Portuguese Monarch. He reigned as King of Portugal from 1656 to 1667. The second king of the House of Braganza, his parents were King João IV and his wife, queen Luisa de Gusmão. He succeeded his father in 1656 at the age of 16. His reign saw military victories over the Spanish at Ameixial (June 8, 1663) and Montes Claros (June 17, 1665), culmination in the final Spanish recognition of Portugal's independence of February 13, 1668. Colonial affairs saw the Dutch conquest of Jaffnapatam, Portugal's last colony in Sri Lanka (1658) and the cession of Bombay and Tangier to England (June 23, 1661) as dowry for Afonso's sister Catherine of Braganza who had married King Charles II of England and Scotland. English mediation on 1661 saw Holland acknowledge Portuguese rule of Brazil in return for uncontested control of Sri Lanka. In 1667 Afonso was compelled by his estranged French wife and his brother, Pedro (II) to abdicate the throne. Afterwards he was banished to the island of Terceira. His wife divorced him and instead married his brother, the new king Pedro II. The abdication was sanctioned by the Cortes in 1668 as necessary due to Afonso's mental instability. Afonso Vi died at Sintra in 1675.
Portuguese Monarch. He reigned as King of Portugal from 1656 to 1667. The second king of the House of Braganza, his parents were King João IV and his wife, queen Luisa de Gusmão. He succeeded his father in 1656 at the age of 16. His reign saw military victories over the Spanish at Ameixial (June 8, 1663) and Montes Claros (June 17, 1665), culmination in the final Spanish recognition of Portugal's independence of February 13, 1668. Colonial affairs saw the Dutch conquest of Jaffnapatam, Portugal's last colony in Sri Lanka (1658) and the cession of Bombay and Tangier to England (June 23, 1661) as dowry for Afonso's sister Catherine of Braganza who had married King Charles II of England and Scotland. English mediation on 1661 saw Holland acknowledge Portuguese rule of Brazil in return for uncontested control of Sri Lanka. In 1667 Afonso was compelled by his estranged French wife and his brother, Pedro (II) to abdicate the throne. Afterwards he was banished to the island of Terceira. His wife divorced him and instead married his brother, the new king Pedro II. The abdication was sanctioned by the Cortes in 1668 as necessary due to Afonso's mental instability. Afonso Vi died at Sintra in 1675.
Bio by: Benny Chordt Hansen
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