D. João Regent Prince - 1799 / 1816

D. João was born in 1767. His mother ascended the throne of Portugal in 1777, and in 1788 João's elder brother died, whereby he became the heir apparent of the reigning queen.

In 1792 he assumed the reins of government as Prince Regent in name of his mother, Queen Maria I, who had declined into a mental illness. In 1799 he assumed the title of regent, which he retained until his mother's death in 1816.

In 1807, Portugal was invaded by the French, and the whole royal family fled to Brazil, accompanied by an escort of British ships. In 1816 he was recognized as king of Portugal but he continued to reside in Brazil, which he as regent had raised to the status of a kingdom in 1815.

adapted from Wikipedia