page_title: Prince Miguel, Duke of Viseu
section_title: Early life
hierarchical_section_title: Prince Miguel, Duke of Viseu / Early life
caption_attribution_description: English: Miguel, Duke of Braganza (1853-1927) with the children by his first wife: Prince Miguel (1878-1923), Prince Francis Joseph (1879-1919) and Princess Maria Theresia (1881–1945)
context_page_description: Prince Miguel of Braganza, Duke of Viseu was a member of the exiled branch of the House of Braganza. The eldest son of the Miguelist pretender to the throne of Portugal he married an American heiress in 1909 and in 1920 renounced his rights to the throne. His full given names were Miguel Maria Sebastião Maximiliano Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Francisco D'Assis e de Paula Eustachio Carlos Afonso José Henrique Alberto Clemente Ignacio Martinho Antonio Gerardo Jorge Emmeric Mauricio.
context_section_description: Miguel was born in Reichenau an der Rax, Austria-Hungary the eldest son and heir of the Miguelist pretender to the Portuguese throne Miguel, Duke of Braganza and his first wife Princess Elisabeth of Thurn and Taxis. Prince Miguel's father was the head of the non reigning branch of the Portuguese Royal House that had been exiled from Portugal. The exile was the result of the Portuguese law of banishment of 1834 and the constitution of 1838 which was brought about because in 1828 his grandfather Miguel usurped the throne of Portugal from his niece Queen Maria II. His grandfather reigned as king until 1834 when Maria II was restored.
  Like his father Miguel pursued a career in the Army and served in a Saxon cavalry regiment. On 16 September 1900 Miguel was riding back into town in a Phaeton after having attended a dinner at a country house, when he caught his wheels in the carriage of Prince Albert, the nephew of King Albert of Saxony. The collision was so great that the carriage overturned into a ditch, with the prince dying of his injuries a few hours after. Because it could not be determined whether it was an accident or intentional Miguel escaped a court martial but he was forced to give up his commission in the Army and leave the country.
  A year later he caused more controversy when it was discovered that while King Carlos I of Portugal was visiting the United Kingdom, Miguel had entered Portugal with the aim of assisting an uprising against the king. After this was discovered he effectively became a social outcast.
caption: Prince Miguel (far right) with his father, brother Francis Joseph and sister Maria Theresia
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