Duarte de Menezes, 3rd Count of Viana

Dom Duarte de Menezes, (Lisbon, 1414 – near Tétouan, Morocco, January 20, 1464) was a 15th-century Portuguese nobleman and military figure. Duarte de Menezes (sometimes modernized as 'de Meneses') was the 3rd Count of Viana do Alentejo, 2nd Count of Viana (da Foz do Lima), Lord of Caminha and the first Portuguese captain of Alcácer-Ceguer.

Duarte de Menezes was an illegitimate son of Portuguese nobleman D. Pedro de Menezes, 1st Count of Vila Real and first governor of Ceuta, and Isabel Domingues, an unmarried woman known as a Pixegueira. Although Pedro de Menezes had numerous daughters, legitimate and otherwise, Duarte was his only son. In March 1424, Pedro managed to secure from King John I of Portugal a royal letter legitimizing Duarte to enable him to inherit his titles.

Duarte de Menezes stayed with his father during his tenure as governor in Ceuta, and was given hands-on training in governorship and the military arts. Already at an early age, Duarte distinguished himself in numerous engagements and skirmishes with Moroccan fighters, and was already knighted by 15. In 1430, Pedro de Menezes took an extended leave in Portugal, leaving Duarte, at the age of 16, as captain of the Portuguese garrison in Ceuta, with the guidance of his older brother-in-law, Ruy Gomes da Silva, alcaide of Campo Maior. His father returned in 1434, but continued to rely on Duarte as his lieutenant.

In 1436-37, preparations were underway in Portugal for a resumption of the North African campaign with expedition to seize Tanger. In 1436, Duarte personally led a Portuguese party to attack and raze the Moroccan citadel of Tétouan, to prevent it from becoming a threat to future Portuguese operations.

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