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Afonso, Prince Imperial of Brazil

Afonso
Prince Imperial of Brazil
full-length oil portrait of the Prince Imperial as a blond-haired child in a white short frock and official blue sash worn over white pantaloons and holding a stick and hoop
Afonso at age 2 wearing the blue band of the Order of the Southern Cross, 1846
Born (1845-02-23)23 February 1845
Palace of São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, Empire of Brazil
Died 11 June 1847(1847-06-11)
(2 years, 108 days)
Palace of São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, Empire of Brazil
Burial Convento de Santo Antônio (Convent of Saint Anthony), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Full name
Afonso Pedro de Alcântara Cristiano Leopoldo Filipe Eugênio Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga
House Braganza
Father Pedro II of Brazil
Mother Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies
Religion Roman Catholicism
Full name
Afonso Pedro de Alcântara Cristiano Leopoldo Filipe Eugênio Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga
Styles of
Afonso, Prince Imperial
Coat of arms consisting of a shield with a green field with a golden armillary sphere superimposed on the red and white Cross of the Order of Christ, surrounded by a blue band with 19 silver stars; the bearers are two arms of a wreath, with a coffee branch on the left and a flowering tobacco branch on the right; and above the shield is an arched golden and jeweled crown
Reference style His Imperial Highness
Spoken style Your Imperial Highness
Alternative style Sir

Dom Afonso (23 February 1845 – 11 June 1847) was the Prince Imperial and heir apparent to the throne of the Empire of Brazil. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he was the eldest child of Emperor Dom Pedro II and Dona Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies, and thus a member of the Brazilian branch of the House of Braganza.

Afonso died from epilepsy at the age of two, devastating the emperor. The following year, Pedro and Teresa Cristina had another son, Pedro Afonso, but he too died in infancy. After the loss of his second son, doubts grew in Pedro II's mind that the imperial system could be viable. He still had an heir in his daughter Isabel, but he was unconvinced that a female would prove to be a suitable successor. He showed less concern about the effects his policies had on the monarchy, provided his daughter Isabel with no training for her role as potential empress, and failed to cultivate her acceptance within the country's political class. Pedro II's lack of interest in protecting the imperial system ultimately led to its downfall.

Afonso was born at 13:35 on 23 February 1845 in the Palace of São Cristóvão, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was named after his ancestor Afonso, Duke of Braganza, son of King João I of Portugal and founder of the House of Braganza (Portuguese: Bragança). His full name was Afonso Pedro de Alcântara Cristiano Leopoldo Filipe Eugênio Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga. Through his father, Emperor Pedro II, he was a member of the Brazilian branch of the House of Braganza (Portuguese: Bragança) and was referred to using the honorific "Dom" (Lord) from birth. Afonso was the grandson of Emperor Pedro I of Brazil and nephew of Queen Maria II of Portugal. Through his mother, Teresa Cristina, he was a grandson of Francis I and nephew to Ferdinand II, who ruled as kings of the Two Sicilies in turn.


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