Count of Arganil


Count of Arganil is a Portuguese noble title associated with the ecclesiastical position of Bishop of Coimbra. For this reason, its holders have always been designated Bishops-Counts since its concession. 
The title of Count of Arganil was established by Letter of September 25, 1472 from King Afonso V in favor of the former 20th Prior-Major of the Monastery of Santa Cruz de Coimbra and 36th Bishop of Coimbra, D. João Galvão, as reward for his participation in the conquest of Asilah and Tangier. This 1st Count of Arganil, in a provision dated November 25, 1471, signed as Count of Santa Comba, which suggests that he had previously had that title granted and the Letter of September 25, 1472 was merely the change, despite the fact that, to date, no conclusive proof of this concession has been found in the chancelleries. Afonso Álvares Nogueira, who translated the letter granting this title, adds: And even though before this some prelates of this country were called Counts of Santa Comba, it was by private mercy of the Kings but not de jure As they are now called Counts of Arganil.
From then on, all his successors in the Coimbra cathedral used this noble title, being known and designated, in short, as "bishop-counts".
In the middle of the 20th century, Bishop Ernesto Sena de Oliveira stopped using it and, since that date, the successive counts of Arganil have not used this title either, although they have never abdicated it.

List of Bishops-Counts

  1. João Galvão
  2. Jorge de Almeida
  3. Fr. João Soares
  4. Fr Manuel de Meneses
  5. Fr. Gaspar do Casal
  6. Afonso de Castelo-Branco
  7. Afonso Furtado de Mendonça
  8. Martim Afonso Mexia
  9. João Manuel
  10. Jorge de Melo
  11. Joane Mendes de Távora
  12. Manuel de Noronha
  13. Frei Álvaro de São Boaventura
  14. João de Melo
  15. António Vasconcelos e Sousa
  16. Miguel da Anunciação
  17. Francisco de Lemos de Faria Pereira Coutinho
  18. Fr. Francisco de São Luís Saraiva
  19. Fr. Joaquim de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré
  20. Manuel Bento Rodrigues da Silva
  21. José Manuel de Lemos
  22. Manuel Correia de Bastos Pina
After the imposition of the Republic in Portugal and with the end of the nobility system, the claimants to the title were:
  1. Manuel Luís Coelho da Silva
  2. António Antunes
  3. Ernesto Sena de Oliveira ,
  4. Francisco Fernandes Rendeiro
  5. João António da Silva Saraiva
  6. João Alves
  7. Albino Mamede Cleto
  8. Virgílio do Nascimento Antunes.