Manuel Pinto de Sousa-Arronches

## Marquis of Marialva

Portrait of the Marquis in Marseille, while abroad

**Manuel,  Marquis of Marialva** (Manuel Pinto de Sousa-Arronches) is a Portuguese noblemen and courtier.  He is most known for being a landowner and civil servant of noble Portuguese background.  Though to his families dismay not found of court life at home in Portugal.  He is also a smaller author writing personal unpublished books on the ideals of the enlightenment starting shortly after he went on a trip abroad, though France and Italian regions.

The marquis while abroad in his earlier years,  became fascinated around the idea's of enlightenment and has sense become a staunch supporter of the enlightenment. He has written multiple books on his personal ideals on the enlightenment as well as criticize certain aspects of it,  attempting to make his own version which he himself can properly follow while adhering to his strict catholic faith.

He was widely considered as a devout member of the faith and catholic church having visited Rome several times,  as well as funding multiple missionaries in the New World. Though once he resettled in Portugal many of these practices stopped with him irregularly attending holy mass.

## Biography

### **Early Years**

Manuel Pinto de Sousa-Arronches,  Was born on a small family estate in February 18th,  1707. He was raised in a modest life for majority of his childhood, being able to attend education with a paid tutor. As a child he rarely communicated with other children and instead indulged quietly in studies and reading on the adventures of the many explorers of the New World, and Marco Polo's adventures across Asia. He was at the time scrawny, so his parents did heavily feed him causing him to form gluttonous attitudes later in life.

At the age of fifteen, he was allowed by his father to explore Brasíl for his first time accompanied by his tutor and governance. It was here which he truly gained his aspiration of exploring and adventure. Whenever he had a spare chance he would venture out at night, gaze into the stars, and leave the property which he was restricted onto. Upon his return in Portugal he was deeply disappointed to find none of the adventure he had found in Brasíl during his six month stay.

Upon the age of eighteen an arranged marriage of himself and a smaller female noble by the name of Maiara Garcia. He refused this marriage causing a deep divide between himself and his father and mother. He did this namely due to the fact his previous lover *Izabel Gusmão*  just forcefully left him several months prior. His relations with the rest of his family following this would deteriorate for quite some time. Maiara Garcia, later that year married another noblemen, with the Marquis being urged to attend out of respect for the family though did not. He did attempt to make some repairs by funding minor missionaries in the new world.

At the age of nineteen, he went abroad to numerous nations across Europe and the Mediterranean. He went from Barcelona to Marseille initially through sea. Upon arrival in Marseille he adventured out daily into the port, and local countryside adventuring and ignored all notices from his family in Portugal. A week after he arrived at Marseille he departed to Roma and explored the ancient architecture and once again, gained a new passion in the greco-roman politics. He attempted to meet the pope though due to his low standing amongst the Catholic church he did not meet him, though did meet several cardinals, and other holy deacons. He returned to Portugal a month before his twentieth birthday.

Once he returned to Portugal, he would attend court for the first official time, remaining quiet to himself and in private in an attempt to make amends namely with his mother. His mother did refuse to meet him causing his attempts to come in vain. He has sense kept a somewhat quiet court life, though on occasion, being outspoken, he has generally kept quiet and resumed self studies.

### **Education**

The Marquis has had access to some of the best education in Portugal and has theoretically *devoured* as much as he could, and himself expanded upon it. As soon as he had access to a tudor and governess, he acquired as much education as he possibly could and even started independently studying at an age of ten, by reading books and adventure stories published by Marco Polo.

## Family and Lovers

Due to numerous causes namely stemming from the marquis's refusal to follow through with his parents request for an arranged marriage, for another lover, his relations with the rest of his family are heavily strained, and are considered embarrassing for the direct family of them in the court. Though the Marquis has attempted to repair relations with his mother, it is widely a failed attempt.

### **Izabel Gusmão**

*Izabel Gusmão*,Was the Marquis's first love interest and by far the person he was most devout to. He met her in Lisbon at his age of seventeen. They quickly moved in together in a smaller apartment of one of his families estates he was independently occupying. Once his father discovered the relationship, he ordered he immediately leave her and return to court immediately. He did follow through, though regretfully and in response his mental health deteriorated for the time, with him gaining heavy depression.

Two months after and Izabel had been forcefully split up his father had informed him of an arranged marriage with a small noblewomen Maiara Garcia, which he declined to his father and mothers dismay. This heavily strained relations amongst the family, and caused the Marquis to go abroad into the Mediterranean and place several hundred kilometers between himself and his father.

## Appearance and Personality

### **Appearance**

With his parents during his childhood feeding him heavily as a child, he was phrased as 'Sir Manuel Glutton' by his young peers during his teenage years. Due to this in his later years, he has developed an addiction to food, and rather large. Due to this, his legs did not properly develop during his teenage years, causing rather weak legs and nimble legs.

Despite his broad appearance, he does counter this with his height which is majority in his torso and upper legs. With his height being recorded at a staggering 5'11. With that balancing out his appearance.

### **Personality**

Many courtiers would describe the Marquis as holding a small voice in court, with himself spending majority of his time outside of court and abroad in the Mediterranean. When in court, he keeps to himself, though when he speaks, he becomes widely outspoken. He does prefer the country, and traveling abroad far much more than remaining in court, which developed when he was a child being fascinated with the colony of Brasíl.

In his personal life outside of court, when placed in the front of the frontier of adventure, his whole attitude towards life changes. With himself having partaken in smaller adventures into the jungles of the Amazon though shallowly. Though whenever he returns to Portugal, he does become heavily depressed and lonely when in his own family estates or in court actively. Due to the previous three loves of his life dying in his younger ages. He has staunchly kept out from marriage despite members of his house urging him to do so due to that. Some calling him 'The Virgin Marquess', His parents proceed to attempt to negotiate arranged marriages only for his refusal.