Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza
Encyclopedia
Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza , was a great-grandson of the last emperor of Brazil, Pedro II
, and one of two claimants to the abolished throne.
, and Prince Gaston d'Orléans, comte d'Eu. His mother was Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
.
His paternal grandmother, Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil, was the heir to the defunct Brazilian throne. The year before Pedro Henrique's birth, she recognized his father, Luís, as the heir to the succession when Luís's elder brother, Pedro de Alcântara, Prince of Grão-Pará, signed a renunciation of his claim to the throne on behalf of himself and his descendants.
Pedro Henrique was educated in France at the Ecôle des Sciences Politiques
in Paris. He was described by his grandmother as "a very intelligent child". After the deaths of his father in 1920 and his grandmother in 1921, he became the head of the imperial family. Pedro de Alcântara, Prince of Grão-Pará, died in 1940.
at Schloss Nymphenburg
, Bavaria, on 19 August 1937. They had twelve children.
, and was active in the monarchist movement. His cousin, Prince Pedro Gastão
, the eldest son of Pedro de Alcântara, Prince of Grão-Pará, challenged Pedro Henrique's right to the succession in 1946, on the basis that his father's renunciation had no legal force.
On his death in 1981, Pedro Henrique's claim to the throne passed to his eldest son, Prince Luís Gastão
.
Pedro II of Brazil
Dom Pedro II , nicknamed "the Magnanimous", was the second and last ruler of the Empire of Brazil, reigning for over 58 years. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he was the seventh child of Emperor Dom Pedro I of Brazil and Empress Dona Maria Leopoldina and thus a member of the Brazilian branch of...
, and one of two claimants to the abolished throne.
Early life in Europe
He was born in 1909 in France at Boulogne-sur-Seine during the exile of the Brazilian imperial family, which had been deposed in 1889. His father, Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza, was the second son of Isabel, Princess Imperial of BrazilIsabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil
Dona Isabel , nicknamed "the Redemptress", was the heiress presumptive to the throne of the Empire of Brazil, bearing the title of Princess Imperial....
, and Prince Gaston d'Orléans, comte d'Eu. His mother was Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Princess Maria di Grazia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Princess Maria di Grazia Pia Chiara Anna of Bourbon-Two Sicilies) was a Princess of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and Princess Imperial consort of Brazil through her marriage to Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza.-Family:Maria was the daughter of Prince Alfonso of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Count of Caserta and his...
.
His paternal grandmother, Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil, was the heir to the defunct Brazilian throne. The year before Pedro Henrique's birth, she recognized his father, Luís, as the heir to the succession when Luís's elder brother, Pedro de Alcântara, Prince of Grão-Pará, signed a renunciation of his claim to the throne on behalf of himself and his descendants.
Pedro Henrique was educated in France at the Ecôle des Sciences Politiques
Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris
The Institut d'études politiques de Paris , simply referred to as Sciences Po , is a public research and higher education institution in Paris, France, specialised in the social sciences. It has the status of grand établissement, which allows its admissions process to be highly selective...
in Paris. He was described by his grandmother as "a very intelligent child". After the deaths of his father in 1920 and his grandmother in 1921, he became the head of the imperial family. Pedro de Alcântara, Prince of Grão-Pará, died in 1940.
Marriage and children
Pedro Henrique married Princess Maria Elisabeth of BavariaPrincess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria
align=right|Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria was the eldest daughter of Prince Franz of Bavaria, third son of King Ludwig III of Bavaria.-Early life:...
at Schloss Nymphenburg
Nymphenburg Palace
The Nymphenburg Palace , i.e. "Nymph's Castle", is a Baroque palace in Munich, Bavaria, southern Germany. The palace was the main summer residence of the rulers of Bavaria.-History:...
, Bavaria, on 19 August 1937. They had twelve children.
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Luís Gastão Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza is one of the two claimants to the defunct Brazilian throne, and head of the Vassouras branch of the Brazilian Imperial House... |
6 June 1938 (age 73) | one of two claimants to the headship of the Imperial House of Brazil | |
| Prince Eudes Prince Eudes Maria of Orléans-Braganza Prince Eudes Maria Rainier Pedro José of Orléans-Braganza is a member of the Imperial House of Brazil... |
8 June 1939 (age 72) | married 1) Ana Maria de Moraes e Barros (divorced) 2) Mercedes Neves da Rocha. He renounced his rights of succession to the Brazilian throne for himself and his descendants on 3 June 1966. | |
| Prince Bertrand Prince Bertrand of Orléans-Braganza Prince Bertrand of Orléans-Braganza is a member of the Imperial House of Brazil. According to the disputed claims of the Vassouras branch of the family, he is first in the line of succession to the defunct Brazilian throne, and consequently the current Prince Imperial of Brazil.-Biography:The... |
2 February 1941 (age 71) | ||
| Princess Isabel | 5 April 1944 (age 67) | ||
| Prince Pedro | 1 December 1945 (age 66) | married Maria de Fátima Lacerda Rocha. He renounced his rights of succession to the Brazilian throne for himself and his descendants on 28 December 1972. | |
| Prince Fernando | 2 February 1948 (age 64) | married Maria de Graça Baere de Araújo. He renounced his rights of succession to the Brazilian throne for himself and his descendants on 24 February 1972. | |
| Prince Antônio Prince Antonio of Orléans-Braganza Prince Antônio of Orléans-Braganza , whose baptismal name is Antônio João Maria José Jorge Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga de Orléans e Bragança e Wittelsbach, is a member of the Imperial House of Brazil... |
24 June 1950 (age 61) | married Princess Christine de Ligne | |
| Princess Eleonora Eleanora, Princess of Ligne Eleanora, Princess of Ligne is the wife of Michel, 14th Prince of Ligne, the head of the House of Ligne since 2005... |
20 May 1953 (age 58) | married Michel, 14th Prince of Ligne Michel, 14th Prince of Ligne Michel Charles Eugène Marie Lamoral, Prince de Ligne, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Prince d'Épinoy, Prince d'Amblise, and Grandee of Spain, was born on 26 May 1951 in Château de Belœil, Belgium. He is the son of Antoine, 13th Prince of Ligne and Princess Alix Marie of Luxembourg. He is thus the... |
|
| Prince Francisco | 6 April 1955 (age 56) | married Claudia Regina Godinho. He renounced his rights of succession to the Brazilian throne for himself and his descendants on 11 December 1980. | |
| Prince Alberto | 23 June 1957 (age 54) | married Maritza Ribas Bockel. He renounced his rights of succession to the Brazilian throne for himself and his descendants on 11 December 1980. | |
| Princess Maria Teresa | 14 July 1959 (age 52) | married Jan Hessel de Jong (1953-) | |
| Princess Maria Gabriela | 14 July 1959 (age 52) | married Theodore Senna de Hungria Machado | |
Life in Brazil
Pedro Henrique moved to Brazil in 1945. He managed a farmstead called Sitio Santa Maria in VassourasVassouras
Vassouras is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 33,206 and its area is 552 km².Vassouras is known for its colonial-era coffee farms, including Fazenda Santa Eufrasia ....
, and was active in the monarchist movement. His cousin, Prince Pedro Gastão
Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza
Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza was one of two claimants to the Brazilian throne and head of the Petrópolis branch of the Brazilian Imperial House.-Biography:Prince Pedro Gastão was the son of Prince Pedro de Alcântara...
, the eldest son of Pedro de Alcântara, Prince of Grão-Pará, challenged Pedro Henrique's right to the succession in 1946, on the basis that his father's renunciation had no legal force.
On his death in 1981, Pedro Henrique's claim to the throne passed to his eldest son, Prince Luís Gastão
Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza
Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza is one of the two claimants to the defunct Brazilian throne, and head of the Vassouras branch of the Brazilian Imperial House...
.