Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Portugal Heads of State

Also see Portugal Ministers

1008-? Countess Toda Mumadona
She lived (1070-1130)

1096-1112 Co-Reigning Countess Tarasa
1112-28 Sole ruler
She and her husband, Enrico de Bourgogne was given Portugal as a fief by her father, the King of Leon-Castilla, where her sister, Urraca was Queen (1109-29). Tarasa became sole ruler after her husband's death and abdicated in favour of son. Lived (1070-113?)

1383-85 Queen Beatriz
Deposed. She lived (1372-circa 1409)

1383 Regent Dowager Queen Leonor Tellez de Menezes
Regent for daughter

1438-40 Regent Dowager Queen Leonor de Argon
For son Afonso V (1438-81) She died 1445.

1471-74 Regent Infanta Juana of Portugal
For brother, Jao II 

1557-62 Regent Dowager Queen Catarina
For son Sebastiano (1557-78) She lived (1514-78)
 
1578 Candidate for the throne Infanta Catarina de Bragança of Portugal
After the death of Sebastião and the fact that Cardeal-King Henrique would not have heirs, she was among the candidates for the throne. Filipe II of Spain gained the throne, but her decendant, João II, Duque de Bragança became king under the name of João IV in 1640. She was daughter of Infant Duarte, Duque de Guimarães, son of King Manuel I, and Infanta Isabel de Bragança married to João I de Bragança, Duke of Bragança and mother of 8 children. She lived (1540-1614).

1612-29 Governor Margherita di Savoia of Lisboa
1633-42  Vice-reine of Portugal
She was regent for her cousin, Felipe IV of Spain, who had ursurped the Portugese Crown. She had been Regent of Mantua and Monferrato in 1612 for daughter Maria Gonzaga, and lived (1589-1655)

1656-62 Regent Dowager Queen Luísa Perez de Guzmão e Gómes de Sandovial
Regent for Afonso VI (1656-67, deposed). Daughter of the Duke of Medina Sidonia and lived (1613-66)

1666-83 Politically Influential Queen Maria Francisca de Savoie-Namour of Portugal
Known as Maria Francisca de Sabóia, she was married to Afonso VI of Portugal and Afonso VI of Portugal in 1666. He was an ill young man paralyzed of the left side of his body and mentally unstable. In Lisbon she fomented a palace coup that ended the government of Luís de Vasconcelos e Sousa, 3rd Count of Castelo Melhor and the following year she conducted a revolt together with her brother-in-law Pedro, forcing the king to abdicate his powers and consent to a practical exile in Terceira in the Azores. She also managed to get an annulment of the marriage, by invoking the supposed impotence of the king, and only months afterwards she married Prince Pedro, now the Prince Regent. Afonso died in 1683, and her husband became king and she was Queen until her death in December of the same year. Marie Françoise de Nemours was daughter of Charles Amédée of Savoy, 6th Duke of Nemours and Elisabeth de Bourbon-Vendome and mother of Isabel Luísa Josefa of Braganza, Princess of Beira. She lived (1646-83).

1701 and 1704-05 Regent Infanta Caterina de Braganza
For brother Pedro (1648-83-1706). She lived (1638-1705)

1706-before 1723 Lady  Juana de Moura y Aragón, las Islas Terceras in the Azores
Succeeded her sister, Leonor as 5th Marchioness de Castelo Rodrigo, 4th Countess of Lumiares, 34rd Duchess of Nocera from 1675 and Governor of Sicily in 1677.  She was daughter of Francisco de Moura y Melo and Anna María d’Aragona and married to Gilberto Pius, Prince of San Gregorio. The couple had four children the eldest of whom born in 1672 succeeded her as 6th Marquess.

1716 and 1742-50 Regent Queen Maria Anna von Habsburg 
During illness of her husband, João V, who was hit by a stroke

1774-77 Regent Dowager Queen Maria Ana Vittoria de Borbon
for João (1750-77). She lived (1718-81)

1777-1816 Queen Maria I 
1808  Proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves
Her full title was The Most High, Serene and Potent Lady Dona Maria I, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves, and above and below the Seas of Africa, Lord of Guinea, of the Conquest, Navigation and Commerce of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, and the Indies, Most Faithful Queen. She was granted the title of Princess of Beira by her grandfather, King Dom João V at birth. Became Princess of Brazil, 31st July 1750. She succeeded her father, but became mentally unstable and was forced to accept a Regency from 1792. Left Portugal with her family on the invasion of her kingdom by the French,  November 1807. Landed at Rio de Janeiro in March 1808. She was married to her uncle, The Most High, Serene and Potent Lord Dom Pedro III, King of Portugal etc, their son, Infante Dom Jose (1761-88) was married to her sister, Infanta Dona Maria (1746-1829!). Maria da Gloria lived  (1734-1816)