Peter II of Portugal

Pedro II, Regent (1668-1683) and King of Portugal (1683-1706)

The second son of Dom João IV, he was appointed regent for his insane brother Dom Afonso VI in 1668, shortly after Spanish recognition of Portugal's independence. Pedro came to the throne in his own right after Afonso's death in 1683. Around this time, the discovery of silver mines in Brazil enlarged Pedro's treasury to the extent that he was able to dismiss the Cortes in 1697 and rule without its revenue grants for the rest of his reign. Initially Pedro supported France in the War of Spanish Succession (1702-1715), but on May 16, 1703, Portugal and Britain signed the famous Methuen Treaty. This trade accord granted mutual commercial privileges for Portuguese wine and English textile traders, and would later give Britain a huge clout in the Portuguese economy. This was followed in December 1703 by a military alliance between Portugal, Austria and Great Britain for an invasion of Spain. Portuguese and Allied forces had captured and then been expelled from Madrid as Pedro died in December 1706. He was succeeded by his son, Dom João V.