Joseph I of Portugal Facts for Kids

Joseph I (born José Francisco António Inácio Norberto Agostinho; 6 June 1714 – 24 February 1777) was the King of Portugal from 1750 until his death in 1777. People sometimes called him the Reformer because of the changes made during his rule.

Joseph loved hunting and going to the opera. He collected one of the biggest collections of opera music in Europe. Most of the important decisions during his time as king were made by his chief minister, Marquis of Pombal.

Joseph was the third child of King John V of Portugal. He became the heir to the throne when his older brother, Pedro, died as a baby. In 1729, Joseph married Mariana Victoria of Spain, who was the daughter of King Philip V of Spain. Joseph and Mariana Victoria had four daughters: Maria, Mariana, Doroteia, and Benedita.

When his father died in 1750, Joseph became king. During his reign, a terrible earthquake hit Lisbon in 1755. This event allowed the Marquis of Pombal to gain more power. The earthquake also made King Joseph afraid of living in buildings with walls. After that, he lived in a group of tents. Joseph died in 1777, and his oldest daughter, Maria I, became queen.

Early Life of Joseph I
- His Marriage
Joseph I's Time as King
- War with Spain and France (1762)
- The Marquis of Pombal's Influence
Legacy and Death
Joseph I's Children
See also

Early Life of Joseph I

Joseph was the third child of King John V of Portugal and Maria Anna of Austria. He had an older brother, Pedro, who sadly died when he was only two years old. This meant Joseph became the next in line to the throne. He was given the titles of Prince of Brazil and Duke of Braganza.

His Marriage

Joseph's wife, Queen Dona Mariana Victoria

On 19 January 1729, Joseph married Mariana Victoria of Spain. She was the daughter of King Philip V of Spain. On the same day, Joseph's older sister, Barbara, married Philip's son, Ferdinand. This double wedding was known as the Exchange of the Princesses.

Mariana Victoria also loved music and hunting, just like Joseph. She was a serious person who didn't like Joseph's other relationships. They had four daughters, all born before Joseph became king.

Joseph I's Time as King

Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal, Joseph I's chief minister and the real ruler of Portugal

Joseph became King of Portugal in 1750 when he was 36 years old. He quickly gave most of his power to Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo. This minister later became known as the Marquis of Pombal. Because of this, the history of Joseph's reign is mostly about the actions of the Marquis of Pombal. Joseph's oldest daughter, Maria Francisca, became the next in line to the throne.

War with Spain and France (1762)

One big challenge during Joseph's rule was an invasion by France and Spain in 1762. This happened near the end of the Seven Years' War. France and Spain wanted Portugal to stop being allies with Great Britain. They also wanted Portugal to close its ports to British ships.

King Joseph refused their demands. He asked for help from Britain because Portugal's army was not in good shape, especially after the big earthquake. Britain sent soldiers and a skilled military leader named William, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe. This leader helped improve the Portuguese army.

The combined Portuguese and British forces fought bravely. They used the mountainous land to their advantage. The French and Spanish invaders were defeated and had to retreat. They suffered many losses.

In South America, the war ended with no clear winner. Portugal gained some land from Spain, but Spain also took some Portuguese territory. The Treaty of Paris (1763) later returned things to how they were before the war.

The Marquis of Pombal's Influence

The Marquis of Pombal was a very powerful minister. He wanted to modernize Portugal's economy and society. He also wanted to make Portugal stronger compared to other European countries.

There was a supposed plot to kill King Joseph and Pombal. This event, known as the Távora affair, gave Pombal a chance to remove powerful noble families who opposed him. He also expelled the Jesuits (a religious group) from Portugal in 1759. This gave him control over public education and a lot of church land. These actions helped bring Portugal into a new era of thinking and change.

Legacy and Death

Joseph's reign is also remembered for the terrible 1755 Lisbon earthquake. This earthquake, along with a fire and a tsunami, happened on 1 November 1755. Between 30,000 and 40,000 people died.

The earthquake made Joseph very afraid of closed spaces. He could never again feel comfortable living inside a walled building. So, he moved the royal court to a large group of tents in the hills of Ajuda.

A new palace was planned for him in Lisbon, but it was never finished. The city of Lisbon was rebuilt after the earthquake, which cost a lot of money. Today, a statue of King Joseph on horseback stands in the Praça do Comércio, which is Lisbon's main square.

Joseph I monument in Lisbon

Joseph died on 24 February 1777. His daughter, Queen Dona Maria I, took over the throne. The powerful rule of the Marquis of Pombal ended quickly after Joseph's death. Queen Maria I did not like Pombal because she was influenced by the old noble families who were against him.

Joseph I's Children

A 1773 coin from Brazil during Joseph I's reign.

Joseph I and his wife Mariana Victoria had four daughters. They also had four babies who were stillborn. Only their oldest daughter had children of her own:

Maria Francisca Isabel Rita Gertrudes Joanna (born 17 December 1734 – died 20 March 1816). She married her uncle, Infante Peter of Portugal, and they had children. After her father died, she became the first queen to rule Portugal on her own.
Maria Ana Francisca Dorotea Josefa Antonia Gertrudes Rita Joanna Efigenia (born 7 October 1736 – died 6 May 1813). She was considered as a possible wife for the French prince, Louis. However, her mother did not agree to the marriage, and she never married.
Maria Francisca Doroteia Josefa Antónia Gertrudes Rita Joanna Efigénia de Braganca (born 21 September 1739 – died 14 January 1771). She was also considered for marriage to a French nobleman, but she refused and died unmarried.
Maria Francisca Benedita Ana Isabel Joanna Antonia Laurencia Inacia Teresa Gertrudes Rita Rosa (born 25 July 1746 – died 18 August 1829). She married her nephew, Joseph, Prince of Brazil, but they did not have any children.

Joseph I of Portugal facts for kids

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