House of Braganza Braganza has allegedly suffered from the Curse of the Braganzas (Portuguese: "Maldição dos Braganças"). For supposedly mistreating a Franciscan friar, a curse was purportedly placed on King João IV of Portugal, stating that never again would a first-born male of the Braganza Dynasty would live long enough to succeed to the throne. Since the reign of King João IV, all first-born Braganza males, with only three exceptions, have died before they had the opportunity to reign as monarch, either in Portugal or Brazil. Supposed victims of the Curse of the Braganzas: Genealogical tree of the House of Braganza, during its
House of Orléans-Braganza title he had and his dynastic rights as heir of his mother passed to his brother, Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza, who became Prince Imperial of Brazil. However, years later, after Pedro's death in 1940, his eldest son did not accept his father's resignation and again claimed the Brazilian throne in conflict with Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza, son and heir of Prince Luís, dead in 1920. Thus began a dispute for the crown of Brazil. The descendants of Prince Pedro became known as the "Petrópolis Branch", and the descendants of Prince Luís as "Vassouras Branch". After the resignation of Pedro