Constable of Portugal


Constable of Portugal was an office created by King Ferdinand I of Portugal in 1382, to substitute the Alferes-Mor as the head of the Military. It was also referred as the Constable of the Kingdom.
The Constable was the second most powerful person in the Kingdom, after the King of Portugal. The Constable's responsibility was to command the military in the absence of the king and to maintain discipline in the army; he was present at all military tribunals.
After the reign of John IV of Portugal, the title ceased to have military or administrative connotations, and was simply an honorific title.

List of Constables of Portugal

  1. Álvaro Pires de Castro, 1st Count of Arraiolos and 1st Count of Viana
  2. Nuno Álvares Pereira, the Saint Constable, 38th Lord Chamberlain of Portugal, 2nd Count of Arraiolos, 3rd Count of Ourém and 7th Count of Barcelos
  3. João of Portugal, Infante of Portugal and Lord of Reguengos, Colares and Belas
  4. Diogo of Portugal, son of the former, Infante of Portugal
  5. Pedro of Portugal, King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona, Grand Master of the Order of Aviz
  6. Fernando, 2nd Duke of Viseu, Infante of Portugal
  7. John, Marquis of Montemor-o-Novo, son of Fernando I, Duke of Braganza
  8. Afonso of Viseu, grandson of Fernando, Duke of Viseu
  9. Luís, 5th Duke of Beja, Infante of Portugal
  10. Duarte II, 5th Duke of Guimarães, grandson of King Manuel I of Portugal
  11. John, 6th Duke of Braganza
  12. Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba
  13. Teodósio II, 7th Duke of Braganza
  14. João IV, King of Portugal
  15. Francisco de Melo, 5th Marquis of Ferreira, 4th Count of Tentúgal
  16. Pedro of Braganza, Duke of Beja
  17. Nuno Álvares Pereira de Melo, 1st Duke of Cadaval, 4th Marquis of Ferreira, 5th Count of Tentúgal
  18. Francisco, 7th Duke of Beja, Infante of Portugal
  19. João VI, King of Portugal
  20. Miguel, King of Portugal
  21. Nuno Caetano Álvares Pereira de Melo, 6th Duke of Cadaval, 8th Marquis of Ferreira, 9th Count of Tentúgal
  22. António de Vasconcelos e Sousa Câmara Caminha Faro e Veiga, 8th Count of Calheta, 4th Marquis of Castelo Melhor
  23. Luís I, King of Portugal
  24. João, 8th Duke of Beja, Infante of Portugal
  25. Afonso, Duke of Porto, Infante of Portugal