Peter V. (Portugal)

Peter V (Portuguese Dom Pedro de Alcântara Maria Fernando Miguel Rafael Gonzaga Xavier João António Leopoldo Víctor Francisco de Assis Júlio Amélio de Saxe-Coburgo-Gotha e Bragança ; born  September 16, 1837 in Lisbon ; † November 11, 1861 in Lisbon) King of Portugal from the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and ruled from 1853 to 1861.

Life

King Peter V of Portugal

Peter V was the eldest son of Queen Maria II (1819-1853) of Portugal and her husband Ferdinand II of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha . Due to the early death of his mother, he ascended the Portuguese throne at the age of 16. While he was a minor, his father, Ferdinand II, ruled for him, and in 1855 he began to govern independently.

In the same year he dismissed the Prime Minister, the Duke of Saldanha , who had decisively shaped Portuguese politics for many years during the reign of his mother and the reign of his father. Peter V appointed the Duke of Loulé of the Progressive Party for the first time since 1842 again a left-liberal politician (" Setembrist ") as head of government. While his parents had unilaterally given preference to conservative right-wing liberal politicians (" Cartists ", Regeneration Party ), Peter V began with a system that was later to be called "Rotativism" and in which it was ensured that the representatives of both major parties took turns came to power at about the same time. This system was maintained by Peter's successors and was largely in effect until the end of the Portuguese monarchy in 1910.

In 1856/1857 Lisbon was hit by a terrible cholera epidemic. Unlike many nobles and wealthy people, Peter V did not flee the city, but visited hospitals and offered consolation to the sick without worrying about the risk of infection. This selfless behavior increased the popularity of the young king among the people; Peter was called "o rei santo", the holy king.

On May 18, 1858, King Peter V married Stephanie , born Princess of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen , in Lisbon. Stephanie's brother Leopold von Hohenzollern and the Prussian chief master of ceremonies Rudolf von Stillfried-Rattonitz were there .

The further reign of the king was tragic. The young queen died a year after their wedding. Because of this death and the death of a good friend, the king fell into severe depression.

In 1861 the king and two of his brothers fell ill with a fever epidemic while on a trip. First his younger brother Ferdinand died, five days later Peter himself died at the age of only 24. A few weeks later, Prince Johann, another younger brother, also died of the disease.

Peter died without children. The throne therefore fell to another younger brother, Ludwig I (1861–1889) of Portugal.

predecessor	Office	successor
Mary II	King of Portugal 1853–1861	Ludwig I.

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