George, Duke of Coimbra
| Jorge de Lencastre | |
|---|---|
| Duke of Coimbra | |
 |
|
| Born |
21 August 1481 Abrantes, Kingdom of Portugal |
| Died | 22 July 1550 (aged 68) Setúbal, Kingdom of Portugal |
| Burial | Church of Santiago, Palmela, Portugal |
| Spouse | Beatriz de Vilhena |
| House | House of Avis |
| Father | John II of Portugal |
| Mother | Ana de Mendonça |
Jorge de Lencastre (English: George; 21 August 1481 – 22 July 1550) was a Portuguese prince, illegitimate son of King John II of Portugal and Ana de Mendonça, a maid of Joanna la Beltraneja. He was created the second Duke of Coimbra in 1509. He was also master of the Order of Santiago and administrator of the Order of Aviz from 1492 to 1550.
Jorge de Lencastre was born in Abrantes on August 21, 1481, and raised by his aunt, the king's sister, Joan of Portugal, in the Convent of Jesus in Aveiro. On Joan's death in 1490, Jorge was brought to the royal court, and was soon placed under the tutorship of monteiro-mor Diogo Fernandes de Almeida (the son of John II's late ally, Lopo de Almeida, Count of Abrantes).
After the death of the royal heir Prince Afonso in July 1491, King John II was left with no legitimate sons and no daughters he could marry off. The next legitimate successor to the throne was his cousin (and brother-in-law), Manuel, 4th Duke of Beja and grand master of the Order of Christ since 1484.
This was a disturbing prospect for John II, who trusted neither Manuel nor the powerful Order of Christ. During the purges of the high nobility in 1483–84, John II had ordered the execution of Manuel's own brother Diogo, Duke of Viseu and brother-in-law Fernando II, Duke of Braganza. Manuel himself only escaped a similar fate largely because John II regarded him as a harmless fool. Now that 'fool' stood to succeed him, and in John II's estimation, would likely undo all the king's hard-won centralizing reforms and deliver the kingdom back to the nobles.
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