Page "Portuguese succession crisis of 1580" Paragraph 10

Instead, Ranuccio's mother's younger sister Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, claimed the throne, very ambitiously, but failed.

Catherine was married to João I, Duke of Braganza ( descendant in male line from Afonso I, Duke of Braganza, an illegitimate son of King John I of Portugal ), who himself was grandson of the late Duke Jaime of Braganza, also a legitimate heir of Portugal, being the son of Infanta Isabella, sister of Manuel I and daughter of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, second son of King Duarte I.

The duchess also had a son, Dom Teodósio de Braganza, who would be her royal heir and successor to the throne.

The duchess's claim was relatively strong, as it was reinforced by her husband's position as one of the legitimate heirs ; thus they would both be entitled to hold the kingship.

Moreover, the Duchess was living in Portugal, not abroad, and was not underage, but 40 years old.

Her weaknesses were her gender ( Portugal had not had a generally recognized reigning queen ) and her being the second daughter, there thus existing a genealogically senior claimant.