Henry, King of Portugal
Henry I ( Portuguese: Dom Henrique I) ( born January 31, 1512 Lisbon, † January 31, 1580 in Almeirim ), called " the Cardinal King " ( Portuguese: Cardeal Dom Henrique ) was the seventeenth King of Portugal. He was the last ruler in the history of Portugal from the house Avis and reigned from 1578 to 1580.
Life
Henry was the fifth son of King Manuel I of Portugal and his second wife Maria of Spain. He was thus a younger brother of King John III. For him, the seventh child of the royal family the religious career was to secure a befitting care provided. It was in 1526 prior of Coimbra, 1538 Archbishop of Braga in 1545 Archbishop of Évora, in 1557 he followed his brother Afonso de Portugal as abbot of the Royal Abbey of Alcobaça and 1564 was finally Archbishop of Lisbon, and Primate of Portugal. In 1539, he was appointed Grand Inquisitor, and had in 1545 received the cardinal's hat, 1561 he was papal legate.
When in 1557 his brother, King John III. died, his grandson and successor, Sebastian was just three years old. Heinrich led therefore to 1568 for his great-nephew the regency. After Sebastian before 1578 and had no children killed in the battle of Alcácer - Quibir, Henry ascended the last male member of the house of Avis even the Portuguese throne. After his death Portugal fell to Spain and won only 60 years later under King John IV again its independence.
Developments after Henry's death
For several generations, the house Avis with many marriages had closely bound to the neighboring Spain and there ruling dynasty of the Habsburgs. Linked to this was the hope of being able to contend with a possible extinction of the Spanish Habsburg hereditary claims to the Spanish throne, in order to establish an Iberian empire under Portuguese control. After Henry's death, however, now made the Spanish King Philip II claims on the Portuguese throne law. His mother was a daughter of Manuel I, he therefore itself in the female line, a grandson of the king of Portugal. Moreover, his wife Mary was a daughter of John III. and thus Henry I. cousin. Therefore Heinrich had no choice, as well as testamentary use the Spanish king as his successor.
After Henry 's death, called initially Antonio of Crato, a grandson of Manuel I in consensual line to be king, but was driven out by the Spaniards soon. The Duke of Braganza, who first made claims throne for his wife Catherine submits ( this was also a granddaughter of Manuel I ), did not come to train. Given the military balance of power (Portugal was since the defeat of Alcazarquivir weakened ) remained the Cortes nothing else, as the claims of the Spanish king recognize who ascended the Portuguese throne to as Philip I. Although the two kingdoms were constitutionally not united, but ruled only in personal union with the King of Spain, the two successors of Philip on the throne of Spain ( Philip II of Portugal = Philip III. In Spain and Philip III. Portugal = Philip IV of However, Spain ) limited the Portuguese autonomy more and more, so that the country de facto became a Spanish province.
Dissatisfaction with this situation eventually led to the uprising of 1640, by the Spanish rule could be shaken and John IV, Duke of Braganza, were again ruled by a Portuguese king.
See also: Timeline Portugal, Portugal under the House of Avis