Count of Abrantes


Count of Abrantes was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from June 13, 1476, by King Afonso V of Portugal, and granted to his 4th cousin, Lopo de Almeida.
Dom Lopo was closely related to the Portuguese royal House, once his great-grandfather was Infante João, Duke of Valencia de Campos.
This title became extinct when the 4th Count, Miguel de Almeida, a hero of the Portuguese uprising of December 1, 1640, died without issue in 1650.

Genealogical summary

List of the Counts of Abrantes (1476)

The family name associated with the Counts of Abrantes was Almeida.
The Almeida clan was closely associated with King John II of Portugal played a pivotal role in the 1490s succession crisis, strongly backing John II's preferred candidate, Jorge de Lencastre against the eventual winner, Manuel, Duke of Beja.
According to Subrahmanyam, Lopo de Almeida, the first Count of Abrantes, had at least six notable sons:
The Almeida clan remained the principal political opponents of Manuel I of Portugal throughout his reign.