in absentia and seized his estates, but Dom Pedro, Emperor of Brazil, appointed Palmela guardian to his daughter, the rightful Queen Maria II, and he acted as her ambassador at the British court. In 1830 he set up the young queen’s regency on Terceira in the Azores; it was at this time that he became acquainted with Captain Charles Napier whom he considered the best person to command the Liberals' navy. When Dom Pedro took charge of the regency in person in 1832 he named Palmela as his foreign minister, in which capacity he acted against Miguel from London. In 1833 he sailed with Charles Napier bringing mercenary reinforcements to Oporto, where Pedro was being besieged, and took part in the subsequent expedition to the Algarve of Napier and the Duke of Terceira. After Napier’s naval victory off Cape St Vincent enabled Pedro to occupy Lisbon, Palmela retired from his offices. Constitutional Monarchy He served as the first Prime Minister of the newly formed constitutional monarchy in Portugal from 24 September 1834 to 4 May 1835. He served briefly Prime Minister again in February 1842 (for two days, in the so-called Shrovetide Cabinet), and from March to October 1846 (during the height of the Revolution of Maria da Fonte). Dom Pedro was successively made Count of Palmela (by Queen Maria I, on 11 April 1812), Marquis of Palmela (by King John VI on 3 July 1823) and Duke of Faial (by Queen Maria II on 4 April 1836). Finally, on 18 October 1850, Queen Maria II substituted its Dukedom of Faial by the new title of Duke of Palmela. Marriage and Issue On 4 June 1810 Pedro de Sousa Holstein married Eugénia Francisca Xavier Teles da Gama (1798–1860). Their issue was: Alexandre de Sousa e Holstein (1812–1832), 1st Count of Calhariz; Domingos de Sousa Holstein (1818–1864), succeeded his father as 2nd Duke of Palmela; Rodrigo de Sousa (1824–1840), Francisco de Sousa Holstein (1838–1878), 1st Marquis of Sousa Holstein; Tomás de Sousa e Holstein Beck (1839–1887), 1st Marquis of Sesimbra; Filipe de Sousa Holstein (1841–1884), 1st Marquis of Monfalim; See also Devorismo References External links Genealogy of Pedro Sousa Holstein, 1st Duke of Palmela, in Portuguese |- Counts of Palmela Margraves of Palmela Dukes of Palmela Dukes of Faial Portuguese diplomats 1781 births 1850 deaths Prime Ministers of Portugal Finance ministers of Portugal Foreign ministers of Portugal Ambassadors of Portugal to