| Ducal House of Terceira | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parent house | House of Vila Flor |
| Country | Portugal |
| Founded | 1832 |
| Founder | António José Severim de Noronha, 1st Duke of Terceira |
| Current head | D. Lourenço Bandeira Manoel de Vilhena de Freitas, 4th Duke of Terceira |
| Titles |
|
| Estate(s) | of Portugal |
The titleduke of Terceira,de juro e herdade (meaning "forever granted") was created by decree of KingPedro IV of Portugal, on 8 November 1832.António José de Souza Manoel de Menezes Severim de Noronha, 7th Count of Vila Flor,de juro e herdade, and 1st Marquis of Vila Flor, was the first holder of the title.
TheDuke of Terceira was the head of theManoel de Vilhena family. Heads of the Portuguese branch of that family have been ennobled since the marriage of Constance Manoel with KingPedro I of Portugal. Her brother, Henrique Manoel, was brought into her entourage, and he was made Count of Seia, in Portugal, by his brother-in-law, the king.
This family is also represented inSpain, where the family head is the Duke of Arévalo d'El Rey, Count of Via Manoel, Marquis of Puebla de la Rocamora, etc.
The family dates back to the first count of Vila Flor D. Sancho Manoel de Vilhena, descent in male line from Juan Manuel deVillena, the second son of the 3rd Lord of Cheles,knight of theOrder of the Golden Fleece andMayordomo-Mor of the EmperorCharles V, who descended from the InfanteJuan Manuel, Prince of Villena, the grandson of KingFernando III of Castile.
The 1st Duke of Terceira (1792–1860) descended fromSancho Manoel de Vilhena, the 1st Count of Vila-Flor and Marshal of the Portuguese Army during thePortuguese Restoration War against Spain, winner (together withAntónio Luís de Meneses, 1st Marquis of Marialva) of the battles of Linhas de Elvas, Montes Claros and theAmeixial. He was also appointed Viceroy of Brazil.
Hero of theLiberal Wars, the 7th Count of Vila-Flor received the highest aristocratictitle, duke, as well as the profound honor of being named Marshal of the army, honors he received because of the resistance he led onTerceira against theMiguelist forces. After conqueringPorto, he led the liberal forces intoLisbon, on 24 July 1833. He won theBattle of Asseiceira, which put an end to the civil war, and he signed the peace treaty (Concession of Evoramonte) on behalf of KingPedro IV of Portugal.
After the war he was four times, briefly,Prime Minister of Portugal, namely:
The title of Duke of Terceira was inherited,de juro e herdade, by the 10th Countess of Vila Flor, Maria Luísa de Almeida Manoel de Vilhena, Countess of Alpedrinha, Head of the Portuguese branch of the Manoel de Vilhena family, since the title of Duke of Terceira was given to the Count of Vila Flor, in memory of the many services paid to the Crown and the Portuguese Kingdom. She was the daughter of Francisco Maria Martinho de Almeida Manoel de Vilhena, the 9th Count of Vila-Flor, and granddaughter of Tomás Maria Martinho de Almeida Manoel de Vilhena, the 8th Count of Vila Flor, head of KingManuel II's government in exile,Senator, and Governor ofBraga andMadeira Island.
The family lives at Palace Vila-Flor in Lisbon, next to theCastle of São Jorge.
The Duke of Terceira, XII Count of Vila Flor, IV Count of Alpedrinha, VI Count and Viscount of Azarujinha, etc., D. Lourenço Manoel de Vilhena, D. Iuris in Law, is a professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Lisbon, lawyer (partner of Cuatrecasas), formerly advisor and acting chef de cabinet to several governmental members.
Former member of the Council of Nobility and founding member of the Instituto da Nobreza de Portugal, the regulatory body of nobiliarchic matters, authorized by the Duke of Braganza and recognized by the Republic, he was also the representative of the Brazilian Nobility Association to European countries.
Married in 2006, the heir to the earldoms and to the dukedom was D. Cristóvão António José do Pópulo Manoel de Vilhena, according to tradition Master of Pancas, godson of the Duchess of Braganza and D. Luís de Almeida Portugal (Lavradio), XIIICount of Avintes.