Count of Santa Cruz

Count of Santa Cruz (in Portuguese Conde de Santa Cruz) was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree of King Philip II of Portugal, also known as Philip III of Spain, dated from October 3, 1593, and granted to Francisco de Mascarenhas (1530-1608), nephew of Dom Pedro de Mascarenhas, 6th Viceroy of Portuguese India.

Through a remarkable marriage policy, this family inherited several other titles and estates, such as Marquess of Gouveia in 1686, and Duke of Aveiro in 1745.

List of the counts[]

1. Francisco Mascarenhas (1530–1608), 1st Count of Vila da Horta and 13th Viceroy of Portuguese India;
2. (1570–?), 2nd Count of Santa Cruz;
3. (1610–? ), 3rd Countess of Santa Cruz. She married a distant cousin, João de Mascarenhas (1600-1668), who became 3rd Count of Santa Cruz by marriage;
4. (1630–1676), 4th Count of Santa Cruz;
5. (1650–1691), 5th Count of Santa Cruz;
6. (1681–1723), 6th Count of Santa Cruz and 3rd Marquess of Gouveia;
7. (1699–?), 7th Count of Santa Cruz and 4th Marquess of Gouveia, forced to renounce the title after fleeing Portugal for adultery, he chose to live maritally with his mother;
8. (1708–1759), 8th Count of Santa Cruz, 5th Marquess of Gouveia and 8th Duke of Aveiro;
9. (1740–1804), 9th Count of Santa Cruz and 6th Marquess of Gouveia. The last Count of Santa Cruz before the title was extinct following the Távora affair.

See also[]

• Marquess of Gouveia
• Duke of Aveiro
• Távora affair

Count and Marquis of Santa Cruz (Brazilian title)[]

During the Brazilian Empire, there was also a title of Count of Santa Cruz, later upgraded to Marquis of Santa Cruz, granted to Romualdo António de Seixas (1787-1860), and it should not be confused with this Portuguese title.

External links[]

• Genealogical information on the Counts of Santa Cruz (Portugal) (in Portuguese)
• Genealogical information on the Count od Santa Cruz (Brazil) (in Portuguese)