António, Prior of Crato facts for kids

Quick facts for kids António
Anthonius Coninck van Portugal en Algarve showing the medal of the Order of Aviz in a Flemish engraving of 1595
King of Portugal (disputed)
Reign	24 July 1580 – 25 August 1580
Acclamation	24 July 1580, Santarém
Predecessor	Henry
Successor	Philip I
Born	1531 Lisbon, Portugal
Died	26 August 1595 (aged 63–64) Paris, France
Partner	Ana Barbosa
Issue	Manuel Cristóvão Dinis João Filipa Luísa
House	Aviz
Father	Louis, Duke of Beja
Mother	Violante Gomes
Religion	Roman Catholicism

António, Prior of Crato (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐ̃ˈtɔniu]; 1531 – 26 August 1595) was a Portuguese prince. He was also known by nicknames like "The Determined" or "The Fighter." António tried to become King of Portugal during a big problem with who would rule in 1580.

Some historians say he was king for just 33 days in 1580. But Philip II of Spain eventually won the fight for the throne. António, however, kept trying to claim the crown until 1583.

Early Life and Adventures

António was born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1531. His father was Prince Luis, Duke of Beja, and his mother was Violante Gomes. Some people believe his parents might have married later.

António received a good education in Coimbra. He joined the Order of St. John. This gave him control over a rich area called the priory of Crato. In 1571, he became the governor of a Portuguese fort in Tangiers, Morocco.

In 1578, António went with King Sebastian of Portugal to fight in Morocco. During the Battle of Alcácer Quibir, King Sebastian was killed, and António was captured. He managed to get released by pretending to be a poor man. He told his captor that the cross he wore was just a small religious gift he would lose if he wasn't back in Portugal soon. His captor believed him and let him go for a small payment.

The Fight for the Throne

While António was a prisoner, his uncle, Henry, became the new King of Portugal. King Henry was old and a cardinal, so he couldn't have children. This meant that finding a new king or queen was a huge problem for Portugal.

Many people wanted to be the next ruler. The strongest claims came from:

• Philip II of Spain: He was the grandson of a former Portuguese king, Manuel I of Portugal. He was also very powerful and had a large army and lots of gold.
• Catherine, Duchess of Braganza: She was also a granddaughter of King Manuel I. She was a Portuguese noblewoman.
• António: He was the son of a Portuguese prince. However, because his parents were not formally married, his claim to the throne was not seen as legal by many.

King Henry was unsure who to choose. He leaned towards Philip II because Philip promised that Portugal would stay independent, even if he became king.

In January 1580, a meeting of important Portuguese leaders, called the Portuguese Cortes, gathered to decide who would be king. But King Henry died before he could choose. A group of five leaders took over. They started to favor Philip II.

António tried to prove that his parents had married after he was born, but he couldn't find any proof. He hoped that ordinary Portuguese people, who didn't want a Spanish king, would support him. He was popular with farmers and craftspeople. He reminded people of a time long ago (1383-1385) when an illegitimate son of a king, John I of Portugal, became king because the people chose him.

Philip II, however, used his power and money to gain support. He also convinced the Cortes that joining Portugal and Spain under one ruler would help Portugal's economy.

A Short Reign as King

On July 19, 1580, António was declared King of Portugal by his supporters in Santarém. People in Lisbon and other towns also cheered for him. This gave Philip II the reason he needed to send his army into Portugal.

António was never officially recognized by the main leaders of Portugal. He ruled in Portugal for only 20 days. On August 25, his supporters were defeated by the Spanish army in the Battle of Alcântara.

After this defeat, António tried to rule Portugal from the island of Terceira in the Azores. He set up his own government there, which lasted until 1583. He even made his own coins, which is something only a true king would do. His rule was only recognized in the Azores, where his supporters fought hard. Meanwhile, Philip II was officially recognized as the new King of Portugal on the mainland.

Life in Exile

In early 1581, António fled to France. He took many valuable Portuguese Crown Jewels with him, including diamonds. He was welcomed by Catherine de' Medici, the Queen Mother of France. She also had a claim to the Portuguese throne and saw António as a way to challenge Philip II.

António promised to give the Portuguese colony of Brazil to France and sold some of his jewels. This helped him get enough money to prepare a fleet of ships. He sailed to the Azores with French adventurers, but his fleet was completely defeated by the Spanish navy in the Battle of Ponta Delgada in July 1582.

After this loss, António returned to France. He lived in fear of assassins sent by Philip II, moving from place to place. Eventually, he went to England.

Queen Elizabeth I of England also supported António, for similar reasons as Catherine de' Medici: she wanted to challenge Philip II. In 1589, a year after the Spanish Armada, António joined an English expedition led by famous sailors Francis Drake and John Norreys. António hoped that his presence would cause the Portuguese people to rise up against Philip II. But this didn't happen, and the expedition failed.

Later Years and Legacy

António eventually became very poor. He had to sell his remaining diamonds one by one. The last and most beautiful diamond was bought by a French nobleman and later became part of the French crown jewels.

In his final years, António lived quietly on a small pension from King Henry IV of France. He passed away in Paris on August 26, 1595. He was buried in a church that was later torn down. António had several children. He also wrote some books, including a collection of Psalms.

Descendants

António, as a cleric, was not allowed to marry. However, he had children with several women.

See also

In Spanish: Antonio, prior de Crato para niños

• War of the Portuguese Succession
• 1580 Portuguese succession crisis