Dom Manuel de Portugal

Who is Dom Manuel de Portugal?

D. Manuel of Portugal was a Portuguese writer, poet and diplomat of the 16th century. Ambassador of Portugal in Castile, he supported D. António, Prior of Crato, Commendatory of Vimioso.

Among his known works are 17 books of songs, odes, plantos, octaves, etc. Mostly written in Spanish, his work was eminently of a moral and ascetic nature. The compilation Obras de Don Manoel de Portugal, published in 1605, ended with a Tratado breve da oração written in Portuguese. In the treaty, Dom Manuel summarizes the doctrines of the greatest Christian thinkers about prayer.

His poem Aquella voluntad que se ha rendido, written around 1555 for his beloved Dona Francisca de Aragão, was set to music and included in the songbooks of Elvas and Belém.