The designation Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is prevalent mainly in the writings of non-Portuguese historians and genealogists, as European custom classifies a descendant branch on the basis of patrilineal descent, which means that the House of Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is a cadet branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry.
Nonetheless, the 1838 Portuguese constitution stated that the House of Braganza was the ruling house of Portugal, by way of Queen Maria II, and her descendants still continued to style themselves as members of the House of Braganza, as opposed to Saxe-Coburg-Braganza.[3] With the death of King Manuel II without legitimate issue in 1932, the dynasty became extinct.[1]
History
The royal house was founded by
Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who on 9 April 1836 married
Queen Maria II of Portugal. Members of the royal house held the Portuguese title of Infante/Infanta of Portugal, as well as the German titles of Prince/ss of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Duke/Duchess of
Saxony.[4] On 15 November 1853, Queen Maria II died, and her eldest son succeeded to the throne as
Pedro V, the first king of the Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha dynasty.
Before his death in 1932, King Manuel II had been in negotiations with the rival
Miguelist branch of the
House of Braganza, who had claimed the Portuguese throne since 1834, in opposition to the Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha dynasty. On the King's death, the claim to the defunct throne of Portugal passed to Miguelist descendant
Duarte Nuno of Braganza.[5][6]
In 1932, a woman known as
Maria Pia of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Braganza[7][8] claimed to be the illegitimate daughter of King
Carlos I of Portugal and claimed the right to the titles of
Duchess of Braganza and to be the rightful
Queen of Portugal.[9] Maria Pia claimed that King Carlos I legitimized her through a royal decree and placed her in the line of succession, however no proof was presented to demonstrate this and the King similarly did not have the personal authority to do so. Maria Pia's paternity was never proven and her claim not widely accepted.
^"Monarchist Breach Closed In Portugal". The New York Times. 1930-05-18. p. N1.
^"Successor Expects Throne". The New York Times. 1932-07-06. p. 19.
^"Princess Maria Pia of Saxe-Coburg, duchess of Braganza" in CHILCOTE, Ronald H.; The Portuguese Revolution: State and Class in the Transition to Democracy, page 37. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers; Reprint edition (August 31, 2012).
^"...Her Royal Highness D. Maria Pia of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Braganza, the Crown Princess of Portugal" in Jean Pailler; Maria Pia of Braganza: The Pretender. New York: ProjectedLetters, 2006;
^Jean Pailler; Maria Pia of Braganza: The Pretender. New York: ProjectedLetters, 2006.
Further reading
PINTO, Albano Anthero da Silveira; VISCONDE, Augusto Romano Sanches de Baêna e Farinha; Resenha das familías titulares e grandes de Portugal (Volume 1). Lisboa: Empreza Editora de Francisco Arthur da Silva (1883). Pág. 313
McCULLOCH, John Ramsay; A Dictionary, Geographical, Statistical, and Historical: of the various Countries, Places, and Principal Natural Objects in the World (Volume 4). Longmans: Green (1866). Pág. 14
Almanach de Gotha. Justus Perthes Publishing House in Gotha; 175th ed.
American Annals of Education (Volume 18). Otis: Broaders (1869).
ROBINSON, James Harvey; BEARD, Charles Austin; The development of modern Europe: an introduction to the study of current history. Ginn & Company (1908). Pág. 27.
The British Almanac: Containing Astronomical, Official and Other Information Relating to the British Isles, the Dominions Oversea and Foreign Countries. Stationers Company (1909). Pág. 457
W.H. De Puy; The Century Reference Library of Universal Knowledge (Volume 8). National Newspapers Company (1909).
ROLT-WHEELER, Francis; DRINKER, Frederick E.; The World War for Liberty: A Comprehensive and Authentic History of the War by Land, Sea and Air. C.H. Robinson Company (1919). Pág. 382
COLENBRANDER, Herman Theodoor; deel. Algemeene koloniale geschiedenis. M. Nijhoff (1925). Pág. 26.
Current History (Volume 38). New York Times Company (1933). Pág. 239.
The Catholic Encyclopedia: Laprade-Mass. Appleton (1950). Pág. 282.
FRANCIS, John Michael (Editor); Iberia and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History (Transatlantic Relations), 3 Volumes Set. ABC-CLIO (November 21, 2005). Págs. 724 e 1112.
OLIVEIRA, Barradas de; Quando os cravos murcham (Volume 2). Edições FP (1984). Pág. 41.
FIGUEIREDO, Fidelino de; Revista de História (Volumes 10-11). Emprêsa Literária Fluminense (1921). Pág. 220.
PAILLER, Jean; Maria Pia of Braganza: The Pretender. New York: ProjectedLetters, 2006;
CHILCOTE, Ronald H.; The Portuguese Revolution: State and Class in the Transition to Democracy, page 37. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers; Reprint edition (August 31, 2012).
The House of Saxe-Coburg and Braganza was not a recognized house in the former
Kingdom of Portugal and monarchs following Maria II and Ferdinand II officially continued to be members of the
House of Braganza