Pedro V of Portugal

Dom Pedro V (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpedɾu]; English: Peter V; 16 September 1837 – 11 November 1861), nicknamed "the Hopeful" (Portuguese: o Esperançoso), was King of Portugal from 1853 to 1861.

Early life and reign

As the eldest son of Queen Maria II and her de jure uxoris co-monarch Ferdinand II, Pedro was a member of the House of Braganza. As heir apparent to the throne he was styled Prince Royal (Príncipe Real), and was also the 19th Duke of Braganza (Duque de Bragança).

Pedro was a conscientious and hard-working monarch who, under the guidance of his father, sought radical modernisation of the Portuguese state and infrastructure. Under his reign, roads, telegraphs, and railways were constructed and improvements in public health advanced. His popularity increased when, during the cholera outbreak of 1853–1856, he visited hospitals handing out gifts and comforting the sick.

Pedro V, along with his brothers Fernando and João and other royal family members, succumbed to typhoid fever or cholera in 1861.