Duke of Victoria

Duke of Victoria (Portuguese: Duque da Vitória;[1] literally translated as Duke of the Victory) is a Portuguese title of nobility retained by the Duke of Wellington.

Not to be confused with Duke of la Victoria (title) or Duke of Victoria de las Amezcoas.
For other uses, see Duke of Victoria (disambiguation).
Duke of Victoria
Duque da Vitória
Arms of the Dukes of Wellington as Duke of Victoria.
Creation date18 December 1812
MonarchPrince Regent John of Portugal (later King John VI)
Peeragepeerage of Portugal
First holderArthur Wellesley, 1st Marquess of Wellington
Present holderCharles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington
Heir apparentArthur Wellesley, Earl of Mornington
Remainder tothe 1st Duke's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titlesMarquis of Torres Vedras
Count of Vimeiro

The title was created by Prince Regent John of Portugal (later King John VI) on 18 December 1812 to honour the British General Arthur Wellesley, who was the general commander of the armies that eventually defeated the troops of Emperor Napoleon I of France in the Peninsular War. It is the only time that a Portuguese dukedom was granted to a foreigner.

Arthur Wellesley had already received the Portuguese titles Conde de Vimeiro (Count of Vimeiro, 18 October 1811) and Marquês de Torres Vedras (Marquis of Torres Vedras, August 1812), which became subsidiary titles to that of Duque da Vitória. He also received the British peerage title Duke of Wellington, that in addition to other titles and honours from the United Kingdom, Spain and Netherlands. All these titles were passed to his heirs until the present day.

Dukes of Victoria since 1812

The heir apparent is the present holder's son Arthur Gerald Wellesley, whose heir apparent is his son Arthur Darcy Wellesley.

Use of titles of nobility in the Portuguese Republic

With the end of the Portuguese monarchy in 1910, all titles of Portuguese nobility were initially abolished. Notwithstanding, although the status of nobility has not been recognised in law since 1910, legitimate titles of nobility (those granted by a reigning monarch before the 5th October 1910) have been given legal recognition and protection, including under article 26 of the Portuguese Constitution, in conjunction with articles 70 and 72 of the Civil Code, as established by decision of Portugal's Supreme Court of Justice in 2014.

See also

References
  1. "Issue 21388". London Gazette. 6 December 1852. pp. 3563, 3564.
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