He was the son of Dom James, 4th Duke of Braganza from his second marriage to Joana of Mendoça, daughter of Diogo of Mendonça, High-Alcaide of Mourão.
When he was 19 years old, he was appointed by King Dom John III of Portugal as his special ambassador to the baptism ceremony of King Henry II of France's son.
In 1558, he was appointed by the regent Dona Catherine of Habsburg (King Dom John III's widow) as the 20th Governor of Portuguese India, using also the title of 7th Viceroy. He left Lisbon on 7 April 1558 and arrived in Goa on 3 September.
He was a remarkable organiser of the local State, and he conquered Daman, Ceylon (nowadays known as Sri Lanka) and the island of Manar.
A first expedition, led by Viceroy Dom Constantino de Bragança in 1560, failed to subdue Jaffna, but captured Mannar Island.[1] By June 1619, despite sharp resistance from Cankili II of Jaffna, there were two Portuguese expeditions; a naval expedition that was repulsed by the Malabari corsairs and another expedition by Dom Filipe de Oliveira and his land army of 5,000, which defeated Cankili and conquered Jaffna, strengthening Portuguese control of shipping routes through the Palk Strait.[2]
His government in India took three years and eight days, and during that period he made important reforms. He was considered by the historian C. R. Boxer one of the most fanatic Portuguese governors of India together with Dom Francisco Barreto (1555–1558).
Dom Constantino afterwards returned to the Kingdom. There he married his cousin, D. Maria de Melo, daughter of the 1st Marquess of Ferreira and 1st Count of Tentúgal, D. Rodrigo de Melo, and Dona Brites de Menezes (daughter of Dom Antão de Almada, 3rd Count of Avranches). The couple had no issue. King Sebastian of Portugal thought, in 1571, to appoint him as perpetual viceroy of India, but he refused.
Tooth relicedit
According to Mutu Coomara Swamy, Constantino claimed to play a part in capturing and destroying the Tooth-Relic of Gotama Buddha, during the wars of the Portuguese. The native authorities however, maintained the relic was kept safe from harm.[3]
^Mutu Coomara Swamy. The Dathavansa, Or The History of the Tooth-relic of Gotama Buddha. Trübner & Co. p. xix.
Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil – Vol. II, page 443. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989.
External linksedit
Genealogy of Constantino of Braganza, in Portuguese
"Constantino de Bragança" in Christian-Muslim Relations. A Bibliographical History, vol. 7, eds. David Thomas and John Chesworth, Leiden - Boston, Brill, 2015, pp. 841–845.[1]
constantino, braganza, portuguese, constantino, bragança, 1528, 1575, portuguese, nobleman, conquistador, administrator, portuguese, empire, born, member, powerful, house, braganza, best, known, having, served, viceroy, portuguese, india, initiating, portugues. D Constantino of Braganza Portuguese Constantino de Braganca 1528 1575 was a Portuguese nobleman conquistador and administrator of the Portuguese Empire Born a member of the powerful House of Braganza he is best known for having served as Viceroy of Portuguese India and for initiating the Portuguese conquest of Sri Lanka Constantino de BragancaContemporaneous portrait of D Constantino de Braganca in Livro de Lisuarte de Abreu c 1560 Viceroy of IndiaIn office 1558 1561MonarchSebastian of PortugalPreceded byFrancisco BarretoSucceeded byFrancisco CoutinhoCaptain major of Ribeira GrandeIn office 1562 1570 MonarchSebastian of PortugalPreceded byManuel de AndradeSucceeded byOffice abolishedPersonal detailsBorn1528 1528 Kingdom of PortugalDied15 July 1575 1575 07 15 aged 46 47 Kingdom of PortugalSpouseMaria de Melo Contents 1 Biography 2 Tooth relic 3 Ancestry 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksBiography editHe was the son of Dom James 4th Duke of Braganza from his second marriage to Joana of Mendoca daughter of Diogo of Mendonca High Alcaide of Mourao When he was 19 years old he was appointed by King Dom John III of Portugal as his special ambassador to the baptism ceremony of King Henry II of France s son In 1558 he was appointed by the regent Dona Catherine of Habsburg King Dom John III s widow as the 20th Governor of Portuguese India using also the title of 7th Viceroy He left Lisbon on 7 April 1558 and arrived in Goa on 3 September He was a remarkable organiser of the local State and he conquered Daman Ceylon nowadays known as Sri Lanka and the island of Manar A first expedition led by Viceroy Dom Constantino de Braganca in 1560 failed to subdue Jaffna but captured Mannar Island 1 By June 1619 despite sharp resistance from Cankili II of Jaffna there were two Portuguese expeditions a naval expedition that was repulsed by the Malabari corsairs and another expedition by Dom Filipe de Oliveira and his land army of 5 000 which defeated Cankili and conquered Jaffna strengthening Portuguese control of shipping routes through the Palk Strait 2 His government in India took three years and eight days and during that period he made important reforms He was considered by the historian C R Boxer one of the most fanatic Portuguese governors of India together with Dom Francisco Barreto 1555 1558 He protected the poet Luis Vaz de Camoes during his stay in India He was later governor of Ribeira Grande in the island of Santo Antao Portuguese Cape Verde from 1562 Dom Constantino afterwards returned to the Kingdom There he married his cousin D Maria de Melo daughter of the 1st Marquess of Ferreira and 1st Count of Tentugal D Rodrigo de Melo and Dona Brites de Menezes daughter of Dom Antao de Almada 3rd Count of Avranches The couple had no issue King Sebastian of Portugal thought in 1571 to appoint him as perpetual viceroy of India but he refused Tooth relic editAccording to Mutu Coomara Swamy Constantino claimed to play a part in capturing and destroying the Tooth Relic of Gotama Buddha during the wars of the Portuguese The native authorities however maintained the relic was kept safe from harm 3 Ancestry editAncestors of Constantino of Braganza8 Fernando I Duke of Braganza4 Fernando II Duke of Braganza9 Joana de Castro 3rd Lady of Cadaval2 Jaime Duke of Braganza10 Fernando Duke of Viseu5 Isabel of Viseu11 Beatriz of Portugal1 Costantino of Braganza12 Afonso Furtado de Mendonca6 Diogo de Mendoca Alcaide Mor of Mourao13 Beatriz de Vilaragut3 Joana de Mendoca14 Fernao Soares de Albergaria Lord of Prado7 Brites Soares de Albergaria15 Maria Goncalves AlcafachoaSee also editHouse of Braganza Duke of Braganza Portuguese India List of colonial heads of Portuguese India Relics associated with Buddha Relics in Sri Lanka Relic of the tooth of the Buddha Gaspar Jorge de Leao PereiraReferences edit Abeysinghe T Jaffna Under the Portuguese p 3 Kunarasa K The Jaffna Dynasty p 115 Mutu Coomara Swamy The Dathavansa Or The History of the Tooth relic of Gotama Buddha Trubner amp Co p xix Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil Vol II page 443 Published by Zairol Lda Lisbon 1989 External links editGenealogy of Constantino of Braganza in Portuguese Constantino de Braganca in Christian Muslim Relations A Bibliographical History vol 7 eds David Thomas and John Chesworth Leiden Boston Brill 2015 pp 841 845 1 Preceded byFrancisco Barreto 7th Viceroy of Portuguese India 1558 1561 Succeeded byFrancisco Coutinho count of RedondoPreceded byManuel de Andrade Colonial heads of Ribeira Grande Portuguese Cape Verde 1562 early 1570s Succeeded byeliminated Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Constantino of Braganza amp oldid 1176456820, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
