Leonor of Viseu

Infobox Portuguese Royalty|majesty|consort
name = Leonor of Viseu
title = Queen consort of Portugal
and the Algarves
of either side of the sea in Africa

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imgw = 250
caption = Statue in Beja, Portugal
date of birth = birth date|1458|05|02
place of birth = Beja
date of death = death date and age|1525|11|17|1458|05|02
place of death =
reign = 28 August, 1481 - 25 October, 1495
spouse = John II
issue = Afonso, Prince of Portugal
father = Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu
mother = Beatrice of Portugal
royal house = House of Aviz

Infanta Leonor of Viseu (2 May, 1458, Beja–17 November, 1525), Lisbon pron. IPA2|liu'noɾ dɨ vi'zeu, was a Portuguese infanta and later Queen of Portugal.

Family

She was a daughter of Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu and his wife and cousin Beatrice of Portugal. Her maternal grandparents were Infante João of Portugal and his wife and niece Isabella of Braganza.

Isabella was a daughter of Afonso, 1st Duke of Braganza and his first wife Beatriz Pereira Alvim. Beatriz was a daughter of Nuno Álvares Pereira and his wife Leonor de Alvim.

She had a sister called Isabella of Viseu who married Fernando II, 3rd Duke of Braganza, who was later accused and executed of treason by King John II (Leonor's husband).

Leonor older brother, Diogo, Duke of Viseu, was also envolved and was executed by the king himself. Her younger brother, succeded John II and became King of Portugal as Manuel I.

Marriage and children

She married Prince João (John) of Portugal in January, 1471. He was the only living son of Afonso V of Portugal and Isabel of Coimbra. He was the Heir apparent to the throne. The bride was almost thirteen years old and the groom was about sixteen years old. They had two children:

Queen consort

Her father-in-law died on 28 August, 1481 and her husband became John II of Portugal. She became the new Queen consort. She founded what became the city of Caldas da Rainha, which is named in her honor, "rainha" meaning "queen" in Portuguese.

Leonor and John II survived both their sons. John II died on 25 October, 1495 and the hypothesis of poisoning was never ruled out.

Widow

After her brother, Manuel I succeeded to the throne in 1495, Queen Leonor continued to be active. In 1498 she spearheaded the creation of various Santa Casas da Misericórdia in Portugal, as confraternities with humanitarian purposes, especially the care of the poor, the sick, and of abandoned children. The original foundtions survive today, and more have since been founded in other towns and cities of Portugal and in the Portuguese colonies.