Manuel António of Portugal

Manuel António of Portugal (24 February 1600 in Delft – 27 October 1666 in Schagen) was a Portuguese nobleman.

He was born as son of Manuel of Portugal and Countess Emilia of Nassau who was a daughter of William the Silent. Manuel António's father, Manuel of Portugal, was an illegitimate son of the Portuguese pretender António, Prior of Crato.

Initially Manuel António was raised by his mother as a Calvinist. However in 1612, his father sent him together with his brother Louis William to their uncle Christoph in France, where he received a Roman Catholic education. Already in 1613, his uncle, the Stadtholder Maurice of Orange, promoted him as captain, because of the income associated with this position and not with the aim to take over a military command.

From 1619 – 1623 he was governor of the Principality of Orange for his uncle Maurice. Apparently in this respect it was relevant that he attended Catholic church services and that the majority of the population of the Principality of Orange was Catholic. The vice governor Valckenburg was in charge of official functions. He lived a lavish life, spend more money than was available and had to be ordered back early by his uncle in 1623. He continued to receive the corresponding pay of 6,000 Guilder until the next Stadtholder, Frederick Henry who ruled from 1625, cancelled the payments.

Without a source of income in 1626 he had to leave together with his father for Brussels in the Spanish Netherlands where they were cordially received. Manuel António started a military career as Rittmeister in service of Spain and at the archducal court.

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