Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

John VI of Portugal

Role / Field:

King of Portugal and Brazil, navigating the end of absolute monarchy.

Born:

1767-05-13

Died:

1826-03-10

Century / Era:

1767s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Dom John VI (Portuguese: João Maria José Francisco Xavier de Paula Luís António Domingos Rafael; 13 May 1767 – 10 March 1826), known as "the Clement" (o Clemente), was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves from 1816 to 1825, and after the recognition of Brazil's independence, titular Emperor of Brazil and King of Portugal until his death in 1826. John VI was born in Lisbon during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King Dom Joseph I of Portugal. He was the second son of the Princess of Brazil and Infante Peter of Portugal, who later became Queen Dona Maria I and King Dom Peter III. In 1785, John married Carlota Joaquina of Spain, with whom he had nine children.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He became heir to the throne when his older brother, Prince José, died of smallpox in 1788. Before his accession to the throne, John bore the titles Duke of Braganza, Duke of Beja, and Prince of Brazil. From 1799, he served as prince regent due to his mother's mental illness. In 1816, he succeeded his mother as monarch of the Portuguese Empire, with no real change in his authority, since he already possessed absolute powers as regent. One of the last representatives of absolute monarchy in Europe...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Andrew Jackson — Contemporary (Born in 1767) (1767): Seventh U.S. President, champion of Jacksonian democracy and controversial figure.
• Benjamin Constant — Contemporary (Born in 1767) (1767): Swiss-French political thinker, writer, and republican activist.
• Black Hawk (Sauk leader) — Contemporary (Born in 1767) (1767): Sauk leader and warrior whose life spanned pivotal conflicts in the American Midwest.
• Bernhard Riemann — Contemporary (Born in 1826) (1826): Pioneering mathematician whose work shaped modern analysis, geometry, and number theory.
• Carl Maria von Weber — Contemporary (Died in 1826) (1826): Pioneering German composer, central to the development of German Romantic opera.
• Cetshwayo — Contemporary (Born in 1826) (1826): King of the Zulu Kingdom, pivotal figure in 19th-century Southern African history.
• Aleksey Khomyakov — Shared historical date (05-13 · Born) (1804): Founding theoretician of the Slavophile movement in Russian philosophy.
• Alexander Fadeyev (writer) — Shared historical date (05-13 · Died) (1956): Soviet writer and politician, co-founder of the Union of Soviet Writers.
• Ahn Chang Ho — Shared historical date (03-10 · Died) (1938): Pioneering Korean independence activist and leader of the Korean-American community.
• Alfred Peet — Shared historical date (03-10 · Born) (1920): Dutch-American founder credited with starting the US specialty coffee revolution.
• 1767 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1767
• May 13 (05-13) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 13
• 1826 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1826
• March 10 (03-10) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on March 10

Frequently Asked Questions about John VI of Portugal