António Luís de Sousa, 2º marquês das Minas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant%C3%B3nio_Lu%C3%ADs_de_Sousa,_2nd_M...

Foy II Marquez das Minas, IV Conde do Prado em vida de feu pay, Senhor das Villas de Beringel, e Prado, e do feu termo, com todas as jurifdiccoens (e Privilegio de nao entrar nelle Corregedor) e Padroados, Alcaide Mór de Béja, Commendador das Commendas de Santa Maria de Azevo, Santa Maria de Viana, Santo Adriao de Penha Fiel, noffa Senhora da Purificacao de Pena Verde, S. Pedro de Torres Védras na Ordem de Chrifto, Santiago de Sines, e de Filfontes na de Santiago; fervio com feu pay na Guerra, principiando de treze annos a fervir efta Coroa, em que continuou fem intermiffao, foy Capitao das fuas Guardas, e occupou os Poftos de Meftre de Campo, e General de Batalha, e feita a paz com Cafella no anno de 1668, fendo Meftre de Campo General, governou a Provincia de Minho, e no anno de 1684 foy Governador, e Capitao General do Eftado do Brafil, foy Prefidente da Junta do Tabaco, Eftribeiro Mór da Rainha Dona Maria Anna de Auftria, do Confelho de Eftado, e Guerra del Rey D. Pedro II, e D. Joao V. No anno de 1704 foy Governador das Armas da Provincia da Beira, e nefte anno teve o Choque junto a Monfanto com D. Francifco Ronquilho, que mandava o Exeercito de Caftella, que derrotou, ficando o Marquez ferido no braco direito. Foy nomeado Goernador das Armas da Provincia de Alentejo em 1705, com cujo Exercito comecou a marcar a 25 de Marco de 1706, e entrou vitoriofo por huma, e outra Caftella: em Brocas chocando com as Tropas que governava o Marichal de Bervvik, as derrotou, e pondo fitio a Praca de Alcantara a rendeo, em que havia de guarnicao dez Regimentos de Infantaria, com quatro mil e duzentos homens, de que fe companhao, que forao prifioneiros. Depois fogeitou a Praca de Cidade Rodrigo, e as Cidades de Salamanca, Coria, Plafencia, e muitas outras Villas, e Lugares, até que entrou na corte de Madrid a 25 de Junho do dito anno, e fe alojou no Palacio, dando-lhe nao fo obediencia o governo da Villa, mas os Tribunaes, as Cidades de Segovia, e a Imperial de Toledo, Cabeca do Reyno de Caftella a Nova, que lhe mandarao render obediencia, e outras. Efta grande empreza honrou naquelle anno as noffas Armas, e nos futuros o fará ainda mais a memoria defte General, pois efte grande dia deo na Europa hum tao heroico brado, que eternizará na pofteirdade o feu illuftre nome, porque he certo que nao fe le na Historia de Efpanha igual ventura á que confeguio o Marquez defte ditofo anno. Cafou com Dona Maria Magdalena de Noronha, fua prima.

Don Antonio de Soufa, fegundo del nombre, quarto Conde de Prado en vida de fu padre por merced del Rey Don Alonfo VI y defpues fegundo marques de las Minas, Señor de Beringel, y alcayde mayor de Beja, Comendador de nueftra Señora del Acevo, Peña Verde y Santa Maria de Viana en la Orden de Chrifto, y de la Encomienda de Sines en la Orden de Santiago, firvió en la provincia de Miño, donde fue Capitan de Cavallos, Maeftre de Campo de un tercio de Infanteria, y Sargento mayor de Batalla en aquel Exercito en tiempo de la guerra, y defpues Maeftre de Campo General, y Governador de las Armas en aquella provincia, Governador y Capitan General del Eftado del Brafil, y del Confejo de Guerra del Rey Don Pedro II. Cafó con Doña Maria de Lima, hermana del Conde de Atalaya fu cuñado, porque cafaron á trueque, como fe ha dicho, y fe celebraron ambos matrimonios en vida del Conde Don Francifco fu padre: ambos eran hijos de Don Alvaro Manuel, Señor de Atalaya, de Tancos y Afenceyra, y de Doña Ines de Lima fu muger, hija de Alvaro Perez de Tavora y Doña Maria de Lima, Señores de Caparica. Don Alvaro Manuel fue hijo de Don Pedro Manuel, fegundo Conde de Atalaya, General de Tanger, Governador del Algarve y Angola, y de Doña Maria de Menefes fu muger, hija de Don Alvaro de Menefes, Alcayde mayor de Arronches: fueron fus hijos Don Francifco de Soufa, quinto Conde de Prado, que murió en vida de fu padre fin cafar; Don Juan de Soufa, que figue la linea, como fe vera en el parrafo figuiente, y D. Jofeph de Soufa. Tuvo tambien el Marque fuera de matrimonio á Don Luis de Soufa, que cafó en Amarante con Doña Barbara Mafcareñas, hija de Doña Ines Mafcareñas de Quirós, y de fu marido Gafpar Pinto Riveyro. Historia de la Muy Ilustre Casa de Sousa, España, 1770 De Don Antonio Luis de Sousa, Segundo del Nombre, quarto Conde de Prado y fegundo Marques de las Minas. Pág. 501

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António Luís de Sousa, 4th Count of Prado and 2nd Marquess of Minas (April 6, 1644 – December 25, 1721) was a Portuguese general and governor-general of Portugal.

He was the son of Dom Francisco, the first Marquês das Minas, and his second wife D. Eufrásia Filipa de Lima.

From a very young age on, he was destined for a military career. At the age of 14, he was present with his father at the Battle of the Lines of Elvas. The following years, he fought the Spanish in the northern Minho province, becoming a general in 1665 after the conquest of Guarda.

After the Peace Treaty of Lisbon he became military governor of Minho in the absence of his father, who was sent as ambassador to Rome. He assumed the title of Marquês das Minas after the death of his father in 1674.

Between 1684 and 1687 he was governor-general of Brazil. He had to restore the peace after the mismanagement of his predecessors, and was confronted with a serious epidemic in the Bahia province.

In 1687 he returned to Portugal and was appointed counsellor of war.

War of the Spanish Succession

At the outbreak of the War of Spanish Succession (1702–1715), King Peter II of Portugal initially supported France but on May 16, 1703, Portugal and Britain signed the Methuen Treaty. This trade accord was followed in December 1703 by a military alliance between Portugal, Austria, the Netherlands and Great Britain against Philip, the French candidate for the Spanish throne.

Minas was sent to the border to prepare the Portuguese army for war, but in 1704 the Franco-Spanish troops attacked first. The Duke of Berwick conquered Salvaterra, Segura and Beira. Tilly invaded Alentejo and took Portalegre, and the Spanish general Villadarias took Castelo de Vide.

The invasion was stopped by lack of support from Madrid, allied invasions of Barcelona and Gibraltar and the resistance organised by Minas (who won a minor battle at Monsanto). Berwick had to withdraw his troops to Spain.

In October 1705 a first invasion of Spain was launched under the command of Henri de Massue, 1st Earl of Galway and the Marquess of Minas. The aim was to conquer Badajoz, thus opening a second front to support Peterborough in Catalonia. But the relationship between the two allied commanders was so bad, and the coordination so poor, that it wasn't too difficult for the experienced French commander de Tessé to repel the invasion.

In 1706 de Tessé was beaten near Barcelona, and it became apparent that the border with Portugal was unprotected. Minas took his chance and marched his army all the way to Madrid, bypassing Badajoz. The stiffest resistance was met at Alcántara, where the garrison of 4200 resisted for 5 days until it had to capitulate. The army of the Duke of Berwick was in the vicinity, but wasn't strong enough to risk a battle.

On June 28, 1706 the Portuguese army entered Madrid and Archduke Charles was acclaimed King of Spain. But very soon it became clear that the allies in Madrid were very isolated. The population was hostile and the Duke of Berwick was cutting off communications with Portugal and Aragon. The decision was made to abandon Madrid and to join the allied troops in Valencia. The Duke of Berwick was waiting for them and inflicted a crushing defeat in the Battle of Almansa.

On his return to Portugal he was appointed estribeiro-mor (chief equerry) to the queen, for the rest of his life.