Much can be said about a man who takes his name from the very Order where his merit was shown. John Avis I of Portugal would place his mark on Portuguese history in spite of his natural birth.
John, Son of Peter I And Teresa (1357-1385?)
He was born as an illegitimate child of King Peter I and a woman named Teresa. As expected, he was not granted many opportunities in life. However, he did prove his worth when he became grandmaster of the Order of Aviz.
John of Aviz (1385?-1433)
It is from that Order that John earned his new surname. It derived from the Portuguese city of Avis where the Order was stationed.
When a succession crisis took place after Peter I\’s death, John took the advantage to become king.
He would then lay the foundation for the House of Aviz to become a noble house.
Sources
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). \”John I. of Portugal\”. Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 443.
- Wikipedia.
- Avis, Portugal
- House of Aviz
- John I of Portugal
- Military Order of Aviz