Count of Barcelos (in Portuguese ''Conde de Barcelos'') is a title of nobility, the first to be granted in

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, In recognized minority languages of Portugal: :* mwl, República Pertuesa is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula, in Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Macaronesian ...

. It was created in 1298 by king Denis I and initially it was a non hereditary title, although most of the holders belonged to the Teles de Menezes family. It was only after the death of the 6th Count, when it was granted to

Nuno Álvares Pereira D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, O. Carm. (; 24 June 1360 – 1 November 1431) was a Portuguese general of great success who had a decisive role in the 1383-1385 Crisis that assured Portugal's independence from Castile. He later became a mystic ...

, that the title became hereditary. The 8th Count of Barcelos was created Duke of Braganza in 1442, by his nephew king Afonso V, and his descendants rose to the Portuguese throne after the country regained its independence from Spain in 1640. Initially, the seat of the Counts of Barcelos was the Castle of Barcelos, a large medieval structure that overlooks the Cávado river. After having been granted the Dukedom of Braganza, the family moved to a larger and more urbane palace in Guimarães. The title is currently held by Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza and 31st Count of Barcelos, claimant to the throne of Portugal.

List of the Counts of Barcelos

Non-hereditary title (1298)

*1. João Afonso Telo; *2. Martim Gil de Riba de Vizela, also known as Martim Gil de Sousa (1st Count's son in law); *3.

Pedro Afonso Pedro Afonso may refer to: *Pedro Afonso, Count of Barcelos (d. 1350), Portuguese historian * Pedro Afonso, Tocantins, Brazilian municipality *Pedro Afonso, Prince Imperial of Brazil See also *Pedro Alfonso *Petrus Alphonsi Petrus Alphonsi (d ...

, natural son of King Denis I of Portugal; *4. João Afonso Telo, also 1st Count of Ourém; *5. Afonso Teles de Meneses, 4th count's son. Since he died before his father, the title reverted to his father; *6. João Afonso Telo, 4th count's nephew, son of Martim Afonso Telo de Meneses, and also brother of Queen

Leonor Teles Leonor Teles (or Teles de Meneses; ) was queen consort of Portugal by marriage to King Ferdinand I, and one of the protagonists, along with her brothers and her daughter Beatrice, of the events that led to the succession crisis of 1383–1385, ...

Hereditary title (1385)

*7.

*8.

Afonso Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic kingdom in the Iberian peninsula. ...

, also Duke of Braganza (1442), son in law of the 7th Count. For the list of holders after this date, see Dukes of Braganza.

Bibliography

"Nobreza de Portugal e do Brasil" – Vol. II, pages 376-401. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989. {{authority control Barcelos Barcelos 1298 establishments in Europe 13th-century establishments in Portugal