The 3rd Count of Portalegre, D. Álvaro da Silva, was succeeded by his granddaughter, D. Filipa da Silva, thanks to a royal dispensation of the Lei Mental, which stated that all Crown assets, including titles of nobility, could only be inherited by male primogeniture.
Filipa married twice, in both cases with distant cousins. Firstly to D. Pedro de Lancastre, son of the 1st Duke of Aveiro, with whom she had one daughter who died young. Her second marriage was to the Spanish ambassador, Juan de Silva, very influential during the reign of Sebastian I of Portugal and who, on his marriage, became 4th Count of Portalegre and inherited the office of Mordomo-mór. He participated with the Portuguese in the Battle of Alcacer Quibir, where he fell prisoner to the moors. During the transitional reign of Henry I of Portugal, the Cardinal King, he was a firm supporter of Philip II of Spain's claims to the throne of Portugal.
The Habsburgs rewarded this House's fidelity with new honours and titles, elevating the 6th Count to the marquessate of Gouvêa, a Portuguese noble title granted by Letters Patent of King Philip III of Portugal, (IV of Spain), dated 20 January 1625). The title of Count of Portalegre was then used by the heir presumptive of the House of Gouvêa.
When the 2nd Marquess of Gouvêa died without issue, this assets, honours and titles were incorporated into the House of the Counts of Santa Cruz, with the 5th Count inheriting the office of Mordomo-mor and his eldest son the marquessate of Gouvêa.
The 6th Marquess of Gouvêa died without legitimate issue, following the unfortunate trial of his father, 5th Marquess of Gouvêa and 8th Duke of Aveiro, who was found guilty of treason. His inheritable assets were passed on to his cousin, the 3rd Marquess of Lavradio, eldest grandson of his father's sister, whose legitimate issue continues to the present day.
List of counts of Portalegre
Diogo da Silva, 1st Count of Portalegre (1430-? );
João da Silva, 2nd Count of Portalegre (1480-? ), son of the 1st count;
Álvaro da Silva, 3rd Count of Portalegre (1505–1580), son of the 2nd count;
Duke of Aveiro was a Portuguese title of nobility, granted in 1535 by King John III of Portugal to his 4th cousin, John of Lencastre, son of Infante George of Lencastre, a natural son of King John II of Portugal.
Count of Cantanhede was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from 6 August 1479, by King Afonso V of Portugal, and granted to D. Pedro de Menezes, 5th Lord of Cantanhede.
Count of Ericeira was a title created by King Philip III of Portugal, through a 1 March 1622 letter in favour of Diogo de Meneses (1553–1625).
Count of Santa Cruz was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree of King Philip II of Portugal, also known as Philip III of Spain, dated from October 3, 1593, and granted to Francisco de Mascarenhas (1530-1608), nephew of Dom Pedro de Mascarenhas, 6th Viceroy of Portuguese India.
Marquess of Gouveia was a Portuguese title of nobility created by King Philip III of Portugal, also known as Philip IV of Spain, by a royal decree dated from January 20, 1625, granted to Manrique da Silva, who already was 6th Count of Portalegre, second male child of the 4th Counts of Portalegre.
Marquis of Vila Real was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from 1 March 1489, by King John II of Portugal, and granted to Dom Pedro de Menezes, also known as Peter II of Menezes, 3rd Count of Vila Real.
João de Lencastre, was the older son of Jorge de Lencastre, Duke of Coimbra and of his wife Dona Beatriz of Vilhena.
Álvaro of Lencastre (1540–1626) was the son of Afonso of Lencastre, second son of infante George of Lencastre, 2nd Duke of Coimbra.
Álvaro of Braganza was the 4th son of Ferdinand I, 2nd Duke of Braganza and his wife, Dona Joana de Castro.
Count of Abrantes was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from June 13, 1476, by King Afonso V of Portugal, and granted to his 4th cousin, Lopo de Almeida.
Manuel of Menezes was the second son of Pedro de Menezes 5th Marquis of Vila Real and of his wife, Beatrice of Lara.
D. António de Almeida Soares de Portugal, 1st Count and 1st Marquess of Lavradio, 4th Count of Avintes, Governor General of Angola and Viceroy of Brazil. Born in Lisbon, Portugal on 1 May 1701; died in São Salvador da Bahia, Brazil on 4 July 1760. The first Marquess of Lavradio was a prominent Portuguese statesman and the head of an established noble family.
The House of Abrantes descends from the ancient and noble Almeida family.
D. Felipe da Silva was a Portuguese soldier in the service of Spain.
Marquess of Lavradio is a Portuguese title of nobility created by Letters Patent of King José I of Portugal on 18 October 1753 for D. António de Almeida Soares de Portugal, 1st Count of Lavradio and 4th Count of Avintes.
D. Luís de Almeida Portugal Soares de Alarcão de Eça e Melo Silva Mascarenhas, 2nd Marquis of Lavradio and 5th Count of Avintes was a Portuguese nobleman and colonial administrator, Viceroy of Brazil from 1769 to 1778. He was the second ruler of the colony after its capital was moved from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro in 1763. He was the son and heir of the 1st Marquis of the same title, D. António de Almeida Soares e Portugal and his wife, D. Francisca das Chagas Mascarenhas, sister of the 8th Duke of Aveiro. During the Spanish invasion of Portugal in 1762, he commanded the 1st Cascais Infantry Regiment as its Colonel.
Pedro de Menezes Portocarrero, was a 15th-century Portuguese nobleman and military figure. Pedro de Menezes was the 2nd Count of Viana do Alentejo, 1st Count of Vila Real and the first Portuguese governor of Ceuta.
Count of Avintes is a Portuguese title of nobility created by Letters Patent of King Afonso VI of Portugal on 17 February 1664 for D. Luis de Almeida, 5th Lord of Avintes. The title was conferred in perpetuity upon the 4th Count by King José I of Portugal in the same document by which he was elevated to the Marquessate of Lavradio, later confirmed by Letters Patent dated 29 August 1766.
Count of Lavradio is a Portuguese title of nobility created twice.
Count of Torres Vedras is a Portuguese title of nobility created by King Felipe III of Portugal, possibly in 1626, for D. João Soares de Alarcão, 9th Alcaide-mor of Torres Vedras and Governor General of the then Portuguese enclave of Ceuta.
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