Távora affair

The Távora affair was a political scandal of the 18th century Portuguese court. The events triggered by the attempted murder of King Joseph I of Portugal in 1758 ended with the public execution of the entire Távora family and its closest relatives in 1759. Some historians interpret the whole affair as an attempt by the prime minister Sebastião de Melo (later Marquis of Pombal) to limit the growing powers of the old aristocratic families.

In the aftermath of the Lisbon earthquake on November 1, 1755, which destroyed the royal palace, King Joseph I of Portugal took up residence in a huge complex of tents and barracks in Ajuda, on the outskirts of the city. This was the centre of Portuguese political and social life. The king lived surrounded by his staff, led by the prime minister, Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, and was attended by his peers, the Portuguese high nobility.

The prime minister was a strict man, son of a country squire, with a grudge against the old nobility, who despised him. Clashes between them were frequent and tolerated by the king, who trusted Sebastião de Melo for his competent leadership after the earthquake.

King Joseph I was married to Mariana Victoria of Borbón, princess of Spain, and had four daughters. Despite an attested happy family life (the king loved his daughters and enjoyed playing with them and taking them on nature walks), Joseph I had a favorite mistress: Teresa Leonor, wife of Luis Bernardo, heir of the Távora family.

Luis Bernardo's parents, Marchioness Leonor of Távora, and her husband, Francisco Assis, Count of Alvor and former viceroy of India, headed one of the most powerful families in the kingdom. They were related to the houses of Aveiro, Cadaval and Alorna. They were also among the bitterest enemies of Sebastião de Melo. Leonor of Távora was politically influential, preoccupied with the affairs of the kingdom handed to, from her perspective, an upstart with no education. She was also a devout Catholic with strong ties to the Jesuits, including her personal confessor, Gabriel Malagrida.

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