Afonso, Prince Imperial of Brazil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Prince Afonso | |
| Prince Imperial of Brazil | |
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| Afonso, Prince Imperial of Brazil at age of 1 | |
| Born | February 23, 1845 |
| Birthplace | Palace of São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro |
| Died | June 11, 1847 (aged 2) |
| Place of death | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Buried | Imperial Mausoleum, Rio de Janeiro |
| Royal House | House of Braganza |
| Father | Pedro II of Brazil |
| Mother | Teresa of the Two Sicilies |
Afonso de Bourbon e Bragança (February 23, 1845 – June 11, 1847), was the heir to the Brazilian imperial throne. His full name was Afonso Pedro de Alcântara Cristiano Leopoldo Filipe Eugênio Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga. When anglicised, his name would be Alphonse of Bourbon and Braganza, full name Alphonse Peter of Alcantara Christian Leopold Phillip Eugene Michael Raphael Gonzaga.
He was born on February 23, 1845 in Rio de Janeiro, the first son of Emperor Pedro II of Brazil and Teresa Cristina, princess of the Two Sicilies.
[edit] Infancy
Afonso was born on February 23, 1845, the eldest son of Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil and his wife Teresa Cristina, princess of the Two Sicilies. His paternal grandparents were Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil and Leopoldina, Archduchess of Austria, while his maternal grandparents were Francis I, King of the Two Sicilies and Maria Isabella, princess of Spain.
Soon after his birth, the prince was carried in the arms of his father, who under strong emotions presented the newborn to the people who surrounded the Imperial Palace and said: “Gentlemen, here is a Prince whom God...” However, the sobbing and the emotion had hindered him from finishing the phrase. The birth of the baby brought joy to everyone all over Brazil. Months later, when Pedro II was on a trip to the southern region of Brazil, the majordomo Paulo Barbosa sent a letter dated December 5, 1845 to the Emperor telling him how was the prince:
“Thank God your Imperial Highness has passed well, according to daily news notice that arrive me from the Court. [...] Beyond the beautiful, healthful and fat nurse, your Imperial Highness has another one with twenty and one years old, approved by the Baron of Igaraçu, that is pretty, cheerful, very healthful and with a very pretty and fat son of the same age as your Imperial Highness. [...] Therefore, if the current nurse left by Your Imperial Majesty gets sick, your Imperial Highness has this another one just two steps from the Palace and beyond her, there is also Falcão´s wife, also approved. I´m telling all these to tranquilize your Majesty the Empress, if by any chance this letter arrive on her hands”.
Afonso was a very healthy baby and as the oldest son of Pedro II, became immediately his heir and was titled the Prince Imperial of Brazil. The young prince looked very similar as his father in the format of the face, hair and eyes. Perhaps for this reason, and also for being the heir of the crown, he gathered all the attention. However, it was from the Emperor that came more of the attention, as it can perceived in a letter written by Pedro II to his elder sister, Maria II, queen of Portugal dated December 21, 1846:
“There are no news to tell from here except the ones related to my, the Empress and the small ones good health, mainly from Afonsinho [little Afonso) who has become more and more prettier, he already walks and says many unintelligeble words, which makes him more funnier than ever”.
However, the small prince contracted yellow fever and died with almost two and a half years old on June 11, 1847. The couple of emperors's pain was enormous, and it was feared that it could harm the empress's health who could have suffered an abortion and die. But in July 13 she gave birth without bigger complications to a girl who received the name Leopoldina Teresa. The Emperor Pedro II registered the death of the son in a letter sent to his stepmother, the empress Amélia, dated July 11, 1847:
“With the greatest pain, I participate you that my dear Afonsinho, your godson, unfortunaly died of convulsions that lasted for five hours without interruption in the past day 4¹, and that a few days ago Isabelinha [little Isabel] found herself in great danger as she suffered strong attacks of convulsions that scared me a lot”.
Pedro II never forgot his son and kept a picture of Afonso on his table of work until the day when he was banished from the country in November 17, 1889. Afonso is presently buried along his younger brother Pedro, his uncle João Carlos, his aunt Paula Mariana and his niece, Luísa (Isabel´s eldest daughter) in the mausoleum of the Convento de Santo Antonio in Rio de Janeiro.
¹ Pedro II committed a mistake about the date of his son's death. In fact it occurred on June 11.
[edit] Ancestry
Afonso was part of the House of Braganza, an illegitimate cadet branch of the Capetian Dynasty.
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[edit] Books
| Styles of Prince Imperial |
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| Reference style | His Imperial Highness |
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| Spoken style | Your Imperial Highness |
| Alternative style | Sir |
- BARMAN, Roderick J., Princesa Isabel do Brasil: gênero e poder no século XIX, UNESP, 2005.
- LYRA, Heitor, História de Dom Pedro II, v.1, UNESP, 1979.
- DIENER, Pablo e COSTA, Maria de Fátima, Rugendas e o Brasil, Editora Capivara, 2002.
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