Manuel II of Portugal
King Manuel II
(r: 1908-1910) Manuel II of Portugal, Manuel Maria Filipe Carlos Amélio Luís Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Francisco de Assis Eugénio (March 19, 1889 - July 2, 1932) reigned as Portugal's last King from 1908 - 1910, following the assassination of King Carlos and his older brother, Prince Luis Filipe. The young King sought to save the fragile position of the Braganza monarchy by dismissing the dictator João Franco and his entire cabinet in 1908. Free elections were declared in which republicans and socialists won an overwhelming victory. Revolution erupted on October 4, 1910 and Manuel fled to England with the royal family as his palace was being shelled.
He lived in exile in the United Kingdom. On September 4, 1913 he married Augusta Viktoria, Princess of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1890 - 1966). Manuel wrote an invaluable guide to medieval and Renaissance Portuguese literature, but died young. Royalist movements in Portugal subsequent to 1910 failed to restore the Braganza dynasty.
Manuel died on July 2, 1932 at Fulwell Park, Twickenham, Middlesex. Following his death, the seniority in the Royal House of Portugal was transferred to Miguel II, Duke of Braganza, his cousin.
