COUNTS OF MAFRA

The noble title was granted by decree of Queen Maria II on 1 January 1836 in favour of Lourenço José Xavier de Lima. They wear the arms of Melos, the crown of Conde and the Insignia of Melos.

Holders

1st Count
D. Lourenço José Xavier de Lima (15 May 1767-11 January 1839), son of the Marquises of Ponte de Lima. Minister of Portugal in Turin, Vienna and London and ambassador of Portugal in Paris to the court of Louis XVIII, Charles X and Napoleon until he was ordered to leave Paris within 48 hours in October 1807 due to the declaration of war on Portugal in the face of King João VI's refusal to accede to the French demand to implement the "continental blockade". He was Councillor of the Treasury and Gentleman of the Chamber of Queen Maria II and Peer of the Realm (1 October 1835), having died without descendants.

2nd Count
General Francisco António de Jesus Maria Xavier de Sales de Melo Breyner (5/5/1811-19/10/1884), son of the 2nd Counts of Ficalho, grandson of the Marquises of Ponte de Lima, Knight of Malta, Grand Cross of the Order of Avis, Commander of the Rose (Brazil), retired brigadier general, decorated with the Sword Tower at the siege of Porto. He was a gentleman of the chamber of King Luís I, aide-de-camp to the same monarch and his father, King Fernando de Sax.

3rd Count
Francisco de Assis Maria das Dores Xavier de Melo Breyner (3/4/1887-29/7/1922) held senior positions in the administration of the Overseas Province of Mozambique and was a noted expert on colonial affairs. The title was granted to him by a telegram dated 25 June 1922 from King Manuel II, who was in exile in England.

4th Count
Professor Tomás de Melo Breyner (2/9/1866-24/10/1933), Doctor of Medicine at the Lisbon Medical and Surgical School, lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon, permanent physician to the Royal Chamber, director of clinical services at the Civil Hospitals of Lisbon, MP (1906-1907 legislature), Officer of the Order of Santiago, Commander of various foreign Orders of Merit, permanent member of various national and foreign Academies, represented Portugal at the International Medical Congresses of Venice (1897), Madrid (1903), Paris (1905), Lisbon (1906), etc.., and authored numerous scientific papers. He was one of the doctors responsible for embalming the bodies of King Carlos I and Prince Luís Filipe. His marriage to Sofia Burnay produced nine children. He was authorised to use the title for two generations (for himself and his eldest son, Francisco Burnay de Mello Breyner) by a letter dated 23 December 1922 from King Manuel II in exile in England after the death of his elder brother Francisco de Mello Breyner.

5th Count
Francisco Burnay de Melo Breyner (24/10/1894-25/6/1963) graduated in Law from the University of Lisbon. He and his brothers, Gonçalo and José, served the royal family's last meal at the table before they left for exile in Ericeira (5/10/1910).

6th Count
Tomás Plácido de Melo Breyner (7/12/1920-3/8/1979)

7th Count
Francisco Manuel do Espírito Santo Silva de Melo Breyner (28 September 1951-)