John II of Portugal
Portuguese king who restored monarchy and advanced African exploration.
John II, known as the Perfect Prince, was King of Portugal from 1481 to 1495 and briefly in 1477. He reestablished royal authority, revived the Portuguese economy, and renewed exploration of Africa and Asia.
Quick Facts
- Predecessor
- Afonso V
- Reign
- 28 August 1481 – 25 October 1495
- Coronation
- 31 August 1481, Sintra
- Successor
- Manuel I
- Born
- 3 May 1455
- Birthplace
- São Jorge Castle, Portugal
- Died
- 25 October 1495
- Place of death
- Alvor, Algarve
Facts from the source article.
Early life
John was born in Lisbon on 3 May 1455, the second son of Afonso V and Isabella of Coimbra. At one month old, on 25 June 1455, he was declared legitimate heir and received an oath of allegiance from the three estates. After his mother died in December 1455, John and his older sister Joanna were raised by a governess, Beatriz de Vilhena, and influenced by their aunt Philippa of Coimbra. In 1468, Afonso V and Henry IV of Castile attempted a double marriage linking John to Henry's daughter Joanna, but Isabella of Castile refused. John instead married his first cousin Eleanor of Viseu on 22 January 1471; he was fond of her but disapproved of the match due to her dynastic insignificance. He accompanied his father in northern African campaigns and was knighted after the Conquest of Arzila in August 1471. John urged his father to marry Joanna and invade Castile, though leading nobles opposed this. Afonso and John entered Castile on 12 May 1475 with an army; Afonso proceeded to Palencia while John returned to govern. Joanna and Afonso were betrothed and proclaimed sovereigns of Castile on 25 May. That month, John's wife Eleanor gave birth to their only surviving child, Afonso. In late 1475, Afonso requested reinforcements; John raised an army and left for Castile in January 1476, appointing Eleanor regent.
Reign
After his accession, John worked to reduce the power of the nobility, which had grown under his father. In 1481 he assembled the Cortes in Evora and held a ceremony requiring magnates to swear allegiance as his unequivocal superior, a move seen as humiliating by nobles accustomed to the king as first among equals. He also declared that property title deeds would be examined for validity, and deprived nobles of the right to administer justice on their estates, authorizing crown officials to inspect and dispense justice. These assertions of royal supremacy provoked resentment. By 1482, Fernando, Duke of Braganza, and his followers conspired for John's deposition, allegedly with support from the Catholic Monarchs. John had Fernando arrested, tried, convicted of twenty-two counts of treason, and publicly beheaded in June 1483; the House of Braganza's assets were confiscated and the family fled to Castile. Further intrigue arose behind Diogo, Duke of Viseu, John's cousin and brother to Queen Eleanor. In September 1484, John summoned Diogo, confronted him with evidence of treason, and stabbed him to death; other ringleaders were persecuted. John enriched the Crown by executing or exiling most feudal lords and confiscating their estates, keeping the creation of titles to a minimum. He made commercial activity in Africa a crown monopoly, and the profits funded exploration, reduced his reliance on the cortes, and strengthened royal power. In 1484 he began minting gold Justo coins depicting him seated on a throne in full armor holding a sword.
Legacy
The nickname the Perfect Prince is a posthumous appellation referring to Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince, as John II is considered to have lived according to the writer's idea of a perfect prince. He was admired as one of the greatest European monarchs of his time; Isabella I of Castile often called him El Hombre. The Italian scholar Poliziano wrote a letter thanking John on behalf of the century for his quasi-divine merits, considering his achievements more meritorious than those of Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar, and offered to write an epic about his navigation and conquests. John replied positively on 23 October 1491 but delayed the commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was John II of Portugal born?
John II of Portugal was born on 3 May 1455 in São Jorge Castle, Portugal.
When did John II of Portugal die?
John II of Portugal died on 25 October 1495 in Alvor, Algarve.
More in Portuguese Exploration in the Age of Discovery
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced