Historical overview of the house of the Counts of Anadia
The Pais do Amaral de Mangualde – The Amaral family’s lineage dates to the King Ramiro II of León, as descendants of D. Ermigo Paes de Matos (vassal of King Sancho II of Portugal), Lord of Quinta do Amaral (on the border of Viseu), from which his heirs have taken their family name, giving rise, in the 16th century, to the Pais do Amaral Family, Lords of the House of Mangualde. Later, Miguel Pais do Amaral, representative of this Family and donatary Lord of the villas of Abrunhosa and Vila Mendo, will be the 1st Lord of the Majorat of São Bernardo, in Mangualde (17th century). Thereby, the Pais do Amaral would maintain residency in their House in Mangualde, reconstructed in the first half of the 18th century (which would in the future be held as Palace), and in Lisbon resided in Pais do Amaral Palace, near Portas de Santa Antão.
The Sá de Anadia – Descendants of João Rodrigues de Sá, Admiral of King John I Galleys in the second half of the 14th century. João holds the honorific of His Excellency, given by King John II in the middle of the 15th century, and was Lord of the Majorats of Várzea, Lousã and Valongo, established between the 16th and the 17th centuries. In the second half of the 18th century, João Rodrigues de Sá e Mello de Menezes e Sottomayor received the titles of Viscount and Count of Anadia, respectively, from Queen Maria I and the King John VI. The fist Count of Anadia was the ambassador in Berlin and Minister of the Navy and War in Portugal and Brazil. He was the son of Ayres de Sá and Mello de Menezes e Sottomayor, Lord of the House of Anadia, ambassador in Naples (Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and War during the reign of D. José I. The Sá de Anadia family had its main residence in its palace and its manor house in Anadia, and in the former Palace of São João dos Bem Casados in Lisbon, a building that dates to the 17th century.
Their successor José António de Sá Pereira e Menezes de Mello e Sottomayor was the 2nd Count of Anadia, he was also granted the title of 1st Viscount of Alverca and represented the branch of the Sá de Condeixa family having accumulated the representation of the Sá de Anadia family. The 2nd Count of Anadia was the ambassador of Portugal in Naples and Madrid. Naples. The Sá de Condeixa family had its main residence in its palace in Condeixa, which was burned down during the Second French invasion commanded by Marshal Soult.
Maria Luiza Sá Pereira de Mello Menezes Sottomayor inherited this House, becoming the 3rd Countess of Anadia. Married to her cousin Manuel Pais do Amaral de Almeida e Vasconcelos e Quifel Barbenrino, uniting in this way the Families of Anadia and Alverca with the Families of Paes do Amaral de Mangualde and Almeida de Abrantes e Quifel Barberino of Rome and the Netherlands.
The Almeida de Abrantes – The House of the Almeida de Abrantes was founded in the 14th century with the establishment of the Majorat of Almeida, that later incorporated other important links, the Majorats of Momperres and Santa Maria da Alcáçova, having their main residence in a 17th-century manor house in Alferrarede (Abrantes).
The Quifel Barberino – descendants of the Barberini family, Dukes of Acceti and Princes of Palestrina, from which came the Pope Urban VIII and many cardinals of the Roman Curia in the 16th and 17th centuries. This House was founded in Portugal, with the institution of the Majorat of Quifel in Molhapão – in Sintra and the construction of its manor house in the 17th century.
The administration of the Houses of Anadia, Alverca, Paes do Amaral of Mangualde, Almeidas de Abrantes and Quifel Barberino de Molhapão fell upon the 4th Count of Anadia, José Maria de Sá Pereira de Mello Menezes Sottomayor Paes do Amaral de Almeida e Vasconcellos Quifel Barberino, the last holder of the innumerous Majorats that this House held for centuries (according to the law that decreed the end of the majorats in 1863).
The third son of the 4th Count of Anadia, Carlos de Sá Paes do Amaral Pereira e Menezes de Almeida e Vasconcellos Quifel de Barberino, held the titles of Count and Viscount of Alferrarede. He was the fifth owner of the Estate of Bom Sucesso in Alferrarede – former Majorat of the Almeida, and built a neo-gothic castle in the property known as the castle of Alferrarede.
The representation of the families and their links grouped together under the 4th Count of Anadia is nowadays ensured by the 6th Count of Anadia and 3rd Count of Alferrarede, Manuel José Maria de Sá Paes do Amaral, owner of the Palace of the Paes do Amaral in Mangualde.