Count of Vila Real (Portuguese: Conde de Vila Real) is a Portuguese title of nobility created twice in the Kingdom of Portugal, firstly, by a royal decree, in 1424, by King John I of Portugal, and granted to Dom Pedro de Menezes, also known as Peter I of Menezes, 2nd Count of Viana (do Alentejo), and, secondly, in the 19th century, King John VI of Portugal, revived the title and granted it, by royal decree, on July 3, 1823, to José Luís de Sousa Botelho Mourão e Vasconcelos.
History
First creation (1424) The Menezes, a high nobility and influential family, quite close to the first dynasty kings in Portugal, were negatively affected when the new Aviz kings came to power, after the 1383–1385 crisis, but Pedro de Menezes supported the new king John of Aviz and was later rewarded.
He was involved in the north African conquests, and became the first governor of Ceuta after the Portuguese conquest (1415).
He married four times from which he had three daughters. The eldest was Beatrice of Menezes, married to Fernando of Noronha (grandson of King Fernando I of Portugal through his mother, Infanta Isabel of Portugal). Their issue used Menezes as family name and they originated the powerful House of Vila Real.
In recognition of their support during the 1580 Portuguese succession crisis, the Spanish Habsburgs granted the House of Vila Real new titles, including Duke of Vila Real and Duke of Caminha. However, following the Portuguese Restoration in 1640, all these titles and estates were confiscated, and Miguel Luís II, 2nd Duke of Caminha, was executed for high treason by order of King John IV of Portugal, due to his allegiance to the Spanish Habsburg claim to the Portuguese throne, consequently, this line became extinct in 1641.
Second creation (1823) Later, in the 19th century, King John VI of Portugal, revived the title and granted it by royal decree on July 3, 1823 (second creation), to José Luis de Sousa Botelho Mourão e Vasconcelos (1785–1855), a remarkable military and politician who fought during the Napoleonic invasions and the Liberal wars. He was 6th Lord of Mateus and members of the House Mateus married into the families of the Count of Mangualde and the Count of Melo.
Counts of Vila Real (1424: First creation) #PortraitHolderDatesTitlesNotes1Pedro de Menezes, 1st Count of Vila Real1370–14371st Count of Vila RealAlso 2nd Count of Viana do Alentejo2Brites de Menezes Fernando of Noronha1400–1460 1380–14452nd Count of Vila RealCo-shared title3Pedro II de Menezes1425–14993rd Count of Vila Real Later became 1st Marquis of Vila Real4Fernando de Menezes1463–?4th Count of Vila Real Also 2nd Marquis of Vila Real5Pedro III de Menezes1486–15435th Count of Vila RealAlso 3rd Marquis of Vila Real6Miguel de Menezes1534–15646th Count of Vila RealAlso 4th Marquis of Vila Real7Manuel de Menezes1530–15907th Count of Vila RealAlso 5th Marquis of Vila Real; Also 1st Duke of Vila Real8Miguel II Luís de Menezes1565–16378th Count of Vila RealAlso 6th Marquis of Vila Real; Also 1st Duke of Caminha; Executed for high treason9Luís de Noronha e Meneses1570–16419th Count of Vila Real7th Marquis of Vila Real; Executed for high treason; Died without issue, therefore line became extinct
Counts of Vila Real (1832: Second creation) #PortraitHolderDatesTitlesNotes1José Luís de Sousa Botelho Mourão e Vasconcelos1785–18551st Count of Vila RealAlso 6th Lord of Mateus2Fernando de Sousa Botelho Mourão e Vasconcelos1815–18582nd Count of Vila RealAlso 7th Lord of Mateus3José Luís de Sousa Botelho Mourão e Vasconcelos1843–19233rd Count of Vila Real Also 8th Lord of Mateus
Claimants post-Monarchy #PortraitHolderDatesTitlesNotes4Maria Teresa de Sousa Botelho e Melo1871–19474th Countess of Vila RealAlso 3rd Countess of Melo and 2nd Countess of Mangualde, by marriage to Fernando de Almeida Cardoso de Albuquerque, 2nd Count of Mangualde5Francisco de Sousa Botelho e Albuquerque1909–19735th Count of Vila RealAlso 3rd Count of Mangualde and 4th Count of Melo6 Fernando de Sousa Botelho de Albuquerque1941–20226th Count of Vila Real Also 4th Count of Mangualde (1973) and 5th Count of Melo (1973)
See also Duke of Vila Real Marquis of Vila Real Duke of Caminha Dukedoms in Portugal List of marquisates in Portugal List of countships in Portugal
Bibliography
CAMPOS, Nuno Silva: D. Pedro de Meneses and the Creation of the House of Vila Real (1417–1437). Colibri Editions/CIDEHUS-UE, 2004; FREIRE, Anselmo Braamcamp: Brasões da Sala de Sintra. 3 Vols. 3rd Edition, Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda, 1996; Livro do Armeiro-Mor (1509). 2nd edition. Preface by Joaquim Veríssimo Serrão; Presentation by Vasco Graça Moura; Introduction, Brief History, Description, and Analysis by José Calvão Borges. Portuguese Academy of History/Inapa Editions, 2007; Livro da Nobreza e Perfeiçam das Armas (António Godinho, 16th century). Facsimile of MS. 164 of the Casa Forte from the National Archive of Torre do Tombo. Introduction and Notes by Martim Albuquerque and João Paulo de Abreu e Lima. Inapa Editions, 1987; Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil" – Vol. III, pages 522/528. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989;