António Luís de Sousa, 2nd Marquis of Minas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
His Lordship
The Marquis of Minas
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| Governor-General of Brazil | |
| In office 1684–1687 |
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| Monarch | Peter II of Portugal |
| Preceded by | António de Sousa Meneses |
| Succeeded by | Matias da Cunha |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 April 1644 Kingdom of Portugal |
| Died | 15 December 1721 (aged 77) Kingdom of Portugal |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Portugal |
| Years of service | 1658–1721 |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars | Portuguese Restoration War War of the Spanish Succession |
D. António Luís de Sousa (born April 6, 1644 – died December 25, 1721) was an important Portuguese general and leader. He was also known as the 2nd Marquis of Minas. He served as the governor-general of Brazil, which was a Portuguese colony at the time.
António Luís de Sousa was born into a noble family. His father, Dom Francisco, was the first Marquis of Minas. From a young age, António was expected to have a military career.
At just 14 years old, he fought alongside his father in the Battle of the Lines of Elvas. In the years that followed, he fought against the Spanish in the northern Minho region of Portugal. He became a general in 1665 after helping to conquer the town of A Guarda in Galicia.
After the Treaty of Lisbon brought peace in 1668, his father was sent away as an ambassador. António then became the military governor of Minho. When his father passed away in 1674, António took on the title of Marquis of Minas.
Between 1684 and 1687, he was the governor-general of Brazil. His job was to bring peace and order after previous leaders had struggled. He also had to deal with a serious sickness that spread through the Bahia province.
In 1687, he returned to Portugal and was made a counsellor of war. This meant he advised the king on military matters.
Contents
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of Spanish Succession (1702–1715) was a big conflict in Europe. It was fought over who would become the next king of Spain. At first, King Peter II of Portugal supported France. But then, in 1703, Portugal signed an important trade agreement with England called the Methuen Treaty. Later that year, Portugal joined a military alliance with Austria, the Netherlands, and Great Britain. They fought against Philip, who was the French choice for the Spanish throne.
Preparing for Battle
António Luís de Sousa, the Marquis of Minas, was sent to the border to get the Portuguese army ready for war. However, in 1704, the French and Spanish troops attacked first.
- The Duke of Berwick captured several towns, including Salvaterra, Segura, and Beira.
- Another general, Tilly, invaded the Alentejo region and took Portalegre.
- The Spanish general Villadarias captured Castelo de Vide.
The invasion eventually stopped. This was because the Spanish capital, Madrid, didn't send enough support. Also, allied forces attacked Barcelona and Gibraltar. The Marquis of Minas also helped organize resistance, even winning a small battle at Monsanto. Because of this, the Duke of Berwick had to pull his troops back to Spain.
Invading Spain
In October 1705, the Marquis of Minas and Henri de Massue, 1st Earl of Galway led an invasion into Spain. Their goal was to capture Badajoz. This would open a new battlefront to help another allied general, Peterborough, who was fighting in Catalonia.
However, the two allied commanders did not get along well. Their plans were poorly coordinated. This made it easy for the skilled French commander de Tessé to stop their invasion.
In 1706, de Tessé was defeated near Barcelona. It became clear that the border with Portugal was not well protected. The Marquis of Minas saw his chance. He marched his army all the way to Madrid, avoiding Badajoz. The toughest fight was at Alcántara. The 4,200 soldiers there held out for five days before they had to surrender. The Duke of Berwick's army was nearby, but it wasn't strong enough to risk a direct battle.
Taking Madrid
On June 28, 1706, the Portuguese army entered Madrid. Archduke Charles was then declared the King of Spain. But the allied forces in Madrid soon found themselves alone. The local people were not friendly, and the Duke of Berwick was cutting off their communication lines.
So, the allies decided to leave Madrid and join other allied troops in Valencia. The Duke of Berwick was waiting for them. He led his forces to a major victory against the allies in the Battle of Almansa.
After this defeat, the Marquis of Minas was replaced as the commander of the Portuguese troops in Spain. His nephew, Pedro Manuel de Ataíde, took over.
Later Life
When he returned to Portugal, António Luís de Sousa was appointed "estribeiro-mor." This important role meant he was the chief equerry (a high-ranking official in charge of the royal stables) to the queen for the rest of his life.
After his death, his son, João de Sousa, 3rd Marquis of Minas, became the next Marquis of Minas.
See also
In Spanish: António Luís de Sousa, Marqués de Minas para niños
