Afonso VI of Portugal
A physically and politically weakened king whose turbulent reign saw Portugal's independence secured but ended with his overthrow by his own brother.
1643–1683 (age 40)·King of Portugal from 1656 to 1683·Birthday: August 21
Biography
Afonso VI's ascent to the Portuguese throne at age 13 was shadowed by infirmity; a childhood illness left him partially paralyzed and with significant learning difficulties. His early reign was dominated by his formidable Spanish mother, Luisa de Guzmán, who acted as regent. In a dramatic palace coup at 19, aided by the ambitious Count of Castelo Melhor, Afonso seized power, sending his mother to a convent. His reign, dubbed 'the Victorious,' was defined by the successful conclusion of the Restoration War against Spain, which finally secured Portugal's independence in 1668. Yet Afonso's personal life was a source of scandal and political vulnerability. A disastrous marriage to the French princess Marie Françoise was annulled, and his inability to govern effectively led to a conspiracy. In 1667, his younger brother, the future Pedro II, engineered a coup, stripping Afonso of power and eventually confining him to the Azores and then Sintra, where he lived out his days a prisoner-king.
#1 When Afonso Was Born
The biggest hits of 1643
Afonso's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1643Born
1648Started school
1656Became a teenager
1659Could drive
1661Could vote
1664Turned 21
1673Turned 30
1683Turned 40
Key Achievements
- Presided over the final victory in the Portuguese Restoration War, leading to the 1668 treaty that secured independence from Spain.
- Sponsored the military reforms and leadership that revitalized the Portuguese army during the war.
- His reign saw the consolidation of the House of Braganza's hold on the Portuguese monarchy.
Did You Know?
The illness that affected him in childhood is believed by some historians to have been a severe case of measles or encephalitis.
He was a patron of the composer and organist Manuel Rodrigues Coelho.
His annulment from Marie Françoise of Savoy was granted on the grounds of 'impotency.'
After his deposition, he was held prisoner for nearly nine years in the Palace of Sintra, where he died.
“They call me the Victorious, but the court whispers that my mother holds the reins.”
