Sebastian I of Portugal
| Sebastian I | |
|---|---|
Portrait of King Sebastian; Cristóvão de Morais, c. 1572-1574.
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| King of Portugal and the Algarves | |
| Reign | 11 June 1557 – 4 August 1578 |
| Acclamation | 16 June 1557; Lisbon |
| Predecessor | John III |
| Successor | Henry |
| Regents |
Catherine of Austria (1557–1562) Cardinal-Infante Henry (1562–1568) |
| Born |
20 January 1554 Ribeira Palace, Lisbon |
| Died | 4 August 1578 (aged 24) Alcácer-Quibir (killed in battle) |
| Burial | Jerónimos Monastery (disputed) |
| Dynasty | Aviz |
| Father | João Manuel, Prince of Portugal |
| Mother | Joanna of Austria |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Signature |  |
Dom Sebastian I (Portuguese: Sebastião IPortuguese pronunciation: [sɨbɐʃˈti.ɐ̃w̃]; 20 January 1554 – 4 August 1578) was King of Portugal and the Algarves from 11 June 1557 to 4 August 1578 and the penultimate Portuguese monarch of the House of Aviz.
He was the son of John Manuel, Prince of Portugal, and his wife, Joanna of Austria. He was the grandson of King John III of Portugal and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. He disappeared (presumably killed in action) in the battle of Alcácer Quibir. Sebastian I is often referred to as The Desired (Portuguese: o Desejado), as the Portuguese people longed for his return to end the decline of Portugal that began after his death.
Sebastian was born shortly after eight in the morning of 20 January 1554 (the feast of Saint Sebastian), and he was given the saint's name in commemoration. The name Sebastian was highly unusual for members of any European royal family at the time.
Shortly after his birth, a doctor, Fernando Abarca Maldonado, who had come to Portugal in the entourage of his mother and probably had helped deliver him, cast his horoscope. Among other things, Maldonado predicted that Sebastian would be very attracted to women, marry and have many children. None of these predictions ever came to pass.
Sebastian was born heir-apparent to the throne of Portugal, since his birth occurred two weeks after the death of his father. He succeeded to the throne at the age of three, on the death of King John III, his paternal grandfather. Soon after his birth, his mother Joanna of Spain left her infant son to serve as regent of Spain for her father, Emperor Charles V. After his abdication in 1556, she served in the same capacity for her brother Philip II of Spain. Joanna remained in Spain until her death in 1573, never to see her son again.
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