by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

João V, King of Portugal was born on October 22, 1689, at Ribeira Palace in Lisbon, Portugal. He was the second but the eldest surviving of the five sons and the second of the eight children of Pedro II, King of Portugal and his second wife Maria Sophia of Neuburg. João V’s paternal grandparents were João IV, King of Portugal and Luisa de Guzmán y Sandoval. His maternal grandparents were Philipp Wilhelm, Elector of the Palatinate, Count Palatine of Neuburg, Duke of Jülich and Berg and his second wife Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt. On November 19, 1689, the new heir to the throne of Portugal was baptized at the royal chapel of Ribeira Palace and given the names João Francisco António José Bento Bernardo.

Of all his parents’ children, João V was the only one who married and had children although some of his brothers had illegitimate children. João had seven siblings:

• Infante João, Prince of Brazil (born and died 1688), died in infancy
• Infante Francisco of Portugal, Duke of Beja (1691 – 1742), unmarried
• Infanta Francisca Xaviera of Portugal (born and died 1694), died in infancy
• Infante António of Portugal (1695 – 1757), unmarried
• Infanta Teresa Maria of Portugal (1696 – 1704), died in childhood
• Infante Manuel of Portugal, Count of Ourém (1697 – 1766), unmarried
• Infanta Francisca Josefa of Portugal (1699 – 1736), unmarried

João V had a much older sister from his father’s first marriage to Maria Francisca of Savoy:

• Isabel Luísa of Braganza, Princess of Beira (1669 – 1690), unmarried, was the heir presumptive to the throne of Portugal until 1689 when her half-brother, the future João V, King of Portugal was born, died from smallpox at the age of twenty-one

João was well educated. His governess was the Portuguese noblewoman Maria de Lencastre, Marquise of Unhão, later the governess for João’s younger brothers Francisco, António, and Manuel. The Jesuit priest Father Luís Gonzaga was in charge of the education of Pedro II’s sons. He taught them military science, politics, astronomy, nautical studies, mathematics, and history. As the heir to the throne, João was mentored in political affairs by Luís da Cunha, a prominent Portuguese diplomat.

On August 4, 1699, when João was nearly ten years old, his 32-year-old mother Maria Sophia died from erysipelas, a bacterial infection of the skin that can spread to other areas of the body through the bloodstream. His mother’s death caused changes in João’s behavior. He became withdrawn and depressed. His paternal aunt Catherine of Braganza, the widow of King Charles II of England, returned to Portugal to live in 1693. Catherine took over the responsibilities of caring for João and remained his main female role model until she died in 1705.

On December 5, 1706, João’s father Pedro II, King of Portugal had a seizure that resulted in a stroke and died on December 9, 1706, aged 58, at Palhavã Palace in Lisbon, Portugal. He was succeeded by his 17-year-old son João. On January 1, 1707, João was formally proclaimed “His Majesty, by the Grace of God, King of Portugal and the Algarves, before and beyond the sea in Africa, Lord of Guinea and of Conquest, Navigation, and Commerce of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, and India, our Lord, João, the fifth of that name in the table of the Kings of Portugal.” João was now king of an empire that had territory on four continents.

João’s father Pedro II had laid the groundwork for the marriage of his son with an Austrian archduchess to guarantee Portugal’s alliance with the Habsburgs. João V continued these negotiations and finally, a marriage contract was signed on June 27, 1707. João’s bride was Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, the daughter of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor and his third wife, Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg. João’s mother Maria Sophia of Neuburg and Maria Anna’s mother were sisters so João and his bride were first cousins. The current Holy Roman Emperor, Joseph II was Maria Anna’s brother. 19-year-old João V and 25-year-old Maria Anna of Austria were married on October 26, 1708, at Ribeira Palace in Lisbon, Portugal.

João V and Maria Anna of Austria had six children:

• Infanta Barbara of Portugal (1711 – 1758), married Fernando VI, King of Spain, no children
• Infante Pedro of Portugal (1712 – 1714), died in early childhood
• José I, King of Portugal (1714 – 1777), married Mariana Victoria of Spain, had four daughters including his successor Maria I, Queen of Portugal who married her paternal uncle Pedro (below)
• Infante Carlos of Portugal (1716 – 1736), died of a high fever, aged 19
• Pedro III, King of Portugal (1717 – 1786), married his niece Maria I, Queen of Portugal, and was her co-ruler, had six children
• Infante Alexandre of Portugal (1723 – 1728), died in childhood from smallpox

João V reigned as an absolute monarch, modeled after King Louis XIV of France. He never convened the Portuguese Cortes, the legislature of Portugal, and ignored meetings of the Council of State. When he made decisions, he consulted a close circle of well-informed advisers. Tristão da Cunha Ataíde e Melo, 1st Count of Povolide, the brother of João V’s influential advisor Cardinal Nuno da Cunha de Ataíde e Melo, Bishop of Targa, Inquisitor-General of Portugal, said about João’s governing style, that “he established a predominance of personal consultation over institutional consultation.”

During the reign of João V, a huge amount of money was deposited into the royal treasury from the Portuguese colonies. João spent large sums on ambitious building projects and expanding his sizable art and literary collections. Because it was important to him that Portugal be recognized internationally, João also spent large sums on embassies to the courts of Europe. He was deeply religious, spent much time in prayer and religious studies, and made large donations to the Holy See in the Vatican. Pope Benedict XIV granted him the style “Most Faithful Majesty.”

On May 10, 1742, 52-year-old João had a stroke and became partially paralyzed. He recovered somewhat but was left diminished and much less energetic. His wife Maria Anna served as regent for the rest of his life. After a reign of forty-three years, João V, King of Portugal, aged 60, died on July 31, 1750, at Ribeira Palace in Lisbon, Portugal. He was interred at the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora in Lisbon.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. 2022. Johann V. (Portugal) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_V._(Portugal)> [Accessed 2 June 2022].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2022. John V of Portugal – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_V_of_Portugal> [Accessed 2 June 2022].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2022. Maria Sophia of Neuburg – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Sophia_of_Neuburg> [Accessed 2 June 2022].
• Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Pedro II, King of Portugal. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/pedro-ii-king-of-portugal/> [Accessed 2 June 2022].
• Louda, Jiri and Maclagan, Michael, 2002. Lines of Succession. London: Little, Brown.
• Pt.wikipedia.org. 2022. João V de Portugal – Wikipédia, a enciclopédia livre. [online] Available at: <https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo%C3%A3o_V_de_Portugal> [Accessed 2 June 2022].
• Pt.wikipedia.org. 2022. Maria Sofia Isabel de Neuburgo – Wikipédia, a enciclopédia livre. [online] Available at: <https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Sofia_Isabel_de_Neuburgo> [Accessed 2 June 2022].