John III of Portugal

John III (June 6, 1502–June 11, 1557; Portuguese: João III), nicknamed o Piedoso ("the Pious") was the fifteenth king of Portugal.

Life

Prince John was King Manuel's first son. His birth on June 6, 1502, was celebrated with a masterpiece of Portuguese theater, Visitation Play, or: the Monologue of the Cowherd' (Auto da Visitação ou Monólgo do Vaqueiro) of Gil Vicente, presented at the Queen's chamber.

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The young prince was sworn heir to the throne in 1503 and was educated by notables of the time, including the astrologer Tomás de Torres and Diogo de Ortiz, Bishop of Viseu. One of his teachers was Luís Teixeira, a humanist educated in Italy. John's chronicler says that "Dom João III faced problems easily, complementing his lack of culture with a practice formation that he always showed during his reign" (António de Castilho, Elogio d'el-rei D. João de Portugal, terceiro, do nome). In 1514, he received his own house, and a few years later he began to help his father in administrative duties.

Related Topics:
1503 - Astrologer - Tomás de Torres - Diogo de Ortiz, Bishop of Viseu - Luís Teixeira - Humanist - Italy - Chronicler - Culture - 1514

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When he was 16 years old he was chosen to marry the 20-year-old Eleanor of Austria, his first cousin, eldest daughter of Philip the Handsome of Austria-Burgundy and queen Joanna of Castile, but in the end she married his father Manuel I, a decision that John took as an offence. In fact, his chroniclers say he was never the same, turning himself blue and melancholic. Some historians say this fact was one of the reasons for John to become a religious fanatic.

Related Topics:
Eleanor of Austria - Philip the Handsome - Joanna of Castile - Blue - Melancholic - Fanatic

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On December 19, 1521, at the age of 19, he was crowned and acclaimed in the Church of Saint Dominique in Lisbon. At this point, his thirty-six-year reign began, characterized by intense activity in internal and overseas politics and especially in relations with other major European states.

Related Topics:
December 19 - 1521 - Lisbon

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The marriage of John's sister, Princess Isabella of Portugal, to Charles V made it possible for the Portuguese king to strengthen his alliance with Spain and the Holy Roman Empire. To fortify his ties with Austria, he married his maternal first cousin Catherine of Austria, younger sister of Charles V and of his erstwhile fiancée Eleanor, in the town of Crato. John had nine children from that marriage, but most of them died early in their lives, and by the time of John's death, only his grandson, Sebastian, was in a condition to inherit the crown.

Related Topics:
Princess Isabella - Portugal - Charles V - Holy Roman Empire - Austria - Catherine of Austria - Crato - Sebastian

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John III continued centralizing the absolutist politics of his ancestors. He called for the Cortes only three times and at great intervals: 1525 in Torres Novas, 1535 in Évora and 1544 in Almeirim. He also tried to restructure administrative and judicial life in his realm.

Related Topics:
Absolutist - Cortes - 1525 - Torres Novas - 1535 - Évora - 1544 - Almeirim

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