Story Highlights
- Historical event
- 2 July 1932
- King Manuel II was overthrown in a coup and vas forced to leave Portugal aboard a ship. He spent the most of his remaining life in Great Britain. He died relatively young, being only 42 years old, in Fulwell near London.
On this day, in 1932, Manuel II, the last King in the history of Portugal, died.
This country was a kingdom for nearly 800 years, but just in the era of Manuel II, the monarchy in Portugal was abolished and a republic, with a president at the helm, was established.
It happened in 1910, when Manuel II was only 20 years old. He was then overthrown, and spent the rest of his life in exile.
Interestingly, the last four kings of Portugal, including Manuel II, were actually members of the German House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
The same dynasty also ruled in Great Britain (Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was the husband of Queen Victoria, and the ancestor of all later British monarchs). In fact, the first King of Portugal from the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was a cousin of Prince Albert.
When the revolution broke out in Portugal in 1910, King Manuel II was overthrown in a coup and had to leave the country aboard a ship. He spent the most of his remaining life in Great Britain.
There were some attempts to return him to power in Portugal, in order to restore the monarchy, but they failed. Manuel II died relatively young, only 42 years old, in Fulwell near London.
His death was unexpected, given that he supposedly played tennis and seemed healthy only the day before.
