House of Braganza Manuel II named as his heir Duarte Nuno of Braganza, grandson of Miguel. Duarte Nuno, now Duke of Braganza, remained the Braganza pretender until his death in 1976. In 1942, he married a great-granddaughter of Emperor Pedro II of Brazil, uniting the two lines of the House. In 1950 Portugal repealed the law of exile against the Braganzas, and D. Duarte Nuno moved to the country in 1952. Duarte Nuno was succeeded as pretender by his son, Duarte Pio of Braganza (born 1945). Duarte Pio served in the Portuguese Armed Forces and took the customary oath of allegiance to the
House of Braganza Afonso quickly became the King's preferred advisor. On 30 December 1442, the Duke of Coimbra, still the King's regent and thus acting in his name, created Afonso as the Duke of Braganza, as a gesture of good will and reconciliation between the two brothers. Afonso's elevation to the dukedom, the highest level of nobility, marked the foundation of the House of Braganza, which was to become a key family in Portuguese history. As a result of the hard work and success of Afonso I, his children all secured successful positions and lived privileged lives. Afonso I's first son, Afonso of