John IV.

King of Portugal (r. 1640-1656). John IV was descended on his father’s side from the first duke of Braganza, the illegitimate son of King John I(r. 1385-1433), the first king of the Aviz Dynasty. John IV’s grandmother, Catherine, was the granddaughter of King Manuel I (r. 1495-1521). John grew up at the Braganza palace at Vila Viçosa in the Alentejo, the most productive region of Portugal. Educated to be a nobleman, John was tutored in general education, riding, hunting, and fencing. He preferred hunting to military skills, but his real passion was music.