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Afonso VI of Portugal

Afonso was born on 21 August 1643, in Lisbon; he was the second son of King João IV of Portugal and his wife, Luísa de Guzmán.

When Afonso was born, he was only an Infante of Portugal and was not destined to be King; that was going to be the role of his older brother, the brilliant Prince Teodósio of Braganza.
Unlike his siblings (Teodósio, Joana, Catarina and Pedro), Afonso spent his childhood and youth in Lisbon. When he was 3 or 4 years old, he fell ill with a fever that paralysed the right side of his body and left him mentally unstable.

On 13 May 1653, Teodósio died, and Joana became the heir to the throne. However, this arrangement didn't last long, as Joana died on 17 November of the same year, leaving Afonso as the heir.

In 1656, King João IV died and Afonso, aged just 13, became King of Portugal. His age didn't allow him to govern and his mental abilities were doubtful at best, so Queen Luísa assumed the regency. She remained in this position for six years, until 1662.

Despite all his limitations, Afonso oversaw decisive military victories over the Spanish at Elvas (1659), Ameixial (1663) and Montes Claros (1665). This culminated in the Spanish recognition of sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza, in the Treaty of Lisbon (1668).

Colonial affairs saw the Dutch conquest of Jaffanapatam, Portugal's last colony in Portuguese Ceylon, and the cession of Bombay and Tangier to England as dowry for Afonso's sister, Catarina (who married Charles II of England).

In 1662, the Count of Castelo Melhor saw an opportunity to gain power at court by befriending the King. He managed to convince Afonso that his mother was out to steal his throne and suggested to exile her in Portugal. As a result, Afonso took control of the throne and his mother was sent to a convent.

In 1666, Afonso VI married Marie Françoise of Nemours (Portuguese: Maria Francisca), the daughter of the Duke of Savoy. The marriage was short-lived, and Marie Françoise filed for an annulment in 1667 based on the impotence of the King. The Church granted her the annulment, and she married Afonso's brother, Pedro (the future King Pedro II).

That same year, Pedro managed to gain enough support to force the King to relinquish control of the government, and he became Prince Regent in 1668. Afonso was exiled to Terceira, in the Azores for 7 years, returning to mainland Portugal shortly before his death. Afonso died on 12 September 1683, aged 40.

Afonso VI of Portugal
Domenico Duprà

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  1. Unknown28 de maio de 2021 às 11:31

    A troubled childhood was enough to make everything harder for himself in the long run. Your work with the drawing is absolutly enchanting, dear God :)

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