John III of Portugal 1 2
- Born: 6 Jun 1502
- Marriage: Katherina Habsburg in 1525
- Died: 11 Jun 1557, Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal aged 55
Cause of his death was apoplexy.
General Notes:
John III of Portugal, the Pious, (Portuguese: João III) was the fifteenth king of Portugal. Born in Lisbon, he was the son of King Manuel I of Portugal by his wife, Maria of Aragon, princess of Spain. João III succeeded his father in 1521.
John III succeeded to the crown at a time when Portugal was at the height of its political power, and Lisbon in a position of commercial importance previously unknown. The Asian possessions were extended by further conquest, and systematic colonization of Brazil was begun.
John, unfortunately for his dominions, became subservient to the clerical party among his subjects and the Inquisition was introduced in 1536. The consequences were disastrous to the commercial and social prosperity of his kingdom. Portugal was falling into the stagnation that characterized the reign of Sebastian I, who succeeded him.
He died of apoplexy in Lisbon.
Noted events in his life were:
• Acceded: King of Portugal & Algarve, 1521.
John married Katherina Habsburg, daughter of Philip I the Handsome Habsburg and Joanna the Mad of Castile, in 1525. (Katherina Habsburg was born on 14 Jan 1507 in Torquemada, , Castilla y León, Spain and died on 12 Feb 1578 in Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal.)
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