal decree of KingManuel I of Portugal, dated from 1504) and 1stMarquis of Ferreira (by royal decree of KingJohn III of Portugal, dated from 1533). He was the origin of theHouse of Cadaval;^[1]
• Jorge Alberto de Portugal y Melo (1470- ? ), made 1st Count of Gelves (in Spain) by KingCharles I of Spain (emperor Charles V); married firstly Guiomar, the daughter of the Conde de Bedigueyra, and had no successors with her; and married secondly Isabel Colón de Toledo, daughter ofDiego Columbus (son of Christopher Columbus), I Duque de Veragua, I Marqués of Jamaica and doña María de Toledo y Roxas, and had children;
• Isabel de Castro, married the Spanish Alonso de Sotomaior, 4th Count of Belalcazar;
• Beatriz de Vilhena, married the PortugueseInfanteGeorge, Duke of Coimbra;
• Joana de Vilhena, married the Portuguese Francisco de Portugal, 1stCount of Vimioso;
• Maria de Menezes, married the Portuguese João da Silva, 1stCount of Portalegre.

When KingJohn II of Portugal succeeded on the throne of Portugal and started his fight against the high aristocracy, namely theBraganzas,Dom Álvaro tried an approach with the King, but he was unsuccessful; his older brother,Ferdinand II, 3rd Duke of Braganza was executed, the family estates were confiscated, and the remaining family (Álvaro included) exiled toCastile.

QueenIsabella I grantedDom Álvaro important estates inGelves, and he was appointed Mayor ofSeville andAndújar. He also took part in the conquest of theKingdom of Granada led by theCatholic Monarchs.

When King John II died, Álvaro of Braganza returned to Portugal, where the new king,Manuel I, appointed him as special ambassador toCastile to negotiate the King's marriage to princessIsabella, Princess of Asturias (1470-1498). Later he also negotiated the King's second marriage.

Álvaro of Braganza died inToledo and his body was later transferred to the Convent of St. John Evangelist, inÉvora.

• 
  Coat of Arms of Álvaro of Braganza after his marriage with Philippa of Melo, mixing theBraganzas coat of arms with the Melo family's.
• 
  The Coat of Arms of theDukes of Cadaval, descendants ofDom Álvaro.

• House of Braganza
• Duke of Braganza
• Duke of Cadaval

• "Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil" – Vol. II, pages 439–440. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989.

• 1504 deaths
• House of Braganza
• 1440s births
• 15th-century Portuguese people
• 16th-century Portuguese people