Luís Carlos Inácio Xavier de Meneses, 1st Marquis of Louriçal

Luís Carlos Inácio Xavier de Meneses
Portrait by Pompeo Batoni, 18th c.
Viceroy of India
In office 1717–1720
Monarch	John V of Portugal
Preceded by	Francisco José de Sampaio e Castro
Succeeded by	D. Sebastião de Andrade Pessanha
In office 1740–1742
Monarch	John V of Portugal
Preceded by	Count of Sandomil
Succeeded by	Council of the Interim Government
Personal details
Born	4 November 1689 Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal
Died	1742 Goa, Portuguese India
Nationality	Portuguese
Spouse(s)	Ana Xavier de Rohan da Câmara
Children	Francisco Xavier Rafael de Meneses, 2nd Marquis of Louriçal Constança Xavier de Meneses Henrique de Meneses, 3rd Marquis of Louriçal José Vicente de Menezes Joana de Menezes Margarida Xavier de Menezes Fernando de Menezes

D. Luís Carlos Inácio Xavier de Meneses, 1st Marquis of Louriçal, 5th Count of Ericeira, (4 November 1689 - 1742), was a Portuguese nobleman and statesman, that served as Viceroy of India twice.

Luís Carlos Inácio Xavier de Meneses was born on 4 November 1689, to Francisco Xavier de Meneses, 4th Count of Ericeira, and D. Joana Madalena de Noronha, daughter of Luís Lobo da Silveira, 2nd Count of Sarzedas and Mariana da Silva e Lencastre. He was brother to fr. António da Piedade, a noted clergyman of his time. He grew up under the tutelage of his great uncle, Fernando de Meneses, 2nd Count of Ericeira, and his grandfather, Luís de Meneses, 3rd Count of Ericeira.

His two tenures as Viceroy of Portuguese India were notable for his continued military successes and for his economic rehabilitation policies. His first tenure, between 1717 and 1721, started when he was only 27 and arrived in Goa, with 6 six ships and 2,000 soldiers. His power and expansive policies led him to be dubbed the "greatest of the governors of the Orient of the first half of the 18th century."