Thursday, March 13, 2008

House of Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha


The House of Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (also known as the House of Braganza-Coburg or Braganza-Wettin) was a dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of Portugal from 1853 until the declaration of the Portuguese Republic in 1910.
This royal house was founded by Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Kohary who, on 9 April, 1836, married Queen Maria II of Portugal from the House of Braganza. Members of the Royal House held the titles Infante/Infanta (Prince or Princess) of Portugal and Duke/Duchess of Saxony. On 15 November 1853 Queen Maria II died and her eldest son succeeded to the throne as Pedro V, considered the first King of the Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha dynasty.
The dynasty would remain on the throne until the outbreak in Portugal of the 5 October 1910 revolution when the King Manuel II of Portugal was deposed and the Portuguese First Republic established. King Manuel II went into exile and with his death on 2 July 1932 the Royal House of Portugal passed to his sister Maria Pia of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Braganza, the Royal Princess of Portugal and Duchess of Braganza.
Today the descendants of Princess Theresa of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1902-1990), who was a granddaughter of Princess Leopoldina of Brazil, from the brazilian branch of the House of Braganza, carry the surname "Saxe-Coburg and Braganza". The complete name with "Gotha" was also used by the Princess Maria Pia of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Braganza, the daughter of King Charles I of Portugal and her descendants.