John IV of Portugal
| John IV | |
|---|---|
Portrait of D. John II, Duke of Braganza;
Peter Paul Reubens, c. 1628. |
|
| King of Portugal and the Algarves | |
| Reign | 1 December 1640 – 6 November 1656 |
| Acclamation | 15 December 1640 |
| Predecessor | Philip III |
| Successor | Afonso VI |
|
Duke of Braganza as John II |
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| Tenure | 29 November 1630 – 27 October 1645 |
| Predecessor | Teodósio II |
| Successor | Teodósio, Prince of Brazil |
| Born | 19 March 1604 Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa, Portugal |
| Died | 6 November 1656 (aged 52) Ribeira Palace, Portugal |
| Burial | Pantheon of the Braganzas |
| Spouse | Luisa de Guzmán |
| Issue among others... |
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| Dynasty | Braganza |
| Father | Teodósio II, Duke of Braganza |
| Mother | Ana de Velasco |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Signature |  |
John IV (Portuguese: João IV de Portugal,pronounced: [ʒuˈɐ̃w̃]; 19 March 1604 – 6 November 1656) was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1640 to his death. He was the grandson of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, who had in 1580 claimed the Portuguese crown and sparked the struggle for the throne of Portugal. John IV was nicknamed John the Restorer (João o Restaurador). On the eve of his death in 1656, the Portuguese Empire reached its territorial zenith, spanning the globe. He was one of the main forces behind the independence of Portugal after the Spanish dominance.
John IV was born at Vila Viçosa and succeeded his father Teodósio II as Duke of Braganza when the latter died insane in 1630. He married Luisa de Guzmán (1613–66), eldest daughter of Juan Manuel Pérez de Guzmán, 8th Duke of Medina Sidonia, in 1633. John had blond hair, blue eyes and an average height.
When Philip II of Portugal (III of Spain) died, he was succeeded by Philip III (IV of Spain), who had a different approach to Portuguese issues. Taxes on the Portuguese merchants were raised, the Portuguese nobility began to lose its influence and government posts in Portugal were increasingly occupied by Spaniards. Ultimately, Philip III tried to make Portugal a Spanish province, meaning Portuguese nobles stood to lose all of their power.
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