Príncipe Miguel de Bragança, duque de Viseu

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Miguel Maria Sebastião Maximiliano Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Francisco D'Assis e de Paula Eustachio Carlos Afonso José Henrique Alberto Clemente lgnacio Martinho Antonio Gerardo Jorge Emmeric Mauricio da Bragança, duque de Viseu

Birthdate:
Birthplace: Reichenau An Der Rax, Niederösterreich, Österreich (Austria)
Death: February 21, 1923 (44)
New York City, NY, United States (pneumonia, influenza)
Immediate Family:

Son of Miguel II, duque de Bragança and Elisabeth Maria Maximiliana von Thurn und Taxis
Husband of Princess Anita Rhinelander de Braganca
Father of Nadejda de Braganca; João de Bragança and Miguel de Bragança
Brother of Francisco José Gerardo Maria de Bragança and Maria Teresa von Thurn und Taxis, infanta de Portugal
Half brother of Isabel Maria de Bragança, Princess Consort of Thurn and Taxis; Maria Benedicta Maria of de Bragança; Mafalda de Bragança; Maria Ana de Bragança, infanta de Portugal; Maria Antónia de Bragança and 4 others

Occupation: Duke of Viseu, Prince of Braganza; life insurance salesman
Managed by: Ofir Friedman
Last Updated:

About Príncipe Miguel de Bragança, duque de Viseu

Prince Miguel of Braganza, Duke of Viseu was a member of the exiled branch of the House of Braganza. The eldest son of the Miguelist pretender to the throne of Portugal he married an American heiress in 1909 and in 1920 renounced his rights to the throne. His full given names were Miguel Maria Sebastião Maximiliano Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Francisco D'Assis e de Paula Eustachio Carlos Afonso José Henrique Alberto Clemente lgnacio Martinho Antonio Gerardo Jorge Emmeric Mauricio.

Miguel was born in Reichenau an der Rax, Austria-Hungary the eldest son and heir of the Miguelist pretender to the Portuguese throne Miguel, Duke of Braganza and his first wife Princess Elisabeth of Thurn and Taxis. Prince Miguel's father was the head of the non reigning branch of the Portuguese Royal House that had been exiled from Portugal. The exile was the result of the Portuguese law of banishment of 1834 and the constitution of 1838 which was brought about because in 1828 his grandfather Miguel usurped the throne of Portugal from his niece Queen Maria II. His grandfather reigned as king until 1834 when Maria II was restored. Like his father Miguel pursued a career in the Army and served in a Saxon cavalry regiment. On 16 September 1900 Miguel was riding back into town in a Phaeton after having attended a dinner at a country house, when he caught his wheels in the carriage of Prince Albert of Saxony the son of Prince George, and nephew of the reigning king Albert. The collision was so great the Prince Albert's carriage overturned into a ditch, with Prince Albert dying a few hours after. Because it could not be determined whether it was an accident or intentional Miguel escaped a court martial but he was forced to give up his commission in the Army and leave the country. A year later he caused more controversy when it was discovered that while King Carlos I of Portugal was visiting the United Kingdom Miguel had entered Portugal with the aim of assisting an uprising against the king. After this was discovered he effectively became a social outcast.

On 9 July 1909 Miguel's engagement to the American heiress, Anita Stewart was announced in London. Stewart was the daughter of William Rhinelander Stewart and Annie Armstrong. After her parents divorced in August 1906, her mother married the millionaire James Henry Smith. Miguel and Anita Stewart were married at Tulloch Castle near Dingwall in Scotland on 15 September 1909. This was the first royal wedding in Scotland since the days of the Stuarts. Shortly before the wedding Stewart was created Princess of Braganza by the Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph. Upon his marriage Miguel was able to keep his place in the line of succession as morganatic marriages did not exist in Portuguese law. From their marriage Miguel and his wife had three children; Nadejda, John and Miguel. The children were styled Prince and Princess until 1920 when Prince Miguel's marriage was declared non dynastic.

After his marriage Miguel was granted the title Duke of Viseu by his father, though the reigning Portuguese King Manuel II did not recognise this and claimed the title for himself. Shortly after his marriage, Miguel faced legal action from a syndicate who had lent him money a few years before his marriage when he was in financial difficulties. After promising to pay the syndicate one-fifth of any dowry he received as a result of contracting a marriage he later tried to pay back only what he had originally borrowed. Although he paid off the majority of his creditors after his wedding some were unhappy and seized his furniture and other items and took them to an Auction house. In 1911-1912 Miguel took part in the monarchist uprisings in Portugal led by Henrique Mitchell de Paiva Couceiro, in an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the First Portuguese Republic. He was also active in raising money to fund the uprisings. Miguel later found work in London where he was employed as a Broker's clerk for the city firm Basil Montgomery, Fitzgerald and co. After originally being forced to resign from the Army, he returned to serve in the German automobile corps during the First World War reaching the rank of Captain. After the war on 21 July 1920 Miguel renounced for himself and his descendants, his rights of succession to the Portuguese throne. His father also renounced his rights ten days later which resulted in the Miguelist claim passing to his younger half brother Duarte Nuno. Prince Miguel later moved to New York City where he sold life insurance before dying of pneumonia following an influenza attack.

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Príncipe Miguel de Bragança, duque de Viseu's Timeline

1878
September 22, 1878
Reichenau An Der Rax, Niederösterreich, Österreich (Austria)
1910
June 28, 1910
London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom
1912
September 7, 1912
Nutley, East Sussex, United Kingdom
1915
February 8, 1915
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
1923
February 21, 1923
Age 44
New York City, NY, United States