Count of Valença

Count of Valença (in Portuguese Conde de Valença) was a Portuguese title of nobility, created by a royal decree, dated from July 20, 1464, by King Afonso V of Portugal, and granted to Dom Henrique de Menezes, who was already 3rd Count of Viana (da Foz do Lima) and 4th Count of Viana (do Alentejo).

However, on November 12, 1471, he gave back to the Crown the County of Valença and received in exchange the County of Loulé.

Later, on December 12, 1499, by a royal decree issued by King Manuel I of Portugal, the County of Valença was granted again this time to Dom Fernando de Menezes who was already 2nd Marquis of Vila Real, 4th Count of Vila Real, 1st Count of Alcoutim, a cousin to the 1st Count.

When the 7th Marquis of Vila Real, 7th Count of Valença, along with his son the Duke of Caminha, was executed in Portugal for high treason in 1641, his daughter, Beatrice of Menezes, married to the Spanish Count of Medellin, remained in Spain.

To reward her fidelity towards the Spanish Habsburgs, King Philip IV of Spain gave her, the 23 March 1660, the title of Countess of Valenza and Valladares (Spanish spelling) as a Spanish title with, included today among the titles of the House of Medinaceli.

Beatrice of Menezes never returned to her homeland and this title was never recognized in Portugal

The heiress apparent is Ana Luisa de Medina, Marquise of Navahermosa (b. 1940).

...
Wikipedia